This book could be covered in one semester with the following
organization:
Data Collection Chapter 1
Scales, frequency Chapter 2
Probability Chapter 3
Distributions Chapter 4
Normal Distribution Chapter 5
Confidence Intervals Chapter 6
Hypothesis Testing Chapter 7
Correlation/Regression Chapter 9
Moving Averages
Chi Square Chapter 10
Theory of Expected Value
General Review and Finals
The appendix of the work contains an excellent presentation
on how to find areas under the standard normal curve. Overall,
the work presents a very ambitious agenda aimed at the
above-average collegiate student. The book could be supplemented
with the Schaum's Outline in Statistics. Students may utilize
a statistical calculator to assist with the work of the course.
The only reason I had to buy the book was to do the problem set. The book itself has terrible organization as a reference, where a few crutial concepts are discussed briefly, in a overwhelming mixture of examples and practice problems. Perhaps this is all well if you are trying to read the text from cover to cover, but unfortunately that won't help student learn any faster if they have to mull over unimportant details outside of the lecture.
Edward Tufte will have a field day with the barrage of unnecessary use of color and unprofessional (confusing) layout of the charts, tables and graphs (what he calls "the ducks"). The conventions used in the books are used inconsistently, and *every* page has at least three colors, which drives up the printing cost for no good reason other than profit. Furthermore, it is printed on glossy paper, where it's glare will strain the eyes and it is hard to mark with pencil. I will preach against using glossy paper for texts until someone listens!
Fortunately, the book calms down after the absolutely terrible first three chapters, but it still manages to waste pages and pages on useless information (to most) such as step-by-step instruction on how to use a TI-83 calculator - each time I open a page filled with screen shot of applications that I will never touch, I feel insulted and ripped off. Why not use the CD for these screenshots?? Doesn't TI-83 come with a user's manual???
I understand that the book strives to be a tutorial, augmenting what a poorly trained instructor may miss during a lecture, but it also tries to be a textbook which supplements a lecture. Unfortunately, the two concepts do not mix well together in a book. This is a worthless book after the lecture, and I do not intend to keep it for reference.
I have "inherited" DeVore & Peck's "Statistics: Exploration and Analysis of Data" - and found that to be more informative and engaging introduction to statistics and probability.
It is sad to hear that Larson & Farber is a popular book - it makes me shudder to think of all the high-school students out there learning the horrible examples of presentation of data. I hope that these authors will realize that insulting the readers' intelligence by diluting the content will only alienate them. I hope they fix their ways.