10 Best Statistic Books For Students & Adults

If you are looking for a list of the best statistic books, look at some of the top choices below, and use them to improve your data analysis.

Data science can be a challenge, with everyone from beginners to advanced learners encountering obstacles from time to time. Fortunately, data scientists can learn from some of the best statistics books available. These books focus on AP statistics, data sets, graphs, hypothesis testing fundamentals, and more.

Popular Statistic Books

Best statistic books for students and adults

Everyone has a slightly different set of needs, so take a look at a few of the best statistics books below.

1. Statistics

Statistics

If you are looking for a basic introduction to statistics, you need to check out Statistics by Robert S. Witte and John S. Witte. This book has been crafted so that the average learner can understand. It is helpful for high school and undergraduate students, and it covers basic statistics to help people get started.

The book has many helpful crafts that make complex concepts easier to understand; it will cover the essential elements of statistical analysis. It will teach people how to choose the best analytical method, calculate standard deviation, and interpret the results of their work. This book also covers various hypothesis testing, the difference between correlation and causation, and calculating a variation of coefficient.

Statistics, 11th Edition
  • Witte, Robert S. (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 496 Pages - 01/17/2017 (Publication Date) - Wiley (Publisher)

2. Barron’s AP Statistics, 8th Edition

Barron’s AP Statistics, 8th Edition

Barron’s AP Statistics, by Martin Sterstein, has been one of the most respected books in statistics for a long time. This book is meant for high school students, as it focuses on AP statistics, but it still covers many essential topics that are helpful to people at all levels. It covers many of the basics, including statistical confounding variables, and the author has served as the head of the math department at various universities.

The book is divided into 15 chapters, and it features five full-length practice exams. They accommodate students who plan to take the AP exam at the end of the year. The exams also come with an answer key, helping students understand why the correct answers are correct, and the wrong answers are wrong.

Finally, this textbook also comes with a CD that is helpful for visual and audio learners.

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Barron's AP Statistics
  • .
  • Sternstein Ph.D., Martin (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 608 Pages - 01/01/2015 (Publication Date) - Barrons Educational Series (Publisher)

3. Naked Statistics: Stripping The Dread From The Data

Naked Statistics

Individuals looking for statistics courses written entertainingly will want to check out Naked Statistics: Stropping the Dread from the Data by Charles Wheelan. Even if you are intimidated by statistics or find them boring, this book will present topics in a way that will hold your attention from start to finish. It contains helpful tutorial examples and information on algorithms that you can apply to various fields.

The author takes real-life data that helps you understand why the information is so important, helping you apply it to your area of study. If you want to be an academic researcher one day or looking for a career in the business field, this book will provide you with hands-on experience to make tackling case studies easier. This is a book that can be helpful for people at all levels, ranging from high school students to graduate students.

Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Wheelan, Charles (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 300 Pages - 01/07/2013 (Publication Date) - W. W. Norton & Company (Publisher)

4. Statistics For Business And Economics

Statistics For Business And Economics

Anyone interested in the basic concepts of applied statistics will want to check out Statistics for Business and Economics by James T. McClave, P. George Benson, and Terry T. Sincich. Even though it covers many advanced topics, they have been written in a way that the average user can understand.

It contains a lot of real-world data from the business world, and the topics have been written at a conversational level. Students also have access to various exercises they can work through to see how the statistical concepts they learn apply to the real world. Finally, this textbook also comes with case studies that help students understand how the statistical methods they learn might apply to an actual scenario in the future.

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Statistics for Business & Economics
  • Hardcover Book
  • Anderson, David R. (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 1120 Pages - 01/31/2019 (Publication Date) - Cengage Learning (Publisher)

5. Head First Statistics – A Brain-Friendly Guide

Head First Statistics – A Brain-Friendly Guide

Another one of the best statistics textbooks for teaching basic concepts about big data is called Head First Statistics – A Brian-Friendly Guide by Dawn Griffiths. This book is geared toward middle and high school students learning the basics. It covers numerous topics, including z-scores, chi-square tests, probability distributions, and histograms.

In particular, the textbook can serve as an excellent complement for students who have difficulty grasping more difficult statistical concepts in AP statistics. The significant advantage is that it takes complex concepts, gets to the basics, and presents them so that even people who are brand new to statistics can understand. Even though it might not be helpful for students at the undergraduate or graduate level, it is still one of the best textbooks for learning the basics.

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Head First Statistics: A Brain-Friendly Guide
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Griffiths, Dawn (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 716 Pages - 09/30/2008 (Publication Date) - O'Reilly Media (Publisher)

6. OpenIntro Statistics

OpenIntro Statistics

Suppose you are looking for a complete guide to statistics. In that case, OpenInto Statistics by David M. Diez, Mine Cetinkaya Rundel, and Christopher D. Barr might be the most comprehensive textbook. Even though this guide will cover a wide variety of topics, it explains them in a way that students can understand.

With contributions from multiple authors, it tackles topics from countless angles, ensuring people of all learning styles will be able to know what they are looking at. Furthermore, this is a particularly helpful textbook for people looking for a case study in computer science. It covers some of the latest statistical tools in the field and helps people digest the information quickly.

The tools and techniques are easy to use, the methods can be easily modified for various fields, and they cover the basics of data analysis. Finally, this textbook also shows how the topics they cover can be applied to an actual data set in the real world.

OpenIntro Statistics: Fourth Edition
  • Diez, David (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 422 Pages - 05/01/2019 (Publication Date) - OpenIntro, Inc. (Publisher)

7. Think Stats Probability And Statistics For Programmers

Think Stats Probability And Statistics For Programmers

As the name suggests, Thinks Stats Probability and Statistics for Programmers by Allen B. Downey is a book on descriptive statistics for aspiring computer science professionals. It has specifically been geared towards programmers, so anyone who desires a career in this field will benefit from this book. It focuses on some basic concepts that computer science professionals need to know, but it is not meant for middle school or high school students.

This is a textbook that covers a wide variety of techniques that can be used to interpret real sets of data. It is also critically important for those who want to learn about Python. Many of the basic skills that are covered in this book will be used repeatedly by computer science professionals.

Finally, the textbook also comes with accompanying resources to augment learning.

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Think Stats
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Downey, Allen B. (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 119 Pages - 07/07/2011 (Publication Date) - Oreilly & Associates Inc (Publisher)

8. The Cartoon Guide To Statistics

The Cartoon Guide To Statistics

Suppose you are looking for another book that will cover the essential elements of statistical learning, including how to use Excel. In that case, you will be interested in The Cartoon Guide To Statistics. This book is meant for middle school and high school students, and it is excellent for people who have difficulty paying attention to traditional textbooks.

This publishing company has also shared books about history and science, so this is just the latest one to add to the collection. Cartoons are used to draw statistical diagrams, making it easier for people to pay attention. It covered binomial distribution, sampling, probability, and random variables.

It will also get into a wide variety of formulas for introductory statistics. This book is meant for beginners, but it can also be used to brush up on the basics by people at all levels.

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The Cartoon Guide to Statistics
  • Larry Gonick (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 230 Pages - 03/22/1993 (Publication Date) - HarperPerennial (Publisher)

9. All Of Statistics: A Concise Course In Statistical Interference

All Of Statistics

If you are looking for a short book that can teach you the basics of practical statistics, you should look at All of Statistics: A Concise Course in Statistical Interference by Larry Wasserman. This book will not only go through the basics quickly, including covering regression analysis, but it will also show you the applicability of these topics to real-life scenarios.

As the name suggests, this is a book designed to cover all of the basics in the world of statistics. It can be used by data mining students, machine learning students, computer scientists, researchers, and students at the high school and college levels. It will hit on more topics and just about every book, but it will not necessarily get into the weeds.

Some of the advanced issues it will touch on briefly include nonparametric curve estimation and bootstrapping. Graduate students will find it beneficial to hit on some basics, but it might not be suitable for people looking to write a statistics thesis at the Ph.D. level.

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All of Statistics: A Concise Course in Statistical Inference (Springer Texts in Statistics)
  • Wasserman, Larry (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 462 Pages - 12/01/2010 (Publication Date) - Springer (Publisher)

10. Statistics II For Dummies

Statistics II For Dummies

This is one of the most popular textbook companies because of its ability to take complex concepts and present them in a way the average learner can understand. Statistics II for Dummies, by Deborah J. Rumsey, does the same thing for linear algebra and linear regression concepts.

This Textbook Will Cover Numerous Critical Statistical Concepts, Including Basic Hypotheses, Techniques, And Formulas. , The Book Will Also Explain To People How To Use These Concepts In The Real World. The Author Covers Statistical Formulas, Confidence Intervals, And The Basics Of Probability.

Finally, This Book Also Comes With Numerous Other Resources That Students Will Find Helpful For Real-World Applications.

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Statistics II For Dummies
  • Rumsey, Deborah J. (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 408 Pages - 08/31/2009 (Publication Date) - For Dummies (Publisher)

The Final Word On The Best Statistics Books

If you are looking for a textbook to help you learn statistical methods, just a few options are available. Some of these books are meant for students studying hard sciences, while others might be beneficial for those studying social sciences; however, all of these books are geared toward a specific readership base.

If you want to learn step-by-step statistics, consider purchasing one of the textbooks above. Then, see how you can take the concepts and apply them to your future career. It is essential to not only know the numbers but also to understand their implications of them.

FAQs About The Best Statistics Books

Why Is It Important To Learn About Statistics?

Numbers are only necessary if you know what they mean. Statistics is a field of applied math. You might be able to memorize the numbers, but you cannot do anything with them unless you understand their meaning.

By diving into basic statistical concepts, you can learn which test to apply, how to interpret the information and the significance behind the information.

Where Can I Find The Best Textbooks On Statistics?

The vast majority of textbooks can now be found online from resources such as Amazon. If you are in school, you might be able to save money by going to the bookstore and purchasing a used copy. You may also want to visit a library to see if you can borrow a copy.

Further Reading

If you liked this guide on the best statistics book, you might also be interested in our list of the best essay writing apps for students and academics

You might also enjoy our explainer on 46 great essay topics for students

Author

  • Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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