Modern Statistical Software Research Articles

Stochastic Models for Social Processes (3rd Edition)

This is a translation of the fifth edition of a German reference book for users of statistical methods. Exceeding 700 pages with more than 200 tables (logarithms to Bonferroni chi-squared) and a 74-page bibliography, the book covers elementary methods with brief treatments of analysis of variance and regression. Sachs provides a plan for using the book as an elementary textbook, but I feel that its main function is as a reference book. (An obvious alternative textbook is Box, Hunter, and Hunter 1978.) Many of the methods presented are back of an envelope statistical procedures. The book only briefly mentions high-speed computation and modern statistical packages, although appropriate references are given. The collection of extensive tables and unusual statistical tests gives an experienced user interesting choices of statistical procedures. For example, Section 4.7, Testing the Randomness of a Sequence of Dichotomous Data or of Measured Data, presents in six pages a test based on mean successive differences (with a table), the run test (with a table), the Wallis and Moore phase frequency test, the Cox and Stuart sign test for monotone trend, and other suggestions and references. There are 440 fully worked-out numerical examples, some of which are very simple (p. 1). Indeed, most just enable the reader to verify that the arithmetic involved in a method can be carried out. At the end there are eight pages of exercises of a routine nature. Overall, I recommend the book for consideration by a knowledgeable user who desires a reference book containing an eclectic array of techniques and tables for elementary methods. I plan to keep my copy close by.