Features Mathematically rigorous, but accessible. Important concepts are introduced early on. Emphasis on model building and interpretation. Only the basic ideas are introduced, keeping the book short. Extends basic theory using exercises. Trains modeling skills using problems. Uses some calculus, but can easily be tailored to students without this background. Summary This short book introduces the main ideas of statistical inference in a way that is both user-friendly and mathematically sound. Particular emphasis is placed on the common foundation of many models used in practice. In addition, the book focuses on the formulation of appropriate statistical models to study problems in business, economics, and the social sciences, as well as on how to interpret the results from statistical analyses.