Biostatistics with R - An Introduction to Statistics Through Biological Data

Biostatistics with R is designed around the dynamic interplay among statistical methods, their applications in biology, and their implementation. The book explains basic statistical concepts with a simple yet rigorous language. The development of ideas is in the context of real applied problems, for which step-by-step instructions for using R and R-Commander are provided. Topics include data exploration, estimation, hypothesis testing, linear regression analysis, and clustering with two appendices on installing and using R and R-Commander. A novel feature of this book is an introduction to Bayesian analysis.
This author discusses basic statistical analysis through a series of biological examples using R and R-Commander as computational tools. The book is ideal for instructors of basic statistics for biologists and other health scientists. The step-by-step application of statistical methods discussed in this book allows readers, who are interested in statistics and its application in biology, to use the book as a self-learning text.

List of contents

Introduction.- Data Exploration.- Exploring Relationships.- Probability.- Random Variables and Probability Distribtions.- Estimation.- Hypothesis Testing.- Testing a Hypothesis on the Relatinoship Between Two Variables.- Analysis of Variance.- Analysis of Categorial Variables.- Regression Analysis.- Clustering.- Bayesian Analysis.

About the author

Babak Shahbaba is Assistant Professor at the University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on developing Bayesian methods and applying them to real-world problems. He is currently conducting research in three areas: (1) incorporating appropriate priors into statistical models in order to improve their performance, (2) developing new nonlinear models that are sufficiently flexible and provide interpretable results, and (3) applying novel statistical methods to solve research questions in genetics, genomics, proteomics, and cancer studies.

Summary

Biostatistics with R is designed around the dynamic interplay among statistical methods, their applications in biology, and their implementation. The book explains basic statistical concepts with a simple yet rigorous language. The development of ideas is in the context of real applied problems, for which step-by-step instructions for using R and R-Commander are provided. Topics include data exploration, estimation, hypothesis testing, linear regression analysis, and clustering with two appendices on installing and using R and R-Commander. A novel feature of this book is an introduction to Bayesian analysis.
This author discusses basic statistical analysis through a series of biological examples using R and R-Commander as computational tools. The book is ideal for instructors of basic statistics for biologists and other health scientists. The step-by-step application of statistical methods discussed in this book allows readers, who are interested in statistics and its application in biology, to use the book as a self-learning text.

Additional text

From the reviews:
“It presents the statistical concepts/methods starting with biological examples and leads the reader using R commands as guidelines. The author uses all opportunities to emphasize the close connection between statistics and other fields, making this textbook a good start for interdisciplinary studies. … written for a broad range of readers, from undergraduates to researchers, from readers with a strong statistical background who wish to understand how to approach biological data sets, to readers who wish to use statistical methods to mine for information.” (Irina Ioana Mohorianu, zbMATH, Vol. 1275, 2014)
This book is, however, unique and distinct from others in the field that it presents R-Commander - a useful tool for teaching basic statistics to students who do not have a computer programming background. The Appendix A provides the simple instructions for its installation on a computer and introduces the reader to the R-Commander window. The author presents statistical methods by their direct application to numerous past scientific studies that are publicly available. In addition, the various data sets are available online and can be downloaded which makes the text ideal as a teaching aid. A balance has been struck between mathematical rigour and readability; with more complex concepts that are of limited application in everyday analyses relegated to the end of each chapter in Advanced sections.
International Statistical Review, 81, 3, 2013, Review by Carl M.O’Brien

Report

From the reviews:
"It presents the statistical concepts/methods starting with biological examples and leads the reader using R commands as guidelines. The author uses all opportunities to emphasize the close connection between statistics and other fields, making this textbook a good start for interdisciplinary studies. ... written for a broad range of readers, from undergraduates to researchers, from readers with a strong statistical background who wish to understand how to approach biological data sets, to readers who wish to use statistical methods to mine for information." (Irina Ioana Mohorianu, zbMATH, Vol. 1275, 2014)
This book is, however, unique and distinct from others in the field that it presents R-Commander - a useful tool for teaching basic statistics to students who do not have a computer programming background. The Appendix A provides the simple instructions for its installation on a computer and introduces the reader to the R-Commander window. The author presents statistical methods by their direct application to numerous past scientific studies that are publicly available. In addition, the various data sets are available online and can be downloaded which makes the text ideal as a teaching aid. A balance has been struck between mathematical rigour and readability; with more complex concepts that are of limited application in everyday analyses relegated to the end of each chapter in Advanced sections.
International Statistical Review, 81, 3, 2013, Review by Carl M.O'Brien

Product details

• Authors: Babak Shahbaba
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2012
• EAN: 9781461413011
• ISBN: 978-1-4614-1301-1
• No. of pages: 352
• Dimensions: 157 mm x 20 mm x 236 mm
• Weight: 558 g
• Illustrations: XVI, 352 p. 162 illus., 73 illus. in color.
• Series: Use R!; Use R!
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Mathematics > Probability theory, stochastic theory, mathematical statistics; B, Epidemiology & medical statistics, Statistics, Mathematics and Statistics, Statistics for Life Sciences, Medicine, Health Sciences, Biostatistics, Biostatistics;R applications