Applied Statistics and the SAS Programming Language

I bought this book a few years ago, and still find myself referencing it more than any other book on the subject. It is a great book for those who use SAS, but do not use it daily. Cody and Smith have converted a difficult and dry subject into something that is as enjoyable to read as can be done given the subject matter. The authors do a fine job of explaining each process, when to use it, and how to interpret the results. Their examples are easy to understand, and the tips they provide are helpful. For instance, when talking about correlation, some other books fail to mention common mistakes made when doing the analysis, such as correlation not implying causality: this book clearly injects this in the chapter and gives a straightforward example to reinforce the point made. It is an excellent reference manual and deserves a spot alongside your SAS manuals.

If you don't have the background of SAS programming. You should read this book. If you have the background of C/C++ and SQL, you will find SAS is very easy to learn.I spend less time learning SAS concepts when I read this book. In part 1, the author reviews the basic concepts of statistics when running sas. This is very easy to understand!In part 2, he mentions how to infile the large data in the sas environment. You don't have to type all the data in the sas enviroment in the beginning. It is very useful.I think this is a good book for beginners who want to know what SAS programming is. I hope the author still can write the book about advanced SAS programming .

Cody and Smith do an effective job of communicating the intricacies and features of this helpful but sometimes dense software. A step-by-step, well organized and at times amusing approach to programming in SAS, this book is similar to the "..for dummies" collection - user-friendly with plenty of visuals and examples. I'd definitely recommend it to any student or professional.

In short, this is THE book to have if you are a regular person who needs to use SAS. While most SAS applications are a nightmare for all but the full-time statistician/SAS user, this well-written book makes things seem pretty easy. It includes some useful background material on statistical procedures as well as references for the more inquiring mind. This is an essential companion for SAS in the real-world. SAS would do well to take on some of the suggestions in this book.

I've been doing data analysis for almost 20 years and recommend this highly. It is not too advanced for the beginning college student or professional, but more weighty than the small Introduction to SAS books (which seem more suitable for those with no experience). Because it interweaves SAS programming with often used statistics (and offers excellent examples and interpretations of output throughout), it is ideal for a stats and/or SAS course. I find it useful for reviewing SAS steps, and as a quick stats overview. The big SAS books are fine as a reference or for researching more complex and/or narrower questions, but this is far more user-friendly. Highly recommended for the beginning to moderate statistician or programmer.