If you know how to program with Python, and know a little about probability, you're ready to tackle Bayesian statistics. This book shows you how to use Python code instead of math to help you learn Bayesian fundamentals. Once you get the math out of the way, you'll be able to apply these techniques to real-world problems.

Praise for Bayesian Thinking in Biostatistics: "This thoroughly modern Bayesian book ...is a 'must have' as a textbook or a reference volume. Rosner, Laud and Johnson make the case for Bayesian approaches by melding clear exposition on methodology with serious attention to a broad array of illuminating applications. These are activated by excellent coverage of computing methods and provision of code. Their content on model assessment, robustness, data-analytic approaches and predictive assessments...are essential to valid practice. The numerous exercises and professional advice make the book ideal as a text for an intermediate-level course..." -Thomas Louis, Johns Hopkins University "The book introduces all the important topics that one would usually cover in a beginning graduate level class on Bayesian biostatistics. The careful introduction of the Bayesian viewpoint and the mechanics of implementing Bayesian inference in the early chapters makes it a complete self- contained introduction to Bayesian inference for biomedical problems....Another great feature for using this book as a textbook is the inclusion of extensive problem sets, going well beyond construed and simple problems. Many exercises consider real data and studies, providing very useful examples in addition to serving as problems." - Peter Mueller, University of Texas With a focus on incorporating sensible prior distributions and discussions on many recent developments in Bayesian methodologies, Bayesian Thinking in Biostatistics considers statistical issues in biomedical research. The book emphasizes greater collaboration between biostatisticians and biomedical researchers. The text includes an overview of Bayesian statistics, a discussion of many of the methods biostatisticians frequently use, such as rates and proportions, regression models, clinical trial design, and methods for evaluating diagnostic tests. Key Features Applies a Bayesian perspective to applications in biomedical science Highlights advances in clinical trial design Goes beyond standard statistical models in the book by introducing Bayesian nonparametric methods and illustrating their uses in data analysis Emphasizes estimation of biomedically relevant quantities and assessment of the uncertainty in this estimation Provides programs in the BUGS language, with variants for JAGS and Stan, that one can use or adapt for one's own research The intended audience includes graduate students in biostatistics, epidemiology, and biomedical researchers, in general Authors Gary L. Rosner is the Eli Kennerly Marshall, Jr., Professor of Oncology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Professor of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Purushottam (Prakash) W. Laud is Professor in the Division of Biostatistics, and Director of the Biostatistics Shared Resource for the Cancer Center, at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Wesley O. Johnson is professor Emeritus in the Department of Statistics as the University of California, Irvine.

If you know how to program, you're ready to tackle Bayesian statistics. With this book, you'll learn how to solve statistical problems with Python code instead of mathematical formulas, using discrete probability distributions rather than continuous mathematics. Once you get the math out of the way, the Bayesian fundamentals will become clearer and you'll begin to apply these techniques to real-world problems. Bayesian statistical methods are becoming more common and more important, but there aren't many resources available to help beginners. Based on undergraduate classes taught by author Allen B. Downey, this book's computational approach helps you get a solid start. Use your programming skills to learn and understand Bayesian statistics Work with problems involving estimation, prediction, decision analysis, evidence, and Bayesian hypothesis testing Get started with simple examples, using coins, dice, and a bowl of cookies Learn computational methods for solving real-world problems

This book presents the most important ideas behind Bayes’ Rule in a form suitable for the general reader. It is written without formulae because they are not necessary; the ability to add and multiply is all that is needed. As well as showing in full the application of Bayes’ Rule to some quantitatively simple, though not trivial, examples, the book also convincingly demonstrates that some familiarity with Bayes’ Rule is helpful in thinking about how best to structure one’s thinking.

Praise for Bayes Rules!: An Introduction to Applied Bayesian Modeling “A thoughtful and entertaining book, and a great way to get started with Bayesian analysis.” Andrew Gelman, Columbia University “The examples are modern, and even many frequentist intro books ignore important topics (like the great p-value debate) that the authors address. The focus on simulation for understanding is excellent.” Amy Herring, Duke University “I sincerely believe that a generation of students will cite this book as inspiration for their use of – and love for – Bayesian statistics. The narrative holds the reader’s attention and flows naturally – almost conversationally. Put simply, this is perhaps the most engaging introductory statistics textbook I have ever read. [It] is a natural choice for an introductory undergraduate course in applied Bayesian statistics." Yue Jiang, Duke University “This is by far the best book I’ve seen on how to (and how to teach students to) do Bayesian modeling and understand the underlying mathematics and computation. The authors build intuition and scaffold ideas expertly, using interesting real case studies, insightful graphics, and clear explanations. The scope of this book is vast – from basic building blocks to hierarchical modeling, but the authors’ thoughtful organization allows the reader to navigate this journey smoothly. And impressively, by the end of the book, one can run sophisticated Bayesian models and actually understand the whys, whats, and hows.” Paul Roback, St. Olaf College “The authors provide a compelling, integrated, accessible, and non-religious introduction to statistical modeling using a Bayesian approach. They outline a principled approach that features computational implementations and model assessment with ethical implications interwoven throughout. Students and instructors will find the conceptual and computational exercises to be fresh and engaging.” Nicholas Horton, Amherst College An engaging, sophisticated, and fun introduction to the field of Bayesian statistics, Bayes Rules!: An Introduction to Applied Bayesian Modeling brings the power of modern Bayesian thinking, modeling, and computing to a broad audience. In particular, the book is an ideal resource for advanced undergraduate statistics students and practitioners with comparable experience. Bayes Rules! empowers readers to weave Bayesian approaches into their everyday practice. Discussions and applications are data driven. A natural progression from fundamental to multivariable, hierarchical models emphasizes a practical and generalizable model building process. The evaluation of these Bayesian models reflects the fact that a data analysis does not exist in a vacuum. Features • Utilizes data-driven examples and exercises. • Emphasizes the iterative model building and evaluation process. • Surveys an interconnected range of multivariable regression and classification models. • Presents fundamental Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. • Integrates R code, including RStan modeling tools and the bayesrules package. • Encourages readers to tap into their intuition and learn by doing. • Provides a friendly and inclusive introduction to technical Bayesian concepts. • Supports Bayesian applications with foundational Bayesian theory.

Praise for Bayesian Thinking in Biostatistics: "This thoroughly modern Bayesian book ...is a 'must have' as a textbook or a reference volume. Rosner, Laud and Johnson make the case for Bayesian approaches by melding clear exposition on methodology with serious attention to a broad array of illuminating applications. These are activated by excellent coverage of computing methods and provision of code. Their content on model assessment, robustness, data-analytic approaches and predictive assessments...are essential to valid practice. The numerous exercises and professional advice make the book ideal as a text for an intermediate-level course..." -Thomas Louis, Johns Hopkins University "The book introduces all the important topics that one would usually cover in a beginning graduate level class on Bayesian biostatistics. The careful introduction of the Bayesian viewpoint and the mechanics of implementing Bayesian inference in the early chapters makes it a complete self- contained introduction to Bayesian inference for biomedical problems....Another great feature for using this book as a textbook is the inclusion of extensive problem sets, going well beyond construed and simple problems. Many exercises consider real data and studies, providing very useful examples in addition to serving as problems." - Peter Mueller, University of Texas With a focus on incorporating sensible prior distributions and discussions on many recent developments in Bayesian methodologies, Bayesian Thinking in Biostatistics considers statistical issues in biomedical research. The book emphasizes greater collaboration between biostatisticians and biomedical researchers. The text includes an overview of Bayesian statistics, a discussion of many of the methods biostatisticians frequently use, such as rates and proportions, regression models, clinical trial design, and methods for evaluating diagnostic tests. Key Features Applies a Bayesian perspective to applications in biomedical science Highlights advances in clinical trial design Goes beyond standard statistical models in the book by introducing Bayesian nonparametric methods and illustrating their uses in data analysis Emphasizes estimation of biomedically relevant quantities and assessment of the uncertainty in this estimation Provides programs in the BUGS language, with variants for JAGS and Stan, that one can use or adapt for one's own research The intended audience includes graduate students in biostatistics, epidemiology, and biomedical researchers, in general Authors Gary L. Rosner is the Eli Kennerly Marshall, Jr., Professor of Oncology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Professor of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Purushottam (Prakash) W. Laud is Professor in the Division of Biostatistics, and Director of the Biostatistics Shared Resource for the Cancer Center, at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Wesley O. Johnson is professor Emeritus in the Department of Statistics as the University of California, Irvine.

Probability and Bayesian Modeling is an introduction to probability and Bayesian thinking for undergraduate students with a calculus background. The first part of the book provides a broad view of probability including foundations, conditional probability, discrete and continuous distributions, and joint distributions. Statistical inference is presented completely from a Bayesian perspective. The text introduces inference and prediction for a single proportion and a single mean from Normal sampling. After fundamentals of Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms are introduced, Bayesian inference is described for hierarchical and regression models including logistic regression. The book presents several case studies motivated by some historical Bayesian studies and the authors’ research. This text reflects modern Bayesian statistical practice. Simulation is introduced in all the probability chapters and extensively used in the Bayesian material to simulate from the posterior and predictive distributions. One chapter describes the basic tenets of Metropolis and Gibbs sampling algorithms; however several chapters introduce the fundamentals of Bayesian inference for conjugate priors to deepen understanding. Strategies for constructing prior distributions are described in situations when one has substantial prior information and for cases where one has weak prior knowledge. One chapter introduces hierarchical Bayesian modeling as a practical way of combining data from different groups. There is an extensive discussion of Bayesian regression models including the construction of informative priors, inference about functions of the parameters of interest, prediction, and model selection. The text uses JAGS (Just Another Gibbs Sampler) as a general-purpose computational method for simulating from posterior distributions for a variety of Bayesian models. An R package ProbBayes is available containing all of the book datasets and special functions for illustrating concepts from the book. A complete solutions manual is available for instructors who adopt the book in the Additional Resources section.