The word statistics, when referring to the scientific discipline, is singular, as in “Statistics is an art.” This should not be confused with the word statistic, referring to a quantity (such as mean or median) calculated from a set of data, whose plural is statistics. Statistics is alternately described as a mathematical body of science that pertains to the collection, analysis, interpretation or explanation, and presentation of data, or as a branch of mathematics concerned with collecting and interpreting data. Because of its empirical roots and its focus on applications, statistics is typically considered a distinct mathematical science rather than as a branch of mathematics. Some tasks a statistician may involve are less mathematical, for example, ensuring that data collection is undertaken in a way that produces valid conclusions, coding data, or reporting results in ways comprehensible to those who must use them. Statisticians improve data quality by developing specific experiment designs and survey samples. Statistics itself also provides tools for prediction and forecasting the use of data and statistical models. Statistics is applicable to a wide variety of academic disciplines, including natural and social sciences, government, and business. Statistical consultants can help organizations and companies that don’t have in-house expertise relevant to their particular questions. In applying statistics to a scientific, industrial, or societal problem, it is necessary to begin with a population or process to be studied. This book is specially designed for students majoring in the life, health, and natural sciences. Through intensive exposure to the core concepts of statistics in the context of science, students acquire the skills and understanding they need to formulate valid research designs, implement statistical analysis, interpret data, and explain their results.