What resources do I recommend to prepare for the Statistics portion of the Praxis 5161 Exam?
For a fairly exhaustive and descriptive study content for Statistics, consult the link Geometry and Statistics Standards.
First, the good news. Several of the Statistics MCQs can answered simply by using one's 'common sense' and prior knowledge, however nebulous that might be!
Regarding books on Statistics, in general, ANY college book of reasonably recent vintage - say, published during the post-Reagan era! - should be adequate, especially those with BASIC, ELEMENTARY, A FIRST COURSE, BUSINESS and INTRODUCTORY in their titles.
The texts I'd actually recommend are:
a) Barron's 101 Study Keys Probability and Statistics
By: Martin Sternstein
Pub: Barron's Educational Series
Ed: 1994
Comments: As a quick study / reference tool I believe it's simply SMASHING: very well-written, most lucid and blasted good examples. Quick-study books are customarily lacking in the explicitness and detail I prefer, but this slender volume is just exquisite! So as a Statistics Major - and an AP Teacher of the subject - I unhesitatingly give it MY imprimatur of approval (which is what it lacked to catapult it into the bestseller-lists, yes?). So go buy it! Um, like, NOW! [It's available at your local Barnes & Nobles or BORDERS for ~ $15...!]
So go buy it! Um, like, NOW!
BUUUUUUUY IT!
Since it's authored by my brother-in-law, each time a sale rings up he whispers romantic pleasantries into my sister's ears! [OK, I jest...the cad treats her ill, come what may...Oh, all right, confound you, I do NOT have a sister (unless there's somebody lurking clandestinely without my cognizance...), I am NOT related to the author (unless one takes that Six Degrees Of Separation garbage seriously), I don't know if he's a bounder and verily he might be one, I am quite unaware if he's married and his marital status bothers not a trifle, and finally, I am utterly ignorant about him treating his lady-wife well if he were indeed so engaged...]
b) Schaum's Outline of Probability and Statistics
By: Murray R Spiegel, John J. Schiller, R. Alu Srinivasan
Pub: McGraw-Hill
Ed: 2nd
OR
Schaum's Outline of Statistics (Paperback)
By: Murray R Spiegel
Pub: McGraw-Hill
Ed: 3rd
Comments: For Schaum's Series fans (!), these are the relevant texts. As always, plenty of examples, lucid prose and uncluttered presentation is the hallmark of these perennially popular books! Personally, I find the explanations a tad too succinct for my tastes: I prefer the more detailed and exhaustive narrative of a regular textbook [see choice a) and b) above!], but that's just me!
c) Introductory Statistics
By: Wonnacott & Wonnacott
Pub: Wiley
Ed: 3/4/5
OR
Statistics: Informed Decisions Using Data
By: Michael III Sullivan
Pub: Prentice Hall
Ed: 2nd
OR
Fundamentals of Statistics
By Michael Sullivan
Pub: Prentice Hall
Ed: 2004
OR
Introductory Statistics
By: Weiss
Pub: Addison Wesley
Ed: 5/6/7
Comments: All are excellent basic textbooks on the subject and quite popular in introductory Stat courses in colleges. They're uniformly well-written and clear, pitched at the greenhorn.
Note: In general, one doesn't need to procure the most recent editions: as long as the volume doesn't bear Gutenberg as the publisher, one would do just swimmingly!
RECOMMENDATION: Use [one of the books in] a) OR [one of the books in] b) together with c) for best results!
Comments? Email me at [email protected]
First, the good news. Several of the Statistics MCQs can answered simply by using one's 'common sense' and prior knowledge, however nebulous that might be!
Regarding books on Statistics, in general, ANY college book of reasonably recent vintage - say, published during the post-Reagan era! - should be adequate, especially those with BASIC, ELEMENTARY, A FIRST COURSE, BUSINESS and INTRODUCTORY in their titles.
The texts I'd actually recommend are:
a) Barron's 101 Study Keys Probability and Statistics
By: Martin Sternstein
Pub: Barron's Educational Series
Ed: 1994
Comments: As a quick study / reference tool I believe it's simply SMASHING: very well-written, most lucid and blasted good examples. Quick-study books are customarily lacking in the explicitness and detail I prefer, but this slender volume is just exquisite! So as a Statistics Major - and an AP Teacher of the subject - I unhesitatingly give it MY imprimatur of approval (which is what it lacked to catapult it into the bestseller-lists, yes?). So go buy it! Um, like, NOW! [It's available at your local Barnes & Nobles or BORDERS for ~ $15...!]
So go buy it! Um, like, NOW!
BUUUUUUUY IT!
Since it's authored by my brother-in-law, each time a sale rings up he whispers romantic pleasantries into my sister's ears! [OK, I jest...the cad treats her ill, come what may...Oh, all right, confound you, I do NOT have a sister (unless there's somebody lurking clandestinely without my cognizance...), I am NOT related to the author (unless one takes that Six Degrees Of Separation garbage seriously), I don't know if he's a bounder and verily he might be one, I am quite unaware if he's married and his marital status bothers not a trifle, and finally, I am utterly ignorant about him treating his lady-wife well if he were indeed so engaged...]
b) Schaum's Outline of Probability and Statistics
By: Murray R Spiegel, John J. Schiller, R. Alu Srinivasan
Pub: McGraw-Hill
Ed: 2nd
OR
Schaum's Outline of Statistics (Paperback)
By: Murray R Spiegel
Pub: McGraw-Hill
Ed: 3rd
Comments: For Schaum's Series fans (!), these are the relevant texts. As always, plenty of examples, lucid prose and uncluttered presentation is the hallmark of these perennially popular books! Personally, I find the explanations a tad too succinct for my tastes: I prefer the more detailed and exhaustive narrative of a regular textbook [see choice a) and b) above!], but that's just me!
c) Introductory Statistics
By: Wonnacott & Wonnacott
Pub: Wiley
Ed: 3/4/5
OR
Statistics: Informed Decisions Using Data
By: Michael III Sullivan
Pub: Prentice Hall
Ed: 2nd
OR
Fundamentals of Statistics
By Michael Sullivan
Pub: Prentice Hall
Ed: 2004
OR
Introductory Statistics
By: Weiss
Pub: Addison Wesley
Ed: 5/6/7
Comments: All are excellent basic textbooks on the subject and quite popular in introductory Stat courses in colleges. They're uniformly well-written and clear, pitched at the greenhorn.
Note: In general, one doesn't need to procure the most recent editions: as long as the volume doesn't bear Gutenberg as the publisher, one would do just swimmingly!
RECOMMENDATION: Use [one of the books in] a) OR [one of the books in] b) together with c) for best results!
Comments? Email me at [email protected]