Description
Book SynopsisThis book, written by a non-statistician for non-statisticians, emphasises the practical approach to those problems in statistics which arise regularly in data analysis situations in nuclear and high-energy physics experiments. Rather than concentrating on formal proofs of theorems, an abundant use of simple examples illustrates the general ideas which are presented, showing the reader how to obtain the maximum information from the data in the simplest manner. Possible difficulties with the various techniques, and pitfalls to be avoided, are also discussed. Based on a series of lectures given by the author to both students and staff at Oxford, this common-sense approach to statistics will enable nuclear physicists to understand better how to do justice to their data in both analysis and interpretation.
Trade Review'The book should be essential reading … for all graduate students in the field and will be welcomed by their supervisors.' Contemporary Physics
'It should be a valuable tool in any physical scientist's armour.' The Australian Physicist
Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Experimental errors; 2. Probability and statistics; 3. Distributions; 4. Parameter fitting and hypothesis testing; 5. Detailed examples of fitting procedures; 6. Monte Carlo calculations; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.
