Statistics Using R with Biological Examples

Abstract

This book is a manifestation of my desire to teach researchers in biology a bit more about statistics than an ordinary introductory course covers and to introduce the utilization of R as a tool for analyzing their data. My goal is to reach those with little or no training in higher level statistics so that they can do more of their own data analysis, communicate more with statisticians, and appreciate the great potential statistics has to offer as a tool to answer biological questions. This is necessary in light of the increasing use of higher level statistics in biomedical research. I hope it accomplishes this mission and encourage its free distribution and use as a course text or supplement. I thank all the teachers, professors, and research colleagues who guided my own learning especially those in the statistics and biological research departments at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Dartmouth Medical School, and the University of New Hampshire. I thank the Churchill group at the Jackson labs to invite me to Bar Harbor while I was writing the original manuscript of this book. I especially thank Ernst Linder for reviewing and working with me on this manuscript, NHCTC for being a great place to teach, and my current colleagues at Tufts-NEMC. I dedicate this work to all my students past, present and future both those that I teach in the classroom and the ones I am teaching through my writings. I wish you success in your endeavors and encourage you never to quit your quest for answers to the research questions that interest you most.