An Introduction to Statistics

With the upsurge of interest in statistics in recent years it not infrequently happens that courses have to be taken by teachers whose primary interest has been another subject or whose personal experience has been more theoretical than practical. It is hoped that the wide range of data used in both examples and exercises will prove of value to them. O.N.D. assessors have not been slow to point out the limited use of suitable material in papers submitted to them. And examiners in general try to widen the scope of their question papers in their efforts to beat the pure crammers!
No actual examination papers will be found in the text, but there is an ample supply of questions which are of parallel difficulty. With the differences between boards and also O.N.D. the exercises would have had to be considerably extended. It is better for both teacher and student to supplement the course and to revise using appropriate previous question papers.
Mathematical and statistical tables have not been included. Apart from the inconvenience of flicking pages forwards and backwards, it is in the interest of students to familiarise themselves with the tables they will use on the day of their examination. And of course the day will come when tables are replaced by the pocket calculator.
Teachers, as well as students working on their own, will find the course fairly flexible, and can modify the order of topics to suit their own preference. Each of the two parts is in a logical sequence, but is not completely independent. But Chapter 18 at least needs to be read before Chapter 14
The author acknowledges the Director of the Central Statistical Office and the Controller of H.M. Stationery Office as those permitting the use of Government data from the Monthly Digest of Statistics (MD), the Annual Abstract (AA), the Abstract of Regional Statistics (AR) and the Balance of Payments Blue Book (BB). The latter is also thanked for permission to provide summaries of selected governmental processes in the final chapter.