Statistics and Methodology for the Social and Behavioural Sciences

Module Leader:
Kristóf Kovács
Year/Term:
2015-2016 Spring
Level:
Immersion 1
Division:
Multiple Disciplines
Credit:
8

The introduction to Statistics will aim to familiarise students with basic statistical concepts. The course will consist of four lectures, each of which is followed by a practical, using the recently developed, free statistical software, JASP. The topics to be dealt with include descriptive statistics, such as mean, median, and variance; the normal distribution and percentile values; covariance, correlation, and linear regression; methods to compare groups; and a basic introduction to multivariate analysis. Students will gain understanding of these concepts, which will enable them to grasp empirical results in the social and behavioural sciences. The module is particularly suitable for students interested in disciplines such as psychology, sociology, or indeed any field of study that focuses on human populations. The module will also provide students with skills to critically evaluate statistical information they face in everyday contexts. Finally, the practical sessions will prepare students to perform statistical analysis on their own, thus empowering them to devise and conduct independent research projects.

Related Content