This book offers an up-to-date portrait of the realities of social class and its consequences in the United States today, focusing on the increasing inequality gap; the shrinking middle class; the myth and realities of social mobility; the consequences of class for work, health care, education, the justice system, war, and the environment; and progressive solutions for reducing inequality and improving human life.

This book offers an up-to-date portrait of the realities of social class and its consequences in the United States today, focusing on the increasing inequality gap; the shrinking middle class; the myth and realities of social mobility; the consequences of class for work, health care, education, the justice system, war, and the environment; and progressive solutions for reducing inequality and improving human life.

The primary purpose of this textbook is to introduce the reader to a wide variety of elementary permutation statistical methods. Permutation methods are optimal for small data sets and non-random samples, and are free of distributional assumptions. The book follows the conventional structure of most introductory books on statistical methods, and features chapters on central tendency and variability, one-sample tests, two-sample tests, matched-pairs tests, one-way fully-randomized analysis of variance, one-way randomized-blocks analysis of variance, simple regression and correlation, and the analysis of contingency tables. In addition, it introduces and describes a comparatively new permutation-based, chance-corrected measure of effect size. Because permutation tests and measures are distribution-free, do not assume normality, and do not rely on squared deviations among sample values, they are currently being applied in a wide variety of disciplines. This book presents permutation alternatives to existing classical statistics, and is intended as a textbook for undergraduate statistics courses or graduate courses in the natural, social, and physical sciences, while assuming only an elementary grasp of statistics.

This research monograph utilizes exact and Monte Carlo permutation statistical methods to generate probability values and measures of effect size for a variety of measures of association. Association is broadly defined to include measures of correlation for two interval-level variables, measures of association for two nominal-level variables or two ordinal-level variables, and measures of agreement for two nominal-level or two ordinal-level variables. Additionally, measures of association for mixtures of the three levels of measurement are considered: nominal-ordinal, nominal-interval, and ordinal-interval measures. Numerous comparisons of permutation and classical statistical methods are presented. Unlike classical statistical methods, permutation statistical methods do not rely on theoretical distributions, avoid the usual assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance, and depend only on the data at hand. This book takes a unique approach to explaining statistics by integrating a large variety of statistical methods, and establishing the rigor of a topic that to many may seem to be a nascent field. This topic is relatively new in that it took modern computing power to make permutation methods available to those working in mainstream research. Written for a statistically informed audience, it is particularly useful for teachers of statistics, practicing statisticians, applied statisticians, and quantitative graduate students in fields such as psychology, medical research, epidemiology, public health, and biology. It can also serve as a textbook in graduate courses in subjects like statistics, psychology, and biology.

This research monograph provides a synthesis of a number of statistical tests and measures, which, at first consideration, appear disjoint and unrelated. Numerous comparisons of permutation and classical statistical methods are presented, and the two methods are compared via probability values and, where appropriate, measures of effect size. Permutation statistical methods, compared to classical statistical methods, do not rely on theoretical distributions, avoid the usual assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance, and depend only on the data at hand. This text takes a unique approach to explaining statistics by integrating a large variety of statistical methods, and establishing the rigor of a topic that to many may seem to be a nascent field in statistics. This topic is new in that it took modern computing power to make permutation methods available to people working in the mainstream of research. lly-informed="" audience,="" and="" can="" also="" easily="" serve="" as="" textbook="" in="" graduate="" course="" departments="" such="" statistics,="" psychology,="" or="" biology.="" particular,="" the="" audience="" for="" book="" is="" teachers="" of="" practicing="" statisticians,="" applied="" quantitative="" students="" fields="" medical="" research,="" epidemiology,="" public="" health,="" biology.

This research monograph provides a synthesis of a number of statistical tests and measures, which, at first consideration, appear disjoint and unrelated. Numerous comparisons of permutation and classical statistical methods are presented, and the two methods are compared via probability values and, where appropriate, measures of effect size. Permutation statistical methods, compared to classical statistical methods, do not rely on theoretical distributions, avoid the usual assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance, and depend only on the data at hand. This text takes a unique approach to explaining statistics by integrating a large variety of statistical methods, and establishing the rigor of a topic that to many may seem to be a nascent field in statistics. This topic is new in that it took modern computing power to make permutation methods available to people working in the mainstream of research. lly-informed="" audience,="" and="" can="" also="" easily="" serve="" as="" textbook="" in="" graduate="" course="" departments="" such="" statistics,="" psychology,="" or="" biology.="" particular,="" the="" audience="" for="" book="" is="" teachers="" of="" practicing="" statisticians,="" applied="" quantitative="" students="" fields="" medical="" research,="" epidemiology,="" public="" health,="" biology.

The focus of this book is on the birth and historical development of permutation statistical methods from the early 1920s to the near present. Beginning with the seminal contributions of R.A. Fisher, E.J.G. Pitman, and others in the 1920s and 1930s, permutation statistical methods were initially introduced to validate the assumptions of classical statistical methods. Permutation methods have advantages over classical methods in that they are optimal for small data sets and non-random samples, are data-dependent, and are free of distributional assumptions. Permutation probability values may be exact, or estimated via moment- or resampling-approximation procedures. Because permutation methods are inherently computationally-intensive, the evolution of computers and computing technology that made modern permutation methods possible accompanies the historical narrative. Permutation analogs of many well-known statistical tests are presented in a historical context, including multiple correlation and regression, analysis of variance, contingency table analysis, and measures of association and agreement. A non-mathematical approach makes the text accessible to readers of all levels.

Benford's Law is a probability distribution for the likelihood of the leading digit in a set of numbers. This book seeks to improve and systematize the use of Benford's Law in the social sciences to assess the validity of self-reported data. The authors first introduce a new measure of conformity to the Benford distribution that is created using permutation statistical methods and employs the concept of statistical agreement. In a switch from a typical Benford application, this book moves away from using Benford's Law to test whether the data conform to the Benford distribution, to using it to draw conclusions about the validity of the data. The concept of 'Benford validity' is developed, which indicates whether a dataset is valid based on comparisons with the Benford distribution and, in relation to this, diagnostic procedure that assesses the impact of not having Benford validity on data analysis is devised.

This book takes a unique approach to explaining permutation statistics by integrating permutation statistical methods with a wide range of classical statistical methods and associated R programs. It opens by comparing and contrasting two models of statistical inference: the classical population model espoused by J. Neyman and E.S. Pearson and the permutation model first introduced by R.A. Fisher and E.J.G. Pitman. Numerous comparisons of permutation and classical statistical methods are presented, supplemented with a variety of R scripts for ease of computation. The text follows the general outline of an introductory textbook in statistics with chapters on central tendency and variability, one-sample tests, two-sample tests, matched-pairs tests, completely-randomized analysis of variance, randomized-blocks analysis of variance, simple linear regression and correlation, and the analysis of goodness of fit and contingency. Unlike classical statistical methods, permutation statistical methods do not rely on theoretical distributions, avoid the usual assumptions of normality and homogeneity, depend only on the observed data, and do not require random sampling. The methods are relatively new in that it took modern computing power to make them available to those working in mainstream research. Designed for an audience with a limited statistical background, the book can easily serve as a textbook for undergraduate or graduate courses in statistics, psychology, economics, political science or biology. No statistical training beyond a first course in statistics is required, but some knowledge of, or some interest in, the R programming language is assumed.

The primary purpose of this book is to introduce the reader to a wide variety of interesting and useful connections, relationships, and equivalencies between and among conventional and permutation statistical methods. There are approximately 320 statistical connections and relationships described in this book. For each connection or connections the tests are described, the connection is explained, and an example analysis illustrates both the tests and the connection(s). The emphasis is more on demonstrations than on proofs, so little mathematical expertise is assumed. While the book is intended as a stand-alone monograph, it can also be used as a supplement to a standard textbook such as might be used in a second- or third-term course in conventional statistical methods. Students, faculty, and researchers in the social, natural, or hard sciences will find an interesting collection of statistical connections and relationships - some well-known, some more obscure, and some presented here for the first time.

This book takes a unique approach to explaining permutation statistics by integrating permutation statistical methods with a wide range of classical statistical methods and associated R programs. It opens by comparing and contrasting two models of statistical inference: the classical population model espoused by J. Neyman and E.S. Pearson and the permutation model first introduced by R.A. Fisher and E.J.G. Pitman. Numerous comparisons of permutation and classical statistical methods are presented, supplemented with a variety of R scripts for ease of computation. The text follows the general outline of an introductory textbook in statistics with chapters on central tendency and variability, one-sample tests, two-sample tests, matched-pairs tests, completely-randomized analysis of variance, randomized-blocks analysis of variance, simple linear regression and correlation, and the analysis of goodness of fit and contingency. Unlike classical statistical methods, permutation statistical methods do not rely on theoretical distributions, avoid the usual assumptions of normality and homogeneity, depend only on the observed data, and do not require random sampling. The methods are relatively new in that it took modern computing power to make them available to those working in mainstream research. Designed for an audience with a limited statistical background, the book can easily serve as a textbook for undergraduate or graduate courses in statistics, psychology, economics, political science or biology. No statistical training beyond a first course in statistics is required, but some knowledge of, or some interest in, the R programming language is assumed.

The primary purpose of this textbook is to introduce the reader to a wide variety of elementary permutation statistical methods. Permutation methods are optimal for small data sets and non-random samples, and are free of distributional assumptions. The book follows the conventional structure of most introductory books on statistical methods, and features chapters on central tendency and variability, one-sample tests, two-sample tests, matched-pairs tests, one-way fully-randomized analysis of variance, one-way randomized-blocks analysis of variance, simple regression and correlation, and the analysis of contingency tables. In addition, it introduces and describes a comparatively new permutation-based, chance-corrected measure of effect size. Because permutation tests and measures are distribution-free, do not assume normality, and do not rely on squared deviations among sample values, they are currently being applied in a wide variety of disciplines. This book presents permutation alternatives to existing classical statistics, and is intended as a textbook for undergraduate statistics courses or graduate courses in the natural, social, and physical sciences, while assuming only an elementary grasp of statistics.

Benford's Law is a probability distribution for the likelihood of the leading digit in a set of numbers. This book seeks to improve and systematize the use of Benford's Law in the social sciences to assess the validity of self-reported data. The authors first introduce a new measure of conformity to the Benford distribution that is created using permutation statistical methods and employs the concept of statistical agreement. In a switch from a typical Benford application, this book moves away from using Benford's Law to test whether the data conform to the Benford distribution, to using it to draw conclusions about the validity of the data. The concept of 'Benford validity' is developed, which indicates whether a dataset is valid based on comparisons with the Benford distribution and, in relation to this, diagnostic procedure that assesses the impact of not having Benford validity on data analysis is devised.