ASA-SIAM Series
A First Course in Order
Statistics: It’s Back
I
n April, the SIAM Classics in Applied Mathematics Series republished A First
Course in Order Statistics by Barry C. Arnold, N. Balakrishnan, and H. N.
Nagaraja. Although it is not in the jointly published ASA-SIAM Series on
Statistics and Applied Probability, we thought it would be fitting to announce the
renewed availability of this classic textbook in this column devoted to the collabora-
tive efforts of our two societies.
To find out more about the book, its history, and its future, we asked the authors—
all Fellows of the ASA—a few pertinent questions.
What was your original goal Who among today’s
in writing A First Course in
students, researchers, and
Order Statistics?
practitioners should consider
At that time [the early 1990s], H.A.
using this book, now that it’s
David’s book, Order Statistics, was really
available again?
the only possible choice for a textbook
Every undergraduate statistics major
on the topic. It was—and still is—an
and, for sure, every statistics graduate
excellent book, but, in our opinion, it
student needs to know something about
was growing in volume to keep up with
order statistics. A one-quarter course is
probably adequate at the undergraduate
the burgeoning literature and, because
level, but one could argue for more for
of this, it was becoming less suitable
graduate students. Likewise, every
as a text. We tried to write a book that
researcher will run into ordered data,
would cover the basics (what everyone
and some basic knowledge of the topic
should know about order statistics), and
will be valuable.
not try to “cover all bases.”
What distinguishes the book
How has the field of order
from other (text)books on order
statistics changed since the
statistics?
book was published in 1992?
Most order statistics books are designed
Major advances have been made in for researchers, rather than designed as
extreme value theory, especially in the
texts. There are some excellent textbooks on
context of finance. Experimental designs
statistics of extremes. But, to a great extent,
involving ranking and/or censoring have
the most serious competition comes from
proliferated, with a resulting increase in
H.A. David’s book, and it has everything—
the need for development of inferential
which is too much for a textbook.
procedures dealing with ordered data.
Is there any chance of a second
The concept of generalized order
edition in the future?
statistics has proved to be very useful,
For the moment, we think not. We did
unifying as it does a variety of ordered
think of the possibility of writing A Second
data models. More attention has been
Course in Order Statistics, and that remains
paid to order statistics based on non
a possibility. It, too, should be accessible
i.i.d. samples. Data depth ideas have
to students, but would include topics not
been fruitful in dealing with ordering
covered by the first course.
multivariate data. To find out how to purchase the book
or order an exam copy for your course,
please refer to the ad on this page. n
16 AMSTAT NEWS JUNE 2008
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