“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, Assistant 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 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 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