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What Others Have Said

Analysis of Variance and Functional Measurement: A Practical Guide is an essential addition to the bookshelf of any serious analyst of behavioral data. Like a good dance partner who neither leads nor follows but anticipates and trusts, Weiss has an uncanny talent for writing clearly about sophisticated and complex issues with a tone that is singularly authoritative and compassionate. Readers will find fourteen well-written satisfying chapters – many of which are short enough to be read in a single setting – that explain statistical concepts in everyday language. With the book, David Weiss succeeds in becoming what every student hopes for – an ally in the classroom.”

Anthony D. Ong, Professor of Human Development, Cornell University

“This is an outstanding textbook on experimental design and analysis. It is ideally positioned for new students with little or no background in statistics. It has three notable features that put it above the competitors. First, it is extremely well written and easy to follow. The many graphics allow visually oriented students insight into the logic of analysis and design. In addition, the notation used (the bane for many students) is straightforward and kept to a minimum. Second, the book contains several important topics that are often ignored in comparable books. Two examples are measurement issues in chapter 9 and functional measurement in chapter 14. Although both of these elegant chapters deserve inclusion in every text on analysis and design, Weiss is unique in including them both. Third, the CALSTAT computer package is a delight! It is a stable, well-programmed series of interconnected program that are approachable, even fun to use. In fact, CALSTAT is worth the price of the book alone. The bottom line is that Weiss’s text sets the standard for use in design and analysis courses targeted to students with minimal background.”

 James Shanteau, University Distinguished Professor and Commerce Bank Distinguished Graduate Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Kansas State University

 “Finally, a literate and readable statistics text. Students now have one fewer reason to avoid learning statistics. If Weiss lectures as well as he writes, someone should nominate him for teacher of the year”.

Warren Thorngate, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Carleton University

"Instructors usually have two choices; a text the students will not understand or a cookbook text which produces little or no understanding.  What’s needed is a text which permits students to learn the basic techniques but which fosters a real understanding of what the designs and analyses are accomplishing.  David Weiss’ book comes as close to meeting that criterion as any and would be an excellent choice for an upper level undergraduate or lower level graduate course in experimental design...

It is clearly written so the student can gain maximum benefit and brief enough to not be intimidating.  There are several competitors that are more comprehensive in approach, but I doubt that they will be more effective for the primary audience.  It is much more important that students understand the tools they use than have a complete toolkit they can only use by rote...

The greatest strength of the book is the author’s subtle insistence that the reader build an understanding of how ANOVA works.  He does this through some very simple strategies.  First, he does not introduce unnecessary complication, but builds from a central foundation.  Second, he allows the computer to perform the most mundane calculations, but requires the student to incorporate intermediate results into complex solutions.  Third, he does not avoid controversies, but does not dwell on them.  As with most books on this subject, Weiss begins with ONEWAY, then Factorial ANOVAs.  The rationale and method of each are laid out in a clear fashion.  I suspect Weiss based the book on his lecture notes because it reads like a presentation from a master teacher."

Jay C. Thomas, in PsycCRITIQUES, APA's on-line journal of book reviews