Introduction to Quantitative Zoology (ePub)

The primary subject of this book, is the gathering, handling, and interpretation of numerical data from zoological investigations in this stricter sense. The basic statistical techniques included are those with explicit application in this field, and these suffice for most of the problems likely to arise in current zoological research. The concepts and principles underlying quantitative and especially statistical methods are explained at some length to gain the knowledge of the philosophy of statistical inference which is essential to proper practice. The basic techniques will provide a foundation for exploring and understanding more specialized or advanced biometrics if the need arises. The exposition of the material proceeds step by step, with numerous accompanying examples which are fully explained. No knowledge of mathematics beyond the most elementary algebra and use of simple logarithms is assumed.In respect of the purpose and scope of the book and the audience to which it is directed, there are no really essential changes from the first edition, but there have been some important alterations of approach and attitude. Then the application of any but extremely elementary numerical techniques was quite unusual in this field. Students were almost never given explicit training in handling quantitative data. Practicing zoologists were not only, as a rule, profoundly ignorant of the principles of statisticS but also, in many cases, outspokenly antagonistic to any statistical approach to their problems.This edition of An Introduction to Quantitative Zoology is addressed to zoologists not only lacking in mathematical background but also quite skeptical as to the applicability and utility of mathematical treatment of their data. In preparing the second edition we have retained these elements of the original approach: clarity and simplicity of exposition, the requirement of only minimal mathematical ability, and specific applicability to the most frequent kinds of zoological problems errors have, of course, been eliminated as far as possible, and the whole text has been clarified and brought up to date.