Biostatistics and Microbiology A Survival Manual [Paperback]

This nuts and bolts book provides a condensation of biostatistical methods that applied microbiology researchers need to perform data analyses. Based on the authors more than two decades of applied research and teaching experience, it is presented in a straight-forward manner, applicable by practicing microbiologists with minimal backgrounds in mathematics. All methods rely only on the use of a basic hand-held calculator. The overriding goal of this book is to ground ones microbiological expertise and experience in ones research pursuits, using biostatistics not as a black box, but as a tool.

This nuts and bolts book provides a condensation of biostatistical methods that applied microbiology researchers need to perform data analyses. It is sased on the authors more than two decades of applied research and teaching experience.

influence on the conclusions that result. A very conservative statistic requires very strong proof to demonstrate significant differences, whereas a liberal one requires less. Yuck, you say already, I just want to know the answer.  To this, I respond, when in doubt, use a conventional statistical method, one that can be agreed on and accepted by most authorities. These conventional kinds of methods will be presented in this book. As you gain experience, choosing statistical methods will become almost an intuitive process. For example, for problems in which you have little experience, you will be very cautious and conservative. By analogy, this is similar to rafting a river for the first time. If you see rapids in the river, you will be more conservative as you approach them  wearing a life jacket and helmet, and using your paddle to avoid rocks  at least until you have expe- enced them and developed confidence. You will tend to be more liberal when near a sandy shore in clear, calm, shallow water. For experiments in microbiology in which you have much experience, your microbiological knowledlóÍ