Introduction to Bayesian Statistics

William M. Bolstad0470141158, 978-0-470-141-15-1

This textbook is suitable for beginning undergraduates encountering rigorous statistics for the first time. The word “Bayesian” in the title simply indicates that the material is approached from a Bayesian rather than the more traditional frequentist perspective. The basic foundations of statistics are covered: discrete random variables, mean and variance, continuous random variables and common distributions, and so on, as well as a fair amount of specifically Bayesian material, such as chapters on Bayesian inference. As is the norm for elementary statistics books, Bolstad (statistics, University of Waikato, New Zealand) claims this book is suitable for undergraduates with no calculus experience; however, basic familiarity with integral calculus will help students considerably in the sections devoted to continuous random variables.