Agresti and Finleypresent statistical methods in a style that emphasizes their concepts and their application to the social sciences rather than the mathematics and computational details behind them. Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences, 4e presents an introduction to statistical methods for students majoring in social science disciplines. No previous knowledge of statistics is assumed, and mathematical background is assumed to be minimal (lowest-level high-school algebra). This text may be used in a one or two course sequence. Such sequences are commonly required of social science graduate students in sociology, political science, and psychology. Students in geography, anthropology, journalism, and speech also are sometimes required to take at least one statistics course.

The modern approach of this text recognizes that econometrics has moved from a specialized mathematical description of economics to an applied interpretation based on empirical research techniques. It bridges the gap between the mechanics of econometrics and modern applications of econometrics by employing a systematic approach motivated by the major problems facing applied researchers today. Throughout the text, the emphasis on examples gives a concrete reality to economic relationships and allows treatment of interesting policy questions in a realistic and accessible framework.