Regression Modeling Strategies

The Preface of this book starts in a very promising way by stating: “There are many books that are excellent sources of knowledge about individual statistical tools (survival models, general linear models, etc.), but the art of data analysis is about choosing and using multiple tools.” The author goes on to say that “this argues the need for a better balance in the literature and in statistical teaching between techniques and problem solving strategies.” Most statisticians (including myself) would agree with the author. Unfortunately, strategies are more difŽ cult to teach than tools. This is because effective strategies are learned by and large through experience, not by taking a course or reading a book. The other difŽ culty in teaching and writing about strategies is that, as the author notes, data analysis is as much an art as it is a science. The book comprises of 568 pages distributed in 20 chapters: