Seminal Ideas and Controversies in Statistics
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:2nd Mar '25
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£160.00(9781032497174)
Statistics has developed as a field through seminal ideas and fascinating controversies. Seminal Ideas and Controversies in Statistics concerns a wide-ranging set of 15 important statistical topics, grouped into three general areas: philosophical approaches to statistical inference, important statistical methodology for applications, and topics on statistical design, focusing on the role of randomization. The key papers on each topic are discussed with commentaries to help explain them. The goal is to expand reader knowledge of the statistics literature and encourage a historical perspective.
Features
- Discusses a number of important ideas in the history of statistics, including the likelihood principle, Bayes vs. frequentist approaches to inference, alternative approaches to least squares regression, shrinkage estimation, hypothesis testing, and multiple comparisons
- Provides a deeper understanding and appreciation of the history of statistics
- Discusses disagreements in the literature, which make for interesting reading
- Gives guidance on various aspects of statistics research by reading good examples in the literature
- Promotes the use of good English style in the presentation of statistical ideas, by learning from well-written papers
- Includes an appendix of style tips on writing statistical papers
This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in statistics and biostatistics, who are interested in the history of statistics and would like to deepen their understanding of seminal ideas and controversies. It could be used to teach a special topics course or useful for any researchers keen to understand the subject better and improve their statistical presentation skills.
“Little’s book was a lot of fun. When the ideas are taken together close in time, it broadens one’s perspective, which may not happen if the papers are read discretely. For me, Little’s through-line is that statistical inference is a toolkit of interconnected ideas that work reliably only when tied to design, modelling assumptions and calibration…I feel that the seminal works are not museum pieces but remain living guidance for modern statistical practice. This reaching back for solid ground feels timely for practising statisticians and scientists, with the foundation of epistemology under attack from many directions, including the proponents of artificial intelligence. I would appreciate more books like it.”
~ Luke R. Lloyd-Jones, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Statistics
“Little's thought-provoking book brings the debates about 15 important statistical concepts to life through reflections on key journal articles…Little based this book on a doctoral-student seminar he developed at the University of Michigan to enhance students' understanding about fundamental concepts of statistics. While the book is ideal for such a class, it is also a tremendous resource for teachers of statistics who want to deepen their knowledge and make the subject come alive for their students…Seminal Ideas and Controversies in Statistics is not an easy read, but it is a rewarding one. In my opinion, every student and teacher of statistics should read this book. It will give you a new perspective on concepts that you may have taken for granted, and a renewed appreciation for the remarkable contributions that statisticians have made.”
~Sharon L. Lohr, Arizona State University, USA; published in the Journal of Applied Statistics, Dec 2025
ISBN: 9781032493565
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 360g
223 pages