Some Comments about the Preface of Hollander & Wolfe
- In the first paragraph, I think that the authors overemphasize the
importance of nonparametric methods when they indicate that they "have
emerged as the preferred methodology for statisticians and other
scientsists doing data analysis." During the first half of the first
lecture, I plan to present a more balanced assessment of nonparametric
methods. I'll also point out that while, as H&W state, nonparametric
techniques "do not require restrictive distributional
assumptions about
the underlying populations from which the data are drawn" they are not
free of restrictions, and sometimes their restrictions rather annoyingly
limit the usefulness of nonparametric methods. (This brings to mind a
quote of the famous statistician George E. P. Box: "These
so-called nonparametric methods are a real swindle.") It should
be noted that despite my pointing out some negative aspects of
nonparametric methods from time to time, I like nonparametric statistics.
It's just that I think one needs to know all kinds of different
statistical methods --- knowing both the strengths and weaknesses of
each method --- and carefully choose from among perhaps a large number of
possibilities each time a data analysis problem is encountered.
- Note that the suggested time table given in the fourth paragraph
closely matches what I lay out in
the syllabus for this course, with
one exception being that I'm only planning to spend one week on life
distributions and survival analysis (Ch. 11), so that I can cover some
topics that aren't emphasized in H&W during the final week of the
semester.
- The first paragraph on p. xiv indicates that there is supplementary
information
pertinent to this book on the Wiley web site, and the cover of the book
makes reference to an ftp:// site. After I couldn't find such
information, I contacted a representative from
Wiley, and he indicated to me that these were never created. (I also
looked to see if either Hollander or Wolfe had any related information
about the book on their university web sites, but I didn't see anything
useful.) And there is no Instructor's Manual (as the Preface
indicates), but the
Solutions Manual does exist, and you're free to buy it if you
wish to do so (but I don't think the GMU bookstore has any copies available).