The American Statistician



An Undergraduate Resource Guide

For

Statistics Majors

Prepared By:

An Awesome Student

English 202C

September 16, 2008

Table of Contents:

Preface

Content ................................................................3

Audience ..............................................................3

Assumptions .........................................................3

Organization .........................................................4

Hints & Tips ..........................................................4

Resources

Publications ..........................................................5

The American Statistician ................................5

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications ...........6

JSTOR ...........................................................7

General Resources .................................................8

The Data and Story Library (DASL) ...................8

Statistical Abstract of the United States .............9

Electronic Statistics Textbook .........................10

American Statistical Association ......................11

Penn State Department of Statistics ................12

Work Consulted ..........................................................13

Preface

Content

The guide includes links to various resources that may be of use to the undergraduate statistics major. Resources include the American Statistician, the Catalog of US Publications, the Statistical Abstract of the US, JSTOR, an Electronic Statistics Textbook, the Data and Story Library, the website of the American Statistical Association, and Penn State’s own Stat department website. The resources cover datasets, journals, statistical career information, a statistical reference site, and other various topics. Access to important information is now at your fingertips.

Audience

This guide is intended for those pursuing an undergraduate statistics major. Many of the resources listed will be most useful to those who have a working knowledge of, at least, basic statistical concepts. The aim of this guide is more towards those who have completed a basic stats course and are entering upper level courses. Although meant for a stat major, it may be used by anyone who has an interest in the field of statistics.

Assumptions

The main assumption about the readers of this guide is that an interest in statistics exists; thus a basic knowledge of statistics is assumed as well. No advanced knowledge is required to use this guide; it can be useful for beginners as well as those more experienced. The guide assumes a basic knowledge of the internet and computers. There will be no explanations as to how to access a website, or how to follow a path to find pages of a website.

Organization

The organization of this guide allows quick and easy access to any of the resources listed. The Table of Contents acts as a quick reference to the most pertinent information. The resources are split into two sections: Publications, and General Resources. The Publications section includes resources associated with Journals and government publications. The General resources section deals with issues such as finding datasets, defining statistical concepts, and other resources available to statisticians. Each resource listing includes an abstract to give a quick overview, and a ‘helpful hints and tips’ section to aide you in your exploration. Page numbers can be found at the bottom of each page.

Hints & Tips

❖ If you are looking for datasets, try either of the first two ‘General Resources’: The Data and Story Library, and the Statistical Abstract of the United States.

❖ Looking for information on a profession in statistics? Try the last two resources under ‘General Resources’. Both the American Statistical Association and Penn State can supply you with information on job and internship opportunities.

❖ If you see this, =>, in the guide, it is indicating a path you need to take on the website.

Publications

The American Statistician



Abstract: This website gives the background of, and access to, the statistical journal The American Statistician. Through this website one can access all articles published in The American Statistician, dating back through it’s inception in 1947. The title, author, year published, volume, and page numbers are available for articles published between 1947 and 1996 through a searchable index. Articles published from 1997 to the present are listed according to year and volume. The title, author, page number, and a short abstract are available for these articles. Access to the full article has a cost, either by becoming a member or by paying for the article. The American Statistician’s website is helpful in finding articles pertinent to your area of interest.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ If you need to write an article, check out the ‘Style Guide’ link on the left side of the page. Style requirements of the American Statistical Association (ASA) are given.

❖ Check out the free trials of any of the ASA’s journals available through the ‘ASA Journals’ link on the left.

❖ All articles are also available through ‘The CAT’ ()

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications



Abstract: The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) is a tool that allows you to search for historical and current government publications. The CGP has three different search options: Basic, Advanced, and Expert. The CGP will provide a direct link to the document and/or a search option to find a federal library near you where you can gain access to the document. Access to governmental publications through the CGP can give insight into many areas of statistics. One such use is discovering government tips and strategies for data collection. A basic search of ‘collecting data’ yielded numerous helpful articles; given below is just one example.

Title: Basic screen questionnaire, national crime victimization survey

Author: United States. Bureau of the Census

Publisher info: Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau

This publication describes the National Crime Victimization Survey and how it was carried out. Governmental procedures on surveying can help guide our own survey taking.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ Make use of the ‘Advanced search option. This can cut down on the number of results that you have to wade through to find a helpful publication.

❖ The ‘Browse’ option at the top of the page is also fun; take a look at it if you have some extra time.

JSTOR



Abstract: JSTOR is an online periodical index that all Penn State students have access to. JSTOR has an index for not only statistical journals, but indexes for numerous fields as well. A sampling of the statistical journals included: Biometrics, The Statistician, and the Journal of the American Statistical Association. JSTOR is a good source for archived materials; however, more recent publications are not yet available. JSTOR includes articles dating back to the 1800’s through the early 2000’s. As most journals require a membership or subscription, JSTOR is an excellent resource through Penn State that allows us, as students, to access articles for free.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ You will need your Penn State user id and password to access this.

❖ To reach the index of statistical journals from the website above go to ‘Browse’ => ‘by Discipline’, then under ‘View a Discipline’ choose ‘Statistics’. Following this will lead you to the statistical journal index.

❖ Use MyJSTOR and save your selections.

❖ JSTOR has a Facebook page () that can be used as a secondary resource.

General Resources

The Data and Story Library (DASL)



Abstract: The Data and Story Library (DASL) is a dataset finding resource. Basically, DASL is a database, or index, of datasets covering various topics. You can search through DASL by topic/subject, statistical method, or an option more akin to a regular search engine. Each dataset comes with various information including, but not limited to, a background story, suggested statistical methods, and a reference. Having a place to find datasets is crucial to the stats undergrad. Having a data index is especially useful in Stat 460, where one must find and analyze a dataset as a final project.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ Make sure to check out the copyright information for the datasets through a link on the main page.

❖ The datasets by method search option is useful when you need a dataset to perform a particular statistical test.

❖ There should be a section titled ‘Methods’ for each dataset. Check this out to see what statistical tests DASL recommends for a certain dataset.

Statistical Abstract of the United States



Abstract: The Statistical Abstract of the United States is a source of statistical summary on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. The Statistical Abstract of the United States covers areas from agriculture to education to science and technology. This resource is especially useful to statisticians as it offers data on almost anything you could want. The data is available in either Excel or as a PDF.

For example, if you were working for the census bureau and wanted to analyze the recent birth rates in the U.S., you can go to the Statistical Abstract of the United States and find those statistics. If you go to , you will find links to various datasets covering birth rates in the U.S. Opening a dataset you will find a table and short description, as well as some helpful notes for interpreting the data.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ If you are looking for a specific subject, you can try the Census Bureau Link ‘Subjects A-Z’ at the bottom of the page for a quick lookup guide.

Electronic Statistics Textbook



Abstract: The Electronic Statistics Textbook is an online statistical encyclopedia provided by StatSoft, Inc. The textbook includes basic statistical information as well as more in-depth explanations of various statistical concepts. The broad range of topics discussed include sections from, ‘What are variables?’ to ‘Quality Control Charts’. StatSoft’s Electronic Textbook is a useful reference when you need another portrayal of a concept in statistics. Throughout your courses at Penn State there will be concepts that you don’t quite understand, or things that need a little clarification; this is a good link to have on hand for those situations.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ Use the ‘Statistical Glossary’ link near the bottom of the right hand pane as a quick reference.

❖ Another fun feature is the ‘Statistical Advisor’; a kind of choose-your-own-adventure like way to finding an answer to your statistical questions.

American Statistical Association



Abstract: The American Statistical Association (ASA) is one of the oldest professional societies in the United States, and as such, it provides a bounty of information for aspiring statisticians. The ASA’s website includes information on careers in statistics, statistics education, statistical meetings and events, and information on the most recent statistical publications. As an aspiring statistician this is an invaluable source of information. As one of the leading statistical associations in the U.S., the ASA can significantly aide you in your statistical journey.

Helpful hints and tips:

❖ Check out the Publications link for access to a free trial of six statistical journals.

❖ ‘Education’ => ‘Undergraduate’ takes you to a page specifically for you as a stat undergrad. Info about internships, courses, workshops, and student memberships is offered here.

❖ Not sure what you want to do with that stat degree? Visit the ‘Career Center’ for information on being a statistician.

Penn State Department of Statistics



Abstract: One source all undergrad Statistics majors at Penn State should make use of is the Penn State Statistics Departments’ website. This is a valuable resource with access to course descriptions and websites, the undergraduate and graduate curricula, the statistics colloquia schedule, and a very helpful ‘Resources’ section. All of the statistical options at Penn State are here; the different options for the major, graduate options, and the integrated B.S. and Masters of Applied Statistics program.

Helpful Hints and Tips:

❖ The ‘Useful Links’ section of ‘Resources’ is actually very useful. Info on jobs, internships, societies, and journals can be found here.

❖ Visit the ‘Courses’ section to view a list of classes, syllabi, and course websites.

Works Consulted:

American Statistical Association. American Statistical Association. 2008. 18 Sept. 2008 .

American Statistical Association. The American Statistician. 18 Sept. 2008 .

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. 2008. U.S. Government Printing Office. 18 Sept. 2008 .

Cornell University. The Data and Story Library. 1996. StatLib and Carnegie Mellon University. 18 Sept. 2008 .

JSTOR. 2008. 18 Sept. 2008 .

Statistics. Dept. home page. 2005. Penn State. 18 Sept. 2008 .

StatSoft, Inc. Electronic Statistics Textbook. 2008. 18 Sept. 2008 .

The 2008 Statistical Abstract. 10 Sept. 2008. U.S. Census Bureau. 18 Sept. 2008 .

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