Analyzing Multivariate Data

Rating:
Summary: Excellent bridge between practical use and rigor.
Review: Analyzing Multivariate Data by Lattin, Carroll, and Green fills an important niche in practical statistics for the applied researcher. For a purely conceptual introduction, Sam Kash Kachigan (Multivariate Statistical Analysis) or Joseph Hair et al (Multivariate Data Analysis) are excellent references; for more rigorously mathematical approaches, Johnson & Wichern's and Donald Morrison's texts are excellent. Analyzing Multivariate Data bridges those two poles. The rigorous texts teach how to twirl matrices around like a flaming baton, but unless the researcher has insight into the art and science of the applications of the multivariate methods little will be understood. This is particularly important if the researcher uses point-and-click stat packages. For the applied researcher and grad student who want to know how and when to use the multivariate methods but want accessible supporting mathematics as well, this book is exceptional. I use it to explain the applications of the mathematically intensive methods I am learning in a grad multivariate class.

Rating:
Summary: Review from a Biometric Student
Review: Conclusion: useful but still not so strict . If you need a systematic proof and strcuture , you may need other statistics text books.

Detail:This book is an application-oriented one:in each section, a method discuessed and then a case study of real data set followed by the technological concern ,such as significant and the the violation to the assumption of each method. Especially, the 'intuitive' explain of 'how it works' is also helpful and still remains systematic.

However,since the lack of theoratic proof of method , the model is still not so strict ,thus the the completeness 'intuitive'explaim is weakened.

Rating:
Summary: A statistics book that is easy to read and understand.
Review: I had the great pleasure of learning from this book when it was still in manuscript form. For the first time in my long history as a student I found that I understood the text at first reading! The chapters generally present two approaches: the technical (scary!) and the commonsense -- with the latter truly written in a commonsensical fashion. In fact, it is so well written that it is possible to go over the material on one's own. The book is pricey, but it delivers on its promise.