Cooking with statistics

Abstract

Reviews the book, Statistics at the Bench: A Step-by- Step Handbook for Biologists by Martina Bremer & Rebecca W. Doerge (2010). After an initial caution that the book is not meant to be a comprehensive textbook, but is instead a reference, the authors briefly introduce common statistical tests and concepts and illustrate them with examples from the life sciences. The book is published as a hardcover ring binder that lies flat on a desktop at any selected page, which is a nice touch that adds convenience, although it also makes look a bit like a cookbook. The book has limitations, however, that might restrict its audience. The primary problem is that the authors assume that the reader already has a fairly solid understanding of which statistical test is appropriate to his or her data and that the only step-by-step instructions needed are the ones on how to get Excel to crunch the numbers. The authors do a very good job of explaining the underlying concepts; in this case, technical replication and biological replication. In summary, the book will be quite useful for scientists who already know the basics of cooking with statistics, but it isn't a substitute for a good cooking class. Other options might be better for those who are just learning their way around the statistical kitchen. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)