Written for people who want to learn or brush-up on the basics of statistics but question their abilities, this book offers a step-by-step introduction to the topic. The book begins with an introduction to the language of statistics and then covers descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Throughout, the author offers readers:

- Difficulty Rating Index for each chapter's material

- Tips for doing and thinking about a statistical technique

- Top tens for everything from the best ways to create a graph to the most effective techniques for data collection

- Steps that break techniques down into a clear sequence of procedures

- SPSS tips for executing each major statistical technique

- Practice exercises at the end of each chapter, followed by worked out solutions.

The book concludes with a statistical software sampler and a description of the best Internet sites for statistical information and data resources. Readers also have access to a website for downloading data that they can use to practice additional exercises from the book. Students and researchers will appreciate the book's unhurried pace and thorough, friendly presentation.