Customer Reviews
Good - By: W. M. S. Foster, 06 Oct 2008 
I'm pretty new to statistics & bought this book to help write up a 2 year research project.
It is actually easier to read than some of the other reviewers suggested. It is a little old-fashionedin its language (but what's wrong with that? I didn't want a book written by a teenager!!). The examples for the tests are enormously helpful & generally make the point succinctly.
It is reasonably detailed & comprehensive, but I do think one needs this kind of detail for understanding stats. I don't think there is much I would cut out of this book.
Overall I found it a good reference but it's actually pretty easy to read sequentially to try to understand the subject before undertaking analysis of ones own.
I also bought Primer of Biostatistics (Glantz) as recommended by one of the other reviewers but personally I haven't found that book so useful as Altman.
Another point of view - By: wAlter Ego, 21 Mar 2007 
This book is often recommended to biologists & clinicians undertaking clinical research. Although it does contain pretty much everything you need to knowin order to design & analyse a study, it is not the sort of book that is easy to read cover to cover. The language is heavy going & old fashioned.
For complete beginners, I would have to recommend Primer Of Biostatistics by Stanton A Glantz. By using rather zany examples from the planet Mars, the reader does not get bogged downin all the medical terminology, unlike the examplesin Altman. And it is a book you can sit down anywhere (on the bus or tube) & continue where you left off.
To summarise: If you are a medical student who needs to pass a testin medical statistics, go for Glantz. If you are starting some research & have no knowledge of medical statistics, go for Glantz. If your budget allows, get Altman for reference (otherwise borrow it from your library, or someone who gave up trying to read it).
the title says it all - By: , 15 Dec 1999 
it is without doubt the best beginners guide to statisticsin medical research. introduction & explanations are easy to read & follow. as someone new to research this book is never far from me.
Wonderful - practical, easy language, good advice - By: , 24 Apr 1999 Altman addressess the questions & difficulties metin every-day practice of medical statisticsin a clear, very practical style. Useful by those (eg clinicians) new to statistical analyses, & also to statisticians venturing into an areain which they've not been much before. As a single 'best' book for everyday analyses, this is it!
Excellent - By: , 20 Apr 1999 An excellent textbook for non-statisticians undertaking medical research. Only criticims is it is a little thin on multivariate analysis & meta-analysis.
