Foundations of Statistics
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36 hours per semester
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning.
2023 teaching periods
| Hawthorn Higher Ed. Semester 2 |
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|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
| Swinburne Online Teaching Period 3 |
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|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Prerequisites
Aims and objectives
This unit of study enables students to develop the capacity to undertake independent statistical investigations, including the assumptions and limitations of their application. The unit will provide practical skills to allow students to meaningfully interpret the results of various hypothesis tests, as well as to understand probability distributions and sampling methods commonly applied when collecting data.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Specify the objectives of an investigation in statistical terms
2. Identify the level of measurement of a variable, appropriate sampling methods, and research design of a study
3. Produce appropriate descriptions and visualisations of data distributions
4. Estimate population parameters (proportions, means) using appropriate statistics and confidence intervals
5. Select and conduct appropriate hypothesis tests for different population parameters (proportions, single sample means, difference of means for matched and independent samples)
6. Describe the relationships between variables (correlations, crosstabs, relative risk and odds ratios) and test the significance of these relationships
7. Interpret the outcomes of data analysis to write a concise report on findings
Courses with unit
BA-HSCPROF Bachelor of Health Science [Professional]
BB-HSCSCI Bachelor of Health Science / Bachelor of Science
BB-HSCMCMN Bachelor of Health Science / Bachelor of Media and Communication
BB-HSCBUS Bachelor of Health Science / Bachelor of Business
BA-PSY Bachelor of Psychological Sciences
BA-PSYS Bachelor of Psychological Sciences [SOL]
BA-BEHP Bachelor of Behavioural Studies [Psychology]
BA-SSCPSY2S Bachelor of Social Science [Psychology] [SOL]
BA-BEHS2 Bachelor of Behavioural Studies
BH-PSY Bachelor of Psychology [Honours]
BH-PSY1 Bachelor of Psychology [Honours] Graduate Entry
BA-CS Bachelor of Computer Science
BA-CSPROF Bachelor of Computer Science [Professional]
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment and content.
Teaching methods
Type | Hours per week | Number of Weeks | Total |
On-campus Class | 1 | 12 | 12 |
Online Lecture | 2 | 12 | 24 |
Online Discussion Boards, Textbook Readings & exercises, Online Quizzes, Viewing Online videos | 3 | 12 | 36 |
Unspecified Activities Independent study, assignment preparation and revision | 6.5 | 12 | 78 |
TOTAL | 150 hours |
Type | Hours per week | Number of Weeks | Total |
Live Online Class | 1 | 12 | 12 |
Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Study | 11.5 | 12 | 138 |
TOTAL | 150 hours |
Assessment
Types | Individual/Group Role | Weighting | Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) |
Assignment | Individual | 40% | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| Online Quiz (10) | Individual | 20% | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
Test | Individual | 40% | 1, 2, 6, 7 |
Content
- Critical thinking in statistics; confounding and sources of bias
- Ordering and grouping data: interpretation frequency tables and histograms; summarising data: median, IQR and boxplots; the mean and standard deviation; levels of measurement
- Describing and displaying relationships; Pearson's; introduction to regression; relationships in tabulated data; correlation and causality
- Producing data; experiments; population and samples; density curves and normal distribution
- Introduction to estimation, confidence intervals for proportions, means and correlations
- Making decisions about means, the Binomial test, t tests; testing relationships; Pearson's r and the Chi-square test of independence.
- Relative Risk and Odds Ratios
- Graduate Attribute 2 (Communication 2 - Communicating using different media)
- Graduate Attribute 5 (Digital Literacies 1 - Information literacy)
- Graduate Attribute 6 (Digital Literacies 2 - Technical literacy)
Study resources
- Reading materials.