Gary Smith is the Fletcher Jones Professor of Economics at Pomona College in Claremont, California. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University and taught there as Assistant Professor for seven years. He has won two teaching awards and authored more than seventy academic papers, nine textbooks, and seven educational software programs. This is his first trade book.
London Times Book of the Week (November 2014)
A very entertaining book about a very serious problem. We deceive
ourselves all the time with statistics, and it is time we wised up.
Robert J. Shiller, winner of the Nobel Prize inEconomics and author
of "Irrational Exuberance"
Most of the authoritative, sciencey-sounding claims we're fed by
the media are polluted by distortions, biases, and plain old
errors. In "Standard Deviations," Gary Smith sets the record
straight via hugely engaging case studies and anecdotes. It's the
most fun you can have while learning how not to be led astray by
the hordes of sloppy, self-serving if often well-meaning data
mongers. David H. Freedman, author of "Wrong: Why Experts Keep
Failing Us and How to Know When Not to Trust Them"
We all learn in school that there are three kinds of lies: lies,
damn lies, and statistics. Gary Smith's new book imparts true
substance to this point by setting forth myriad examples of how and
why statistics and data-crunching at large are susceptible to
corruption. The great risk today is that the young will forget that
deductive logic is vastly more powerful than inductive logic.
Horace Wood Brock, President, Strategic Economic Decisions,
Inc.
Gary Smith is brilliant when it comes to writing lively and
understandable statistical analysis, and "Standard Deviations" is
his best work to date. It joins Darrell Huff's "How to Lie With
Statistics" as a 'must read' classic in the field. Woody
Studenmund, Laurence de Rycke Professor of Economics, Occidental
College
Statistical reasoning is the most used and abused form of rhetoric
in the field of finance. "Standard Deviations" is an approachable
and effective means to arm oneself against the onslaught
statistical hyperbole in our modern age. Professor Smith has done
us all a tremendous service. Bryan White, Managing Director,
BlackRock, Inc.
It's entertaining; it's gossipy; it's insightful; it's destined to
be a classic. Based on a lifetime of experience unravelling the
methodical blunders that remain all too frequent, this book
communicates Gary Smith s wisdom about how not to do a data
analysis. Smith s engaging rendering of countless painful mistakes
will help readers avoid the pitfalls far better than merely
mastering theorems. Edward E. Leamer, Chauncey J. Medberry
Professor, UCLA
"Standard Deviations" will teach you how not to be deceived by lies
masquerading as statistics. Written in an entertaining style with
contemporary examples, this book should appeal to everyone, whether
interested in marriages or mortgages, the wealth of your family, or
the health of the economy. This should be required reading for
everyone living in this age of (too much?) information. Arthur
Benjamin, Professor of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College and author
of "Secrets of Mental Math"
Gary Smith's "Standard Deviations" is both a statement of
principles for doing statistical inference correctly and a
practical guide for interpreting the (supposedly) data-based
inferences other people have drawn. The book is cleverly written
and engaging to read, full of concrete examples that make clear not
just what Smith is saying but why it matters. Readers will discover
that lots of what they thought they'd learned is wrong, and they'll
understand why. Benjamin M. Friedman, William Joseph Maier
Professor of Political Economy, Harvard University
"Standard Deviations"shows in compelling fashion why humans are so
susceptible to the misuse of statistical evidence and why this
matters. I know of no other book that explains important concepts
such as selection bias in such an entertaining and memorable
manner. Richard J. Murnane, Thompson Professor of Education and
Society, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
"The brusque confidence of its dismissals often makes it more
enjoyable than the original"How to Lie with Statistics."..There s a
lot to be learned from it." "Los Angeles Review of Books""
"A very entertaining book about a very serious problem. We deceive
ourselves all the time with statistics, and it is time we wised
up." --Robert J. Shiller, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
and author of "Irrational Exuberance"
"Most of the authoritative, sciencey-sounding claims we're fed by
the media are polluted by distortions, biases, and plain old
errors. In "Standard Deviations," Gary Smith sets the record
straight via hugely engaging case studies and anecdotes. It's the
most fun you can have while learning how not to be led astray by
the hordes of sloppy, self-serving--if often well-meaning--data
mongers." --David H. Freedman, author of "Wrong: Why Experts Keep
Failing Us--and How to Know When Not to Trust Them"
"We all learn in school that there are three kinds of lies: lies,
damn lies, and statistics. Gary Smith's new book imparts true
substance to this point by setting forth myriad examples of how and
why statistics and data-crunching at large are susceptible to
corruption. The great risk today is that the young will forget that
deductive logic is vastly more powerful than inductive
logic."--Horace Wood Brock, President, Strategic Economic
Decisions, Inc.
"Gary Smith is brilliant when it comes to writing lively and
understandable statistical analysis, and "Standard Deviations" is
his best work to date. It joins Darrell Huff's "How to Lie With
Statistics" as a 'must read' classic in the field." --Woody
Studenmund, Laurence de Rycke Professor of Economics, Occidental
College
"Statistical reasoning is the most used and abused form of rhetoric
in the field of finance. "Standard Deviations" is an approachable
and effective means to arm oneself against the onslaught
statistical hyperbole in our modern age. Professor Smith has done
us all a tremendous service." --Bryan White, Managing Director,
BlackRock, Inc.
"It's entertaining; it's gossipy; it's insightful; it's destined to
be a classic. Based on a lifetime of experience unravelling the
methodical blunders that remain all too frequent, this book
communicates Gary Smith's wisdom about how not to do a data
analysis. Smith's engaging rendering of countless painful mistakes
will help readers avoid the pitfalls far better than merely
mastering theorems." --Edward E. Leamer, Chauncey J. Medberry
Professor, UCLA
""Standard Deviations" will teach you how not to be deceived by
lies masquerading as statistics. Written in an entertaining style
with contemporary examples, this book should appeal to everyone,
whether interested in marriages or mortgages, the wealth of your
family, or the health of the economy. This should be required
reading for everyone living in this age of (too much?)
information." --Arthur Benjamin, Professor of Mathematics, Harvey
Mudd College and author of "Secrets of Mental Math"
"Gary Smith's "Standard Deviations" is both a statement of
principles for doing statistical inference correctly and a
practical guide for interpreting the (supposedly) data-based
inferences other people have drawn. The book is cleverly written
and engaging to read, full of concrete examples that make clear not
just what Smith is saying but why it matters. Readers will discover
that lots of what they thought they'd learned is wrong, and they'll
understand why." --Benjamin M. Friedman, William Joseph Maier
Professor of Political Economy, Harvard University
""Standard Deviations" shows in compelling fashion why humans are
so susceptible to the misuse of statistical evidence and why this
matters. I know of no other book that explains important concepts
such as selection bias in such an entertaining and memorable
manner." --Richard J. Murnane, Thompson Professor of Education and
Society, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
"Most of the authoritative, sciencey-sounding claims we're fed by
the media are polluted by distortions, biases, and plain old
errors. In "Standard Deviations," Gary Smith sets the record
straight via hugely engaging case studies and anecdotes. It's the
most fun you can have while learning how not to be led astray by
the hordes of sloppy, self-serving--if often well-meaning--data
mongers." --David H. Freedman, author of "Wrong: Why Experts Keep
Failing Us--and How to Know When Not to Trust Them"
"We all learn in school that there are three kinds of lies: lies,
damn lies, and statistics. Gary Smith's new book imparts true
substance to this point by setting forth myriad examples of how and
why statistics and data-crunching at large are susceptible to
corruption. The great risk today is that the young will forget that
deductive logic is vastly more powerful than inductive
logic."--Horace Wood Brock, President, Strategic Economic
Decisions, Inc.
"Gary Smith is brilliant when it comes to writing lively and
understandable statistical analysis, and "Standard Deviations" is
his best work to date. It joins Darrell Huff's "How to Lie With
Statistics" as a 'must read' classic in the field." --Woody
Studenmund, Laurence de Rycke Professor of Economics, Occidental
College
"Statistical reasoning is the most used and abused form of rhetoric
in the field of finance. "Standard Deviations" is an approachable
and effective means to arm oneself against the onslaught
statistical hyperbole in our modern age. Professor Smith has done
us all a tremendous service." --Bryan White, Managing Director,
BlackRock, Inc.
"Its entertaining; its gossipy; its insightful; its destined to be
a classic. Based on a lifetime of experience unravelling the
methodical blunders that remain all too frequent, this book
communicates Gary Smith's wisdom about how not to do a data
analysis. Smith's engaging rendering of countless painful mistakes
will help readers avoid the pitf
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