Statistics (methods and applications)
Jenny Hart
April 2008

Brief overview of the collection

History:  The Department of Statistics was established in 1949 to conduct research in statistics and probability, to provide assistance in applying statistics to natural and social science research, and to provide instruction at both undergraduate and graduate levels.  From its beginning, the department was noted for the quality of its faculty and diversity of their research. 

Broad subject areas emphasized or de-emphasized:  The collection focuses on research level monographs and journals across the entire range of probability and statistics.  The collection is developed to support the current research interests of the Department as well as to create a cohesive well-rounded collection in probability and statistics.  Current research topics include generalized linear models, stochastic processes, Bayesian methods, and statistical computing.

Description of academic program:  The Department of Statistics offers the Bachelor’s degree in statistics.  The graduate programs lead to the Master of Science degree and the PhD degree.  Coursework in the department is designed “to accommodate both students specializing in statistics and also those students studying statistics as a tool for use in their own specialities.”

Audience/Purpose:   The Statistics Collection is developed to meet the statistics and probability information needs of the Department of Statistics’ faculty, staff, and students.  It supports undergraduate and graduate instruction, graduate research through the PhD level, and faculty research.  It also provides materials on statistical methods and analysis to support research in other departments/units of the University.

Collecting guidelines

Levels of selection:  Comprehensive, research, instructional support, basic information; for a description of these levels, see the general policy statement.  Scholarly materials are acquired in all areas of statistics and probability.

            Comprehensive: probability theory, statistical models and methods, stochastic processes, Markov processes, Bayesian statistics, regression analysis, multivariate statistics, linear models, time series

            Representative: statistics applied to specific disciplines,

            Selective:  reliability, sensitivity

Type of materials included and excluded:

            INCLUDED:  scholarly journal and serials

                                    research level treatises and monographs

                                    reference works, including dictionaries, encyclopedias,

                                    collections of tables

                                    textbooks for course reserves

                                    textbooks at the advanced undergraduate and graduate level

                                    conference proceedings – very selective

            EXCLUDED: preprints

                                    newsletters

                                    popular works

                                    statistical collections and demographics

Physical formats included and excluded:

            INCLUDED:  print and electronic journals – prefer electronic format

                                    print and electronic books – prefer print format for research monographs

                                    electronic indexing and abstracting services

                                    digital media, usually as part of books

            EXCLUDED: statistics software

                                    data sets

Publication dates collected:   In general, current imprints are acquired for the collecton.  However, older important imprints may be added as they are identified and available.  Missing critical titles are replaced regardless of imprint date, but dependent on availability and cost..

Languages:   For statistics monographs, English is the predominant language.  For journals, English is the most common the language; however, some important journals do contain non-English articles.  Titles in other languages are not currently being acquired.

Geographical range:   not applicable

Chronological span:  Materials about current research in statistics are acquired.  Historical titles are acquired by the History of Science Bibliographer.