Statistics with Confidence

This highly popular introduction to confidence intervals has been thoroughly updated and expanded. It includes methods for using confidence intervals, with illustrative worked examples and extensive guidelines and checklists to help the novice.

Contributors viii

Source of Contents ix

Introduction xi
Douglas G. Altman, David Machin, Trevor N. Bryant

PART I: ESTIMATION AND CONFIDENCE INTERVALS

1 Estimating with Confidence 3
Martin J. Gardner, Douglas G. Altman

2 Confidence Intervals in Practice 6
Douglas G. Altman

3 Confidence Intervals Rather Than P Values 15
Marin J. Gardner, Douglas G. Altman

4 Means and Their Differences 28
Douglas G. Altman, Martin J. Gardner

5 Medians and Their Differences 36
Michael J. Campbell, Martin J. Gardner

6 Proportions and Their Differences 45
Robert G. Newcombe, Douglas G. Altman

7 Epidemiological Studies 57
Julie A Morris, Martin J. Gardner

8 Regression and Correlation 73
Douglas G. Altman, Martin J. Gardner

9 Time to Event Studies 93
David Machin, Martin J. Gardner

10 Diagnostic Tests 105
Douglas G. Altman

11 Clinical Trials and Meta-Analyses 120
Douglas G. Altman

12 Confidence Intervals and Sample Sizes 139
Leslie E. Daly

13 Special Topics 153
Michael J. Campbell, Leslie E. Daly, David Machin

PART II: STATISTICAL GUIDELINES AND CHECKLISTS

14 Statistical Guidelines for Contributors to Medical Journals 171
Douglas G. Altman, Sheila M. Gore, Martin J. Gardner, Stuart J. Pocock

15 Statistical Checklists 191
Martin J. Gardner, David Machin, Michael J. Campbell, Douglas G. Altman

PART III. NOTATION, SOFTWARE, AND TABLES

16 Notation 205
Douglas G. Altman

17 Computer Software for Calculating Confidence Intervals (CIA) 208
Trevor N. Bryant

18 Tables for the Calculation of Confidence Intervals 214
Martin J. Gardner

Index 233

"The great value of this book is that it presents, in an easily understood form, the methods which will be needed in most situations" - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

"...this is a superb book, full of useful information.

...The book is logically organized into 18 short, highly readable chapters.

...as a teaching tool, it is invaluable...this book is a handy reference to have on one's bookshelf with nearly all confidence interval formulae organized in one place.

...In summary, Statistics with Confidence and the CIA software are resources that every biostatistician could benefit from."

TSHS, pp. 4-5

Douglas Altman FMedSci was an English statistician best known for his work on improving the reliability and reporting of medical research and for highly cited papers on statistical methodology. David Machin is Professor of Media and Communication at örebro University, Sweden. He has published numerous books and journal papers mostly drawing on linguistic methods. Statistics with Confidence is a widely acclaimed classic introduction to confidence intervals. The second edition, with contributions from leading medical statisticians, has been thoroughly revised and expanded.

New chapters include:

• diagnostic studies.
• clinical trials and meta analyses.
• confidence intervals and sample sizes.

The Windows computer software (CIA) in the accompanying disk enables confidence intervals to be calculated using the methods described in the book. This comprehensive collection of methods includes some that are not readily available elsewhere.

Featuring methods for using confidence intervals, illustrative worked examples and helpful checklists this is a truly practical guide for clinical readers to a fundamental aspect of medical statistics.