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PREFACE<br />

This ninth edition of Biostatistics: A Foundation for Analysis in the Health Sciences<br />

should appeal to the same audience for which the first eight editions were written:<br />

advanced undergraduate students, beginning graduate students, and health professionals<br />

in need of a reference book on statistical methodology.<br />

Like its predecessors, this edition requires few mathematical prerequisites. Only<br />

reasonable proficiency in algebra is required for an understanding of the concepts and<br />

methods underlying the calculations. The emphasis continues to be on an intuitive<br />

understanding of principles rather than an understanding based on mathematical<br />

sophistication.<br />

For most of the statistical techniques covered in this edition, we discuss the capabilities<br />

of one or more software packages (MINITAB, SAS, SPSS, and NCSS) that may<br />

be used to perform the calculations needed for their application. Resulting screen displays<br />

are also shown.<br />

NEW TO THIS EDITION<br />

Chapter Overviews. In this edition, we introduce each chapter with a brief chapter<br />

overview that alerts students to the concepts that they will encounter as they read and<br />

study the chapter. The chapter overviews use non-technical language in order to provide<br />

students with a general understanding of the chapter contents without having to be confronted<br />

with unfamiliar terminology.<br />

Leaning Outcomes. Before they begin reading each chapter, students are provided with<br />

a list of learning outcomes that inform them of what they will be expected to know after<br />

having read and studied the chapter. Instructors may also use the learning outcomes as<br />

guides when preparing chapter-by-chapter syllabi.<br />

Summaries of Equations. Where appropriate, students will find at the ends of chapters<br />

a summary of the equations that were used in the chapter. This feature will provide students<br />

with a quick reference source when working on homework assignments. Instructors<br />

who wish to do so may allow students to bring copies of the equation summaries<br />

to the classroom for use during tests.<br />

New Topics. Following is a chapter-by-chapter summary of the topics that are new to<br />

this edition of Biostatistics.<br />

v

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