Course: Statistics
Upon completion of this course, the student is expected to be able to:
- distinguish stochastic and deterministic phenomena and experiments
- using enumeration methods and basic probability tools
- apply simple probability calculus
- recognize the practical value and importance of probabilities in the understanding of stochastic phenomena and experiments
- describe and summarize data
- translate a research question into a statistical hypothesis when given a data group and the type of experimental design or sampling procedure
- apply estimation and testing methods in order to make data-based decisions
- identify the selected method’s assumptions and keep in mind that it is required to apply checks for them
- comprehend and interpret correctly the statistical significance
- interpret results correctly, effectively, and in context without relying on statistical jargon
- comprehend the notion of uncertainty which is always contained in statistical inference
- critique data-based claims and evaluate data-based decisions
- complete a research project that employs simple statistical inference
- comply to ethical issues.
Course description:
1) Statistical approach: a brief overview.
2) Useful counting rules (multiplication principle, permutations, k-permutations, combinations).
3) Practical notion of probability; basic probability tools.
4) Conditional probability (multiplication rule; law of the total probability; Bayes theorem); Independence.
5) Random variables (cumulative distribution function; discrete and continuous random variables; probability function; probability density function; mean and variance).
6) Useful discrete distributions (Bernoulli; Binomial; Poisson).
7) Useful continuous distributions
8) Central limit theorem.
9) The role of probability in statistics.
10) Descriptive statistics (frequency table; numerical descriptive measures; barchart; piechart; box plot; histograms).
11) Sampling distributions.
12) Estimation; point estimation (properties of an estimator); interval estimation (confidence intervals for a (difference of) population mean (s) or proportion (s));
13) Testing hypotheses for a (difference of) population mean (s) or proportion (s));
14) Analysis of variance (single-factor ANOVA; two-factor ANOVA).
15) Goodness-of-fit test; Chi-Square test of independence.
Teaching aids: Textbooks
Examination: Written examination