Statistics Is The Sexy In Science

Statistics transcends all disciplines of science. It is a science and a tool which other disciplines rely on for their investigations. It is science's way of finding the truth. So, in essence, statistics carries the purity of the sciences on its shoulders. In more compelling terms, statistics is what makes science sexy.

Andrew Vickers gets that. In his book, What is a p-value anyway?, Vickers' aim is to show us what statistics means. To do so, he carries us head-first into basic statistical concepts such as inference, estimation and mean, median and standard deviation. And he does so in a supremely unorthodox manner.

Each chapter focuses on a particular statistical concept. Vickers typically begins a chapter with a short anecdote or a particularly hilarious story. He then masterfully frames the statistical concept he wants to inculcate into the anecdote or story to paint a simple but crystal clear picture of what he is explaining. And he seasons all this with some nerdy jokes ("when Bill Gates walks into a bar... the average salary goes up"). By relying on basic stories, Vickers succeeds in translating statistical concepts into something more tangible, relatable and thus graspable.

Chapters close with more typical academic point-form summaries of concepts explored (or rather, illustrated) as well as a series of thoughtful discussion questions to ponder upon. Vickers answers each discussion question at length at the end of the book and there are some gems to be unearthed: "why might a stronger effect lead to a higher p-value, and less evidence against a null hypothesis of no effect?", "what is the connection between a criminal trial and a p-value?" (think guilty or not guilty).

With What is a p-value anyway?, Vickers hits home and does a tremendous job showcasing statistics as the logical science it really is. He single-handedly manages to make statistics sexy, interesting and even fun. For these alone, Vickers deserves the highest recognition.

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This piece is adapted from a book review I did for Significance, the statistics outreach magazine of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) and the American Statistical Association (ASA).

Image credit: Randall Munroe (from xkcd).