Includes bibliographical references and index.

First things first? : the nature of data -- Describing data with tables -- Describing data with charts -- Describing data from its shape -- Describing data with measures of location -- Describing data with measures of spread -- Confounding? : like poor(nearly) always with us -- Research design part I observational -- Research design part II experimental studies -- Getting the participants for your study. ways of sampling -- Chance would be a fine thing? : the idea of probability -- Risk and odds -- Estimating the value of a single population parameter? : the idea of confidence intervals -- Using confidence intervals to compare two population parameters -- Confidence intervals for the ratio of two population parameters -- Testing hypotheses about the difference between two population parameters -- The chi-squared test? : what, why, and how? -- Testing hypotheses about the ratio of two population parameters -- Measuring the association between two variables -- Measuring agreement -- Straight line models : linear regression -- Curvy models : logistic regression -- Measuring survival -- Systematic review and meta-analysis -- Diagnostic testing.