Joseph Schmuller, PhD is a veteran of academia and corporate Information Technology. He is the author of several books on computing, including the three editions of Teach Yourself UML in 24 Hours (SAMS), and the four editions of Statistical Analysis with Excel For Dummies (Wiley). He has created online coursework for Lynda.com, and he has written numerous articles on advanced technology. From 1991 through 1997, he was Editor-in-Chief of PC AI magazine.
He is a former member of the American Statistical Association, and he has taught statistics at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He holds a B.S. from Brooklyn College, an M.A. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, all in psychology. He and his family live in Jacksonville, Florida, where he is a Research Scholar at the University of North Florida.
For my wonderful mentor, Al Hillix — with eternal thanks for his timeless wisdom, his sage guidance, and his lasting friendship.
Writing a For Dummies book is one of the most fun things an author can do. You get to express yourself in a friendly, conversational way, and you get to throw in some humor, too.
As a former magazine editor, I appreciate what editors do, but never more so than on this project. The Wiley team was terrific from start to finish. Acquisitions Editor Katie Mohr initiated this effort. Project Editor Paul Levesque tightened up my writing and did a marvelous job coordinating all the myriad things that go into a book like this. Copy Editor Becky Whitney also contributed valuable insights that make the book you’re holding easier to read. Technical Editor Russ Mullen made sure the code and other technical aspects were correct. Any errors that remain are under the ownership and sole proprietorship of the author.
My thanks to David Fugate of Launchbooks.com for representing me in this effort.
I could never have written this book without the mentors in college and graduate school who helped shape my statistical knowledge: Mitch Grossberg (Brooklyn College); Al Hillix, Jerry Sheridan, the late Mort Goldman, and the late Larry Simkins (University of Missouri-Kansas City); and Cliff Gillman and the late John Theios (University of Wisconsin-Madison). I hope this book is an appropriate testament to my mentors who have passed on.
As always, my thanks to Kathryn for her inspiration and support.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
Acquisitions Editor: Katie Mohr
Senior Project Editor: Paul Levesque
Copy Editor: Becky Whitney
Technical Editor: Russ Mullen
Editorial Assistant: Serena Novosel
Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case
Production Editor: Tamilmani Varadharaj
Cover Image: © jastrijebphoto/iStockphoto