Table of Contents

Part One: Background knowledge; Introduction; Descriptive statistics introduced; Inferential statistics introduced; On the nature of numbers; Data entry in SPSS; Data analysis in practice; Part Two: Statistical testing; The analysis of differences; Qualitative analysis; Correlations, regression and factor analysis; Factorial analysis of variance; The time until events: survival analysis; Part Three: Beyond the tests; Exercises; Reporting in applied research; A taste of further statistical methods.

About the Author

Cole Davis is a freelance researcher with a background in social care, careers guidance and education. His research has covered fields as diverse as psychotherapies, computer software usability, employment and training, websites and marketing analysis. He is particularly well-known for his distinctive research style and his ability to make dry subjects readable. Previously, he also created CareerSteer, an internationally recognised computerised career choice computer program.

Reviews

"This book is an easy and informative read - an excellent introduction to SPSS for the novice, and a handy reference guide for the more experienced user who needs to refresh their memory." ---Dr Helen Kara, We Research It "This book offers a quick, down to earth, explanation of everything you could possibly want to achieve using SPSS. It's as if the author understands my concerns as I read the book." - Stepan Stasishyn (Amazon review) Cole Davis's new book is practical, well written and very reader friendly, especially by those who are not or would not describe themselves as mathematicians or skilled in the science of numbers. For those wanting to use SPSS, this book clearly explains what the software can do and how to achieve its potential. I particularly liked the way the book does not assume (as so many manuals do) that we are all familiar with statistical terms. It explains what they mean and offers practical examples of how they are used. As a freelance researcher engaged in many areas of social investigation, I would strongly recommend this book both as a practical and easy to understand guide to the use of SPSS but also for its valuable introduction to data analysis and statistics. Geraldine Pettersson, Social Researcher "A useful book for students and people who are fairly new to social research" SRA Research Matters