How Can I Master Statistics for Psychology Without a Math Background?

[mischavalenti]

Hi everyone... I found this forum while desperately looking for someone to help me with my statistics assignment, well not just the assignment, just understanding all the new formulas and symbols and things in general.
I'm studying psychology and one of my modules is this research statistics. (I never knew it would involve math.)

I can't even work a scientific calculator and I count on my fingers so pushing me into this is like pushing me off a cliff and expecting me to fly.

I'd like to know if there is anyone out there that can help me?
Am I even in the right place?

Thank you
Mischa

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Welcome to PF mischavalenti! I'm sure you can get all the help you need, there is a forum at the top of the main page dedicated to helping with homework. If you post your questions there I'm sure you can get an answer.

Unfortunately for you all sciences, even psychology, are highly dependent on statistics. Without them we couldn't do proper data analysis! I'd advise buying an introductory guide to statistics so that you can rate your knowledge as higher then counting fingers in the future.

 

[mischavalenti]

Thank you so much Ryan.

Yes, I have noticed that psychology does require some mathematical knowledge, unfortunately for me I found that out too late.

I did look for some kind of guide in bookshops and can't seem to find any...
So I'm browsing around on stattrek.com they have mock exams and explain things better than my textbook (which is written by local morons, I don't trust textbooks compiled by the university.)
I still don't find their "symbol" explanations easy enough.
They put the math problems out very nicely but it means nothing when you don't understand what all the {]}] etc. means.
I've printed out a matrix of what symbols mean what and still I'm a bit confused.

And it doesn't help that everything is in English and its not my first language.

 

[SW VandeCarr]

And it doesn't help that everything is in English and its not my first language.

I'm guessing your native language is Italian from your username. Here's an Italian edition of a text on medical statistics. In general such texts provide a decent basic introduction such as in estimating means and variances, hypothesis testing, normal theory, sample size determination, etc. I can't say I'm familiar with this particular text.

http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~mb55/intro/intitaly.htm

 

[mischavalenti]

Thanks SW it's very kind of you but my username is far from my home language. :)
It's actually Mischavalentine, but the forum would not accept the full name. lol
I'm South-African and my native language is Afrikaans, you don't perhaps have an Afrikaans version? :)

Once again...super nice of you, thanks for trying.