Student-focused learning aids · An integrated five-step approach makes it easier for students to follow the progression of applying statistics: Define, Collect, Organize, Visualize, Analyze. · First Things First sets the context for explaining what statistics is (not what students may think), while ensuring that they understand why learning business statistics is important today. This chapter is especially helpful for instructors using course management tools, including hybrid or online courses; this chapter is designed for distribution before the first class begins. · REVISED - Tabular summaries guide readers to reaching conclusions and making decisions based on statistical information. Found in Chapters 10 through 13, this change not only adds clarity to the purpose of the statistical method being discussed but better illustrates the role of statistics in business decision-making processes. · Student Tips in the margin reinforce hard-to-master concepts and provide quick study tips for mastering important details. · LearnMore references reinforce important points and direct students to additional learning resources. · Additional self-study opportunities are provided in an Appendix that offers answers to the "Self-Test" problems and most of the even-numbered problems in the book.
Focus on data interpretation and application · Analyzing data with a focus on software results : Using software is essential to learning statistics. Software should model business best practices and be integrated into the statistical learning process. Reusable templates and model solutions are emphasized over building unaudited solutions from scratch that may contain errors. Using preconstructed and previously validated solutions not only models best practice but reflects regulatory requirements that businesses face today. This text emphasizes data analysis through interpretation of the results from Microsoft® Excel®: o Excel content includes end-of-chapter Excel Guides; in-depth Excel step-by-step instructions; Excel Guide workbooks; PHStat, a statistics add-in system for Excel; and multiple appendices devoted to Excel. o Software instruction sets are complete and contain known starting points. Vague instructions that present statements such as "Use command X " that presume students can figure out how to "get to" command X are distracting to learning. Instruction sets are provided that have a known starting point, typically in the form of "open to a specific worksheet in a specific workbook .
" o NEW - Tableau Guides in each chapter explain how to use the data visualization software Tableau Public as a complement to Microsoft Excel for visualizing data. The text offers Tableau Public results for selected methods in which Tableau can enhance or complement Excel results. · REVISED - Using Statistics business scenarios begin each chapter. Scenarios are then used throughout the chapter to provide an applied context for the concepts, to bring students from knowing to applying. In the 9th Edition, Global Edition, seven chapters offer new or revised case scenarios. o Help students see the relevance of statistics to their own careers by using examples from the functional areas that may become their areas of specialization. Every statistical method is discussed using an example from a functional area, such as accounting, finance, management, or marketing, and explaining the application of methods to specific business activi.