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Rating: 
Summary: Book Review for the 3rd edition: Just the Facts
Review: 1. Huge breadth: covers topics of interest to clinicians and plenty of material (see below) for aspiring researchers. Algorithms and lay-out keeps the big picture easily in view. 2. Solved problems: methodical answers, clear, instructive. 3. Appropriate depth: is mathematically correct -- not oversimiplified at the cost of accuracy -- while introducing the key formulas and concepts. Much explanatory text makes the ideas clear rather than esoteric derivations. 4. Includes statistics software: menu-driven so "user friendly," has basic and advanced functions. 5. Practical approach: sample problems and exercises are modelled around cases rather than just theory. These cases have data-base directly on the accompanying software so readers may 'learn' and then 'do' immediately. 6. I learned a lot from this book :-)
Rating:
Summary: Book Review for the 3rd edition: Just the Facts
Review: 1. Huge breadth: covers topics of interest to clinicians and plenty of material (see below) for aspiring researchers. Algorithms and lay-out keeps the big picture easily in view. 2. Solved problems: methodical answers, clear, instructive. 3. Appropriate depth: is mathematically correct -- not oversimiplified at the cost of accuracy -- while introducing the key formulas and concepts. Much explanatory text makes the ideas clear rather than esoteric derivations. 4. Includes statistics software: menu-driven so "user friendly," has basic and advanced functions. 5. Practical approach: sample problems and exercises are modelled around cases rather than just theory. These cases have data-base directly on the accompanying software so readers may 'learn' and then 'do' immediately. 6. I learned a lot from this book :-)
Rating: 
Summary: Book Review for the 2nd edition:,
Review: A hard plus if your looking for pregrad. introductory clinical biostatistics. However I agree with other reviews that the layout or format could be arranged more powerfully, and the mechanics explained with more and better examples with a little more detail. Some of the examples in the book are excellent. I, especially, liked the Methods for Analyzing Survival. I disliked the explanations on statististical power as well as calculating sample populations necessary (n=?)to obtain clinical significance. This book is a good bone to start knawing on, however, the meat is found in other supplemental texts; therefore, reference footnotes are needed which- nowadays- should include, reference books, journals and webpages.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: I actually thought this book was pretty good. I haven't used the cd. The definitions are pretty clear. I use this in conjunction with Gordis' Epidemiology for quick review. I find Rothman and Greenland is not good for that. When I am thinking about research design and elements of statistical analysis this book is easy to turn to to just go over why one test may be better than another--I am a medical student with an MPH in epi who has worked on several research projects, and I think this book is pretty helpful as a simple aid in the transition from research assistant to co-investigator.
Rating: 
Summary: not buy this good-for-nothing book(MUCH LESS THAN 1 STAR)
Review: If I had an enemy, I wouldn't wish even for an anemy to buy this awful and unuseful book. Do save your money. There is no any benefit in this book, just simple waste of time and money. The authors have provided CD with NCSS and PASS, but forgot to describe how the reader can use this program and fulfil all calculation. They give only the instruction to set up and a lot of tasks without any explanation of any actions in these program. So, I curse any minutes of my reading, and cannot say any good word about the book, its authors. NEVER BUY THIS BOOK!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Poor layout and poor explanation of the mechanics
Review: If you are looking for a book that will teach and train you in the concepts and mechanics of biostatistics, don't buy this one. The lay-out of the text is too cramped. The definitions and explanations are often poorly worded. The sections within a chapter seem to be presented in an anti-logical manner. If you really want to learn biostatistics, try Rosner's Fundamentals of Biostatistics. Check out this one from your college library (if you really want to look at it) but please don't spend your money on it.
Rating: 
Summary: An intuitive approach focusing on interpretation
Review: If you are not familiar with our book, it is unusual in that each chapter begins with a description of several published studies and then uses data from the studies to illustrate specific statistical concepts and methods. One of us (Dawson) is a statistician, and the other (Trapp) is a practicing physician. We have incorporated our experiences in medical research and practice to provide a comprehensive text covering the traditional areas of biostatistics as well as a wide range of topics not generally included in introductory texts, such as study design, medical decision making, and methods to analyze survival data. Our goal is to help students, practitioners, and researchers learn the skills they need to be intelligent readers of the medical literature and users of evidenced-based medicine. Our specific goals are to help readers: 1) develop sound judgment about applying data to clinical care; 2) read the medical literature critically, understanding potential errors and fallacies; 3) interpret commonly used vital statistics and understand the ramifications of epidemiologic information for patient care; 4) reach correct conclusions about diagnostic procedures and laboratory test results; 5) interpret manufacturers' information about drugs and equipment; and 6) evaluate study protocols and articles submitted for publication in medical and other health-related journals. The book has other helpful features, including a glossary of commonly used terms, examples of output from common statistical computer packages, exercises and solutions for each chapter, and a flowchart to help the reader determine the statistical test most appropriate to answer a given research question. Our text has received excellent reviews. For examples, see Annals of Internal Medicine 119:174, 1993; JAMA 265:652, 1991; New England J of Medicine 323:1287, 1990; J of Pediatrics 118:560, 1991. It is used in many medical schools and schools of allied health worldwide and has been translated into Japanese and Spanish. We are currently working on the third edition and welcome any suggestions for improvement from readers.
Rating:
Summary: Avoid it if you can
Review: Its obvious from reading the first few chapters that the authors lack a basic understanding of the subject. For example they talk of Odds Ratio as if it was same as Relative Risk. The good thing is that they cover everything - you only have to be careful while reading it. The errata in the book is pretty obvious but the authors seem to have no time or inclination to update the website of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introductory course for biostatistics
Review: This book brings the reader along at a smooth pace, with examples drawn from real medical journal articles. This method makes the subject matter relevant and easier to follow. Ms. Dawson-Saunders and Mr.Trapp are true teachers in the finest sense of the word.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent brief review of biostats
Review: This book is the best brief review I've seen on the subject. Good clinical examples make the concepts accessible to medical students and residents, without sacrificing mathematical rigor.
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