Best 5 Statistics Textbooks

Statistics is a mathematical subject that focuses on the collection and interpretation of data, usually in a graphical format. The data analyzed in statistics can be both quantitative (numerical) or qualitative (non-numerical), and this is done in both descriptive and inferential statistics. When learning statistics in high school or university, students become most familiar with thinking of the subject from the lens of probability. This essentially means looking at variation in data and making hypotheses based on this variation to reach a certain outcome. Statistics can appear both as its own course (in high school as AP Statistics and as Statistics in university) or as a section/chapter in a different math course. This means that most students will encounter the subject at some point in their academic careers, and concepts from the course may appear on state/national exams.

In addition to the likelihood of students running into this course on AP exams, the SAT, or other state tests, knowledge of statistics is vital to many career options. Any type of analyst—whether a meteorologist, a business/marketing specialist, a scientist, a mathematician, or an engineer—will need a strong foundation in statistics to succeed in their chosen career. Even if your future job does not require statistics, it is likely that your university will have it as a graduation requirement if you are a STEM or business student, meaning that many students may find themselves in this course.

As one of the most common math courses that students will take, it is essential to have a good understanding of the concepts and ideas that may follow students into post-graduation life. To do this, a strong textbook is a necessity, especially if the student is self-teaching or doing individual review work. Additionally, doing further research on the required textbook will help students learn how to get the most out of their book and statistics course. For whatever reason you have stumbled across this article, the five best statistics textbooks have been researched and outlined below to help any student get through this challenging yet important course.

1. Statistics, 4th Edition by David Freedman et al

The 4th edition of Statistics by Freedman and others is a thorough introduction to the subject written by experts for beginning students. This 550-page textbook is neatly divided into eight subject sections and twenty-nine chapters to help students easily navigate material and learn all related topics at once. Beginning with the design of experiments and ending with tests of significance, this textbook covers every topic a student could hope to know related to statistics in detail, with detailed examples and helpful illustrations in each chapter. At the end of each lesson, students can read through a brief summary of the information covered to help engrain the concepts into their knowledge base before tackling the provided practice sets. The problem sets test the students on what they learned every few chapters in a combination of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The answers to these sets can be found at the end of the textbook, with additional resources to help students check their work and study challenging concepts.

Pros

• Very well-organized by subject, chapter, and mini-lessons to introduce the students to concepts topically
• Prioritizes learning and reviewing concepts to help the student quickly grasp new material while also reinforcing older lessons
• Examples and illustrations are placed throughout lessons and chapters to prepare students for individual work in practice sets
• Problem sets contain a variety of examples and questions to quiz the student on different material without being repetitive
• Additional resources are available at the end of the book, including answers, tables, and formulas for further reference

Cons

• Language can be outdated in both examples and problem scenarios
• Serves as an introduction to statistics rather than a deep dive into the subject, meaning certain content is omitted
• Examples may feel repetitive at points in the textbook due to similar scenarios being used in multiple instances

2. Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics

The newest edition of Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics is a modern and fresh interpretation of the subject that aims to help any student understand and see the relevance of statistics in their everyday lives. With creative chapter and lesson names, examples grounded in reality, and humorous language, Salkind and Frey teach the fundamentals of statistics in a way that is both thorough and engaging. The book begins with an introduction that grabs students’ attention before moving into teaching the basic concepts of the subject with clear explanations, helpful examples, and colorful illustrations. If the students wish to practice what they have learned, practice problems are placed throughout the textbook, and an answer key is located in the appendices. In addition to the answer key, additional resources can be found at the end of the book to provide further aid to the student, including related websites, formulas/examples, and software/graphing information.

Pros

• A unique textbook that offers a more approachable take on the subject for students who may struggle with a dense, mathematical text
• Includes a multitude of resources, including practice problems, appendices, and additional online practice and help
• Aims to help students care about statistics by seeing the connection between the subject and their daily lives
• Has an interactive eBook edition that includes video tutorials, additional practice, and more examples for the student
• Both editions are very user-friendly and easy to navigate with a well-organized table of contents

Cons

• Access code for online content must be purchased separately from the base textbook
• Students wanting a deeper dive into certain concepts within statistics may need an additional textbook
• Interactive aspects are unique to the digital version of the textbook

3. Introductory Statistics through OpenStax by Barbara Illowsky and Susan Dean

Introductory Statistics is an innovative textbook that attempts to provide an accessible and meaningful introduction to this course geared at all types of students, both STEM and humanities. By prioritizing application over theory, this book helps students who have a strong foundation in algebra easily make the transition into statistics without overcomplicating the material. Divided into thirteen chapters with multiple subsections in each, this textbook utilizes colorful illustrations, relevant examples, and clear and succinct language as it takes students through each topic. At the end of chapters, students can test their skills in review exercises as well as practice tests, with the answers to these activities in the appendices of the book. In addition to answer keys, the appendices include further resources for students, such as project ideas, formulas and tables, more problems, helpful notes, and graphing information. The book itself comes in multiple formats—digital, paperback, and hardback—to fit the needs of any student.

Pros

• An inclusive approach to statistics that does not make assumptions about students’ prior knowledge or experience with statistics
• Filled with resources to aid the student, such as practice problems/exams, examples, graphing information, and more
• Attempts to make students feel like the material they are learning is relevant and has real-world applications through the examples and explanations
• Well-organized into thirteen core chapters with additional lessons to deepen the student’s understanding
• Focuses on accessibility by making the digital version of the textbook free and available to all students

Cons

• Formatting in the digital textbook may be overcrowded and distracting for some students
• Does not include more complicated statistical material for students who may want to challenge themselves further
• Serves as a good companion textbook but may not be good for self-teaching

4. Statistics for Dummies by Deborah J. Rumsey

The 2nd edition of Statistics for Dummies is a clear and concise introduction to statistics that focuses on assisting both beginners and those who struggle with the subject. The contents of the book are divided into six main sections and twenty-one chapters, gradually introducing students to statistical concepts by topic. Additionally, the textbook is easy to navigate with two tables of contents—one that is reduced and another that provides further information on the material being covered. The language of each section is easy to understand and avoids vague or complicated answers to simple statistics questions. By combining this with practical examples and helpful illustrations, each chapter fully answers student questions and simplifies concepts that are more difficult elsewhere. If the student finishes reading and wants further resources and practice, there are multiple companion books that include practice problems, online aid, and answer keys.

Pros

• Uses language that appeals to everyone to explain complicated statistical concepts in a way that is easy for students to grasp
• Is organized topically to help students learn related material at the same time instead of jumping from concept to concept
• Does not make assumptions about student knowledge when teaching the material in each chapter
• Serves as a good supplement to required course textbooks since it will explain the same concepts from a different perspective
• Relates examples and material to real-life application to help the student care about the subject

Cons

• Additional resources, like the workbook and online companion guide, must be purchased separately from the basic book
• No practice problems or answer keys can be found in the base textbook, so the student must use other resources for this purpose
• Cannot replace a course or a more comprehensive textbook entirely

5. Elementary Statistics, 13th Edition by Mario Triola

The newest edition of Elementary Statistics by Mario Triola is a textbook that aims to bring statistics up to date to help students see how the subject works in the world around them. By beginning with a brief introduction to the subject that connects previous math courses the student may have had to statistics, the transition to this new subject is smooth and well-explained. The book itself is divided into fifteen chapters that cover the core concepts of statistics, from analyzing data to probability to process control. Each chapter is carefully designed to be easy on the student’s eyes with colorful fonts and images in addition to strategically placed reviews and examples. At the end of each chapter, students can go through a quick quiz to refresh on concepts as well as more in-depth practice problems. Answer keys that thoroughly explain the exercises, as well as additional resources, can be found in the appendices. If students wish to read more on concepts or ideas in the textbook, they can purchase the access code to the companion website.

Pros

• Is organized logically, both in the table of contents and in each chapter, to help the student easily navigate the text
• Uses updated data and examples to help the text feel current and relevant to the lives of the students
• Comes in both a digital and physical copy to fit whatever preferences the student may have
• Content within chapters is clear, well-explained, and easy to follow for any level of statistics student
• Additional resources can be found in the appendices section, such as tables, answer keys, formulas, and more

Cons

• Access key is not included with the base version of the textbook, meaning online content is unavailable unless purchased
• Calculator practice problems are explained better than other practice problems throughout the text
• Students without a strong background in algebra may struggle with certain concepts and explanations