Statistician Extraordinaire:
An Interview with Dawn Griffiths

We sat down with Dawn Griffiths, author of the newly released Head First Statistics, and asked her about her unique approach to the subject. Whether you're taking Stats 101, preparing for the AP Statistics exam, or just curious about statistical analysis, Head First's brain-friendly formula will help you not only master statistics, but show you how you can apply statistical principles in everyday life.

What can we expect in the new Head First Statistics book? What are some of the coolest things learners can do once they've worked through Head First Statistics?

Statistics can be a tricky subject to get to grips with, but Head First Statistics gives you a really brain-friendly and accessible way into the subject. It gives you a good grounding in all the key areas, but all done using the same Head First approach you've seen in other books in the series. A lot of the coolest action takes place in Fat Dan's Casino. You get to play roulette, calculate your likely winnings on the slot machines, and also use your statistical skills to uncover a plot to infiltrate the casino itself. It's amazing how much you can do by the end of the book, even if you start out with very little exposure to statistics.

How do you think the Head First approach to statistics is different from other non-Head First statistics books you've seen and used? How do you think Head First makes statistics easier to learn?

One of the exciting things about writing Head First Statistics was working out how to take the Head First principles and apply them to an academic subject like statistics. You see, I didn't just want students to be in a good position to pass a statistics exam. I wanted them to really care about the subject, and gain mastery of it. The Head First approach is excellent for this because of the way it puts you in the hot seat and engages you. You don't just read a Head First book, you're actively involved in it, not just with your brain but with your emotions too. Throughout the book we get you to think deeply and we involve you in what's going on in each situation. What's more, we don't just give you statistical formulae and expect you to remember what they are and how you use them in some abstract way. We show you what's really going on underneath so that you can see why they're so important and in such a way that you can apply your knowledge to other situations.

What topic do you think people struggle with most in a typical statistics course? How did you address that topic in a way that will help learners who have struggled before?

A key thing is choosing which probability distribution to use in which situation and why. It's crucial stuff, and yet lots of people struggle with it because it can be confusing. In Head First Statistics, every time you cover a probability distribution, you have a real concrete scenario. Not just an example, but a full-blown scenario with characters and situations and drama and tension, and you're right in the middle of it. Your brain loves stories and loves to be entertained, so by building a little world or story for each distribution, we make sure that some part of your brain remembers when a particular distribution is relevant. That way you can look at a question on an exam paper or some problem your boss has thrown at you and think "Oh yeah, this reminds me of that girl at the dating agency…"

What topic or section of the book are you most proud of? What did you do to make it especially effective?

That's a tough question, and if you were to ask me tomorrow I might give you a different answer! If you forced me to pick one section of the book then I think I'd have to say the section on permutations and combinations. I had so much fun writing that chapter, and the artwork that Lou Barr came up with is amazing. It really brings the subject to life, and the final page makes me smile every time I see it.

Is your book for people who've never studied statistics, or who have already worked with statistics?

I'd say it's for both, and it's suitable whether you're preparing for an exam such as AP Statistics, taking a statistics course, or you're simply curious about statistics in general. It's actually the book that I wish had been around when I was studying statistics at college. I think the key thing to emphasize is that it's a book that teaches you statistics and enables you to really get to grips with the subject. If you're looking to deepen your understanding of statistics and have some fun along the way, then you'll benefit.