Downloaded from https://www.everyspec.com AMCP 706-114 person who feels, or has been advised, that some particular problem can be solved by means of fairly simple statistical techniques, and is in need of a book that will enable him to obtain the so- lution to his problem with a minimum of outside assistance. The Handbook should enable such a person to become familiar with the statistical ideas, and reasonably adept at the techniques, that are most fruitful in his particular line of re- search and development wcwrk.
Finally, there is the individual who, as ihe head of, or as a mem- ber of a service group, has responsibility for ana- lyzing and interpreting experimental and test data brought in by scientists and engineers en- gaged in Army research and development work. This individual needs a ready source of model work sheets and worked examples corresponding to the more common applications of statistics, to free him from the need of translating textbook discussions into step-by-step procedures that can be followed by individuals having little or no previous experience with statistical methods.
It is with this last need in mind that some of the procedures included in the Handbook have been explained and illustrated in detail twice: once for the case where the important question is whether the performance of a new material, product, or process exceeds an established stan- dard ; and again for the case where the important question is whether its performance is not up to the specified standards. Small but serious errors are often made in changing "greater than" pro- cedures into "less than" procedures. Most of the present text is by Mary G. Na- trella, who had overall responsibility for the com- pletion of the final version of the Handbook.
The original plans for coverage, a first draft of the text, and some original tables were prepared by Paul N. Somerville. Chapter 6 is by Joseph M. Cameron; most of Chapter 1 and all of Chap- ters 20 and 23 are by Churchill Eisenhart ; and Chapter 10 is based on a nearly-final draft by Mary L. Epling. Other members of the staff of the Statistical Engineering Laboratory have aided in various ways through the years, and the assistance of all who helped is gratefully acknowledged. Partic- ular mention should be made of Norman C. Severo, for assistance with Section 2, and of Shirley Young Lehman for help in the collection and computation of examples.
Editorial assistance and art preparation were provided by John I. Thompson & Company, Washington, D. C. Final preparation and ar- rangement for publication of the Handbook were performed by the Engineering Handbook Office, Duke University. Appreciation is expressed for the generous cooperation of publishers and authors in grant- ing permission for the use of their source materi- al. References for tables and other material, taken wholly or in part, from published works, are given on the respective first pages. Elements of the U. S.
Army Materiel Com- mand having need for handbooks may submit requisitions or official requests directly to the Publications and Reproduction Agency, Letter- kenny Army Depot, Chambersburg, Pennsyl- vania 17201. Contractors should submit such requisitions or requests to their contracting of- ficers. AUTHORSHIP AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Handbook on Experimental Statistics was prepared in the Statistical Engineering Lab- oratory, National Bureau of Standards, under a contract with the Department of Army. The project was under the general guidance of Churchill Eisenhart, Chief, Statistical Engineer- ing Laboratory.
Comments and suggestions on this handbook are welcome and should be addressed to Army Research Office-Durham, Box CM, Duke Station, Durham, North Carolina 27706. iv