List of important publications in statistics

Probability

"Théorie analytique des probabilités":Author: Pierre-Simon Laplace:Publication data: 1820 (3rd ed.):Online version: ?:Description: Attacks the roots of least squares and interpolation techniques, bringing back techniques from a century before that were long forgotten, studies the influence of median and skewness in regression analysis (even thought it wasn't called that way in the time). Inspired the field of robust regression, proposed the Laplace distribution and was the first to seriously criticize Carl Friedrich Gauss work on statistics.:Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"The Doctrine of Chances":Author: Abraham de Moivre:Publication data: 1738 (2nd ed.):Online version: ?:Description: The book introduced the concept of normal distributions as approximations to binomial distributions. In effect, de Moivre proved a weak version of the central limit theorem. Sometimes his result is called the theorem of de Moivre-Laplace.:Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"Foundations of the Theory of Probability":Author: Andrey Kolmogorov:Publication data: 1933 as "Grundbegriffe der Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung":Online version: http://www.kolmogorov.com/Foundations.html:Description: The foundation of modern probability theory.:Importance: Breakthrough

Bayesian statistics

"An Essay Toward Solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances":Author: Thomas Bayes:Publication data: 1763-12-23:Online version: cite web | url = http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/maths/histstat/essay.pdf | format = pdf | title = "An Essay towards solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances. By the late Rev. Mr. "Bayes", F.R.S. communicated by Mr. "Price", in a Letter to "John Canton", A.M. F.R.S." | publisher = Department of Mathematics, University of York:Description: In this paper Bayes addresses the problem of using a sequence of identical "trials" to determine the per-trial probability of "success" — the so-called "inverse probability" problem. It later inspired the theorem that bears his name (Bayes' theorem). See also Pierre Simon de Laplace.:Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"Treatise on Probability":Author: J.M. Keynes:Publication data: London, Macmillan, 1921.:Description: Early statement of probability as a subjective measure of degree of belief. Keynes is better-known for his contributions to Economics, but this erudite book shows him to be a polymath.:Importance:

"Probability, Induction and Statistics":Author: Bruno de Finetti:Publication data: New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1972.:Description A collection of de Finetti's essays on subjective probability.:Importance:

"Theory of Probability":Author: Bruno de Finetti:Publication data: Two volumes, A.F.M. Smith and A. Machi (trs.), New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1974, 1975.:Description The first detailed statement of the operational subjective position, dating from the author's research in the 1920s and 30s.:Importance: A classic.

"Operational Subjective Statistical Methods":Author: Frank Lad:Publication data: New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996, 484pp.:Description: Comprehensive; subtitled "A Mathematical, Philosophical, and Historical Introduction", but probably not for the general reader.:Importance: A fairly exhaustive statement of the operational position, following on from the earlier work by Bruno de Finetti.

"Bayesian Theory":Author: José Bernardo & Smith, AFM:Publication data: New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000, 608pp.:Description: Emphasis on viewing statistical inference as a special case of decision theory. Originally published January 1994, this paperback edition is a reprinting with corrections.:Importance: Complete. One of the authors helped translate de Finetti's books into English. The text contains references from 1763 (Bayes' original treatise) to 1993 covering 66 pages of the text!

:Author: José Bernardo & Smith, AFM:Publication data: New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007, 640pp.:Description: Maximizing expected utility as the only decision criterion. This is the second edition of the above paperback version.:Importance: Updated version. Does not include Markov chain Monte Carlo methods

"Introduction to Bayesian Inference and Decision, 2nd Edition":Author: Robert L Winkler:Publication data: Gainesville: Probabilistic Publishing, 2003, 450pp.:Description: Updated version of Winkler's classic textbook which was initially published in 1972.:Importance: Graduate level introduction to Bayesian inference.

Multivariate Analysis

"Multivariate Analysis":Authors: KV Mardia, JT Kent and JM Bibby:Publication data: 1979, Academic Press:Online version: ?:Description: A good non-technical introduction, with many examples.:Importance: Still in use after nearly 30 years!

Applied statistics

""'Statistical Methods for Research Workers:Author: R.A. Fisher:Publication data: Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1925 (1st edition); London: Macmillan, 1970 (15th edition):Online version: http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Fisher/Methods/:Description: The original manual for researchers, especially biologists, on how to statistically evaluate numerical data.:Importance: Hugely influential text by the father of modern statistics that remained in print for more than 50 years. [cite web | url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/564160/Statistical-Methods-for-Research-Workers | title = Statistical Methods for Research Workers | publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. ] Responsible for the widespread use of tests of statistical significance.

"Statistical Methods":Author: Snedecor, GW:Publication data: 1937, Collegiate Press:Description: One of the first comprehensive texts on statistical methods. Reissued as "Statistical Methods Applied to Experiments in Agriculture and Biology" in 1940 and then again as "Statistical Methods" with Cochran, WG in 1967. A classic text.:Importance: Influence

"Principles and Procedures of Statistics with Special Reference to the Biological Sciences.":Authors: Steel, R.G.D, and Torrie, J. H. :Publication data: McGraw Hill (1960) 481 pages:Description: Excellent introductory text for analysis of variance (one-way, multi-way, factorial, split-plot, and unbalanced designs). Also analysis of co-variance, multiple and partial regression and correlation, non-linear regression, and non-parametric analyses. This book was written before computer programmes were available, so it gives the detail needed to make the calculations manually.Cited in over 1,381 publications between 1961 and 1975. [cite journal | title = Steel, Robert GD & Torrie, JH. Principles and procedures of statistics | journal = Current Contents/Life Sciences | volume = 39 | pages = 20 | year = 1977 | url = http://garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics1977/A1977DU23500002.pdf ] :Importance: Influence

"Biometry: The Principles and Practices of Statistics in Biological Research ":Authors: Robert R. Sokal; F. J. Rohlf:Publication data: 1st ed. W. H. Freemann (1969),; 2nd ed. W. H. Freemann (1981); 3rd ed. Freeman & Co. (1994):Description: Key textbook on Biometry: the application of statistical methods for descriptive, experimental, and analytical study of biological phenomena.:Importance Cited in over 7,000 publications. [cite journal | title = Sokal RR and Rohlf FI. Biometry: the principles and practice of statistics in biological research | journal = Current Contents/Agriculture, Biology, Environment | volume = 41 | pages = 22 | year = 1982 | url = http://garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics1982/A1982PJ14400001.pdf ]

Statistical learning theory

"On the uniform convergence of relative frequencies of events to their probabilities":Authors: V. Vapnik, A. Chervonenkis:Publication data: "Theory of Probability and its Applications", 16(2):264--280, 1971:Description: Computational learning theory, VC theory, statistical uniform convergence and the VC dimension.:Importance: Breakthrough, Influence

Variance component estimation

" [http://www.library.adelaide.edu.au/digitised/fisher/18pt1.pdf On the mathematical foundations of theoretical statistics] ":Author: Fisher, RA:Publication data: 1922, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, London, Series A, volume 222, pages 309-368:Description: First comprehensive treatise of estimation by maximum likelihood. [cite journal | last = Aldrich | first = John | title = R.A. Fisher and the making of maximum likelihood 1912-1922 | journal = Statistical Science | volume = 12 | issue = 3 | pages = 162–176 | date = 1997 | url = http://projecteuclid.org/Dienst/UI/1.0/Summarize/euclid.ss/1030037906 | doi = 10.1214/ss/1030037906] :Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"Estimation of variance and covariance components":Author: Henderson, CR:Publication data: 1953, Biometrics, volume 9, pages 226-252:Description: First description of three methods of estimation of variance components in mixed linear models for unbalanced data. "One of the most frequently cited papers in the scientific literature." [cite journal | year = 1991 | author = Searle, SR | title = C.R. Henderson, the statistician; and his contributions to variance components estimation | journal = Journal of dairy science. | issn = 0022-0302 | month = Nov | volume = 74 | pages = 4035–4044 | pmid = 1757641] [cite journal | title = Henderson, CR: Estimation of variance and covariance components | journal = Current Contents/Agriculture Biology & Environmental Sciences | volume = 24 | pages = 10 | year = 1980 |url = http://garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics1980/A1980JU47400001.pdf] :Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"Recovery of inter-block information when block sizes are unequal":Author: Patterson, HD; Thompson, R:Publication data: 1971, Biometrika, volume 58, pages 545-554 doi|10.1093/biomet/58.3.545:Description: First description of restricted maximum likelihood (REML):Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"Estimation of Variance and Covariance Components in Linear Models":Author: Rao, CR:Publication data: 1972, Journal of the American Statistical Association, volume 67, pages. 112-115:Description: First description of Minimum Variance Quadratic Unbiased Estimation (MIVQUE) and Minimum Norm Quadratic Unbiased Estimation (MINQUE) for unbalanced data:Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

Mathematical statistics

"Introduction to the Theory of Statistics":Author: Mood, AM:Publication data: 1950, McGraw-Hill, New York:Description: One of the first, and most comprehensive, texts covering theoretical mathematical statistics. Updated in 1963 (with Graybill, FA) and in 1974 (with Graybill, FA and Duane C. Boes, DC):Importance: Influence

Survival analysis

"Nonparametric estimation from incomplete observations":Author: Kaplan, EL and Meier P:Publication data: 1958, Journal of the American Statistical Association, volume 53, pages 457-481:Description: First description of the now ubiquitous Kaplan-Meier estimator of survival functions from data with censored observations:Importance: Breakthrough, Influence

"A generalized Wilcoxon test for comparing arbitrarily singly-censored samples":Author: Gehan, EA:Publication data: 1965 , Biometrika, volume 52, pages 203-223 doi|10.1093/biomet/52.1-2.203:Description: First presentation of the extension of the Wilcoxon rank-sum test to censored data:Importance: Influence

"Evaluation of survival data and two new rank order statistics arising in its consideration":Author: Mantel, N:Publication data: 1966, Cancer Chemotherapy Reports, volume 50, pages 163-170. PMID 5910392:Description: Development of the logrank test for censored survival data. [cite journal | title = Mantel N. Evaluation of survival data and two new rank order statistics arising in its consideration | journal = Current Contents/Life Sciences | volume = 8 | pages = 19 | year = 1983 | url = http://garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics1983/A1983QB30100002.pdf] :Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"Regression Models and Life Tables":Author: Cox, DR:Publication data: 1972, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B, volume 34, pages 187-220:Description: Seminal paper introducing semi-parametric proportional hazards models (Cox models) for survival data:Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

"The Statistical Analysis of Failure Time Data":Author: Kalbfleisch, JD and Prentice, RL :Publication data: 1980, John Wiley & Sons, New York:Description: First comprehensive text covering the methods of estimation and inference for time to event analyses:Importance: Influence

Meta analysis

"Report on Certain Enteric Fever Inoculation Statistics":Author: Pearson, K:Publication data: 1904, British Medical Journal, volume 2, pages 1243-1246 PMC|2355479:Description: Generally considered to be the first synthesis of results from separate studies, although no formal statistical methods for combining results are presented.:Importance: Breakthrough, Influence

"The Probability Integral Transformation for Testing Goodness of Fit and Combining Independent Tests of Significance":Author: Pearson, ES:Publication data: 1938 Biometrika, volume 30, pages 134-148 doi|10.1093/biomet/30.1-2.134:Description: One of the first published methods for formally combining results from different experiments:Importance: Breakthrough, Influence

"Combining Independent Tests of Significance":Author: Fisher, RA:Publication data: 1948, The American Statistician, volume 2, page 30:Description: One of the first published methods for formally combining results from different experiments:Importance: Breakthrough, Influence

"The combination of estimates from different experiments":Author: Cochran, WG:Publication data: 1954, Biometrics, volume 10, page 101-129:Description: A comprehensive treatment of the various methods for formally combining results from different experiments:Importance: Breakthrough, Influence

Experimental design

"The Design of Experiments":Author: Fisher, RA:Publication data: 1935, Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh:Description: The first comprehensive text on experimental design:Importance: Influence [cite journal | doi = 10.3102/00028312003003223 | title = The Influence of Fisher's "The Design of Experiments" on Educational Research Thirty Years Later | year = 1966 | author = Stanley, J. C. | journal = American Educational Research Journal | volume = 3 | pages = 223] [cite journal | author = Box, JF | title = R. A. Fisher and the Design of Experiments, 1922-1926 | journal = The American Statistician | volume = 34 | issue = 1 | month = Feb | pages = 1–7 | year = 1980 | doi = 10.2307/2682986] [cite journal | author = Yates, F | title = Sir Ronald Fisher and the Design of Experiments | journal = Biometrics | volume = 20 | issue = 2 | month = June | pages = 307–321 | year = 1964 | doi = 10.2307/2528399]

"Experimental Designs":Author: Cochran, WG and Cox, GM:Publication data: 1950, John Wiley & Sons, New York:Description: One of the first comprehensive texts on experimental design:Importance: Influence

See also

*List of scientific journals in statistics

References

External links

*cite web | url = http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics.html | title = What is a Citation Classic? | author = Eugene Garfield | publisher = University of Pennsylvania
*cite journal | title = The Most-Cited Statistical Papers | author = Ryan, TP & Woodall, WH | journal = Journal of Applied Statistics | volume = 32 | issue = 5 | pages = 461–474 | month = July | year = 2005 | doi = 10.1080/02664760500079373