Introduction to Statistics
Course Description:
The course is designed as a rigorous introduction to statistics for economics and business students. For most of you this will be your first course in statistics. For this reason, one of the goals of the course is to introduce you to many new concepts and techniques, as well as interesting applications of these concepts. We will also learn to use the same statistical tools employed by professional statisticians. This course does not have the level of technical difficulty of more advanced statistics courses. However, the large range of topics covered can make this course challenging. The best way to succeed is to review the material after every lecture.
Course Objectives:
The course contents are designed to give students a clear idea about -
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon the successful completion of this course, a student will be able to -
Teaching Method:
The instructor will present the concepts of statistics through lecture and guided discussion. The principles will be applied to a variety of business conditions and will be presented from a “real world perspective.”. Classes will be conducted using a variety of methods. These will include lectures, small group discussions and exercises. You are encouraged to actively participate in all aspects of the class as significant learning occurs when all members of the class make contributions. I see my role as to facilitate learning through a varied and collaborative experience, not simply by lecturing.
Required Text: Mann & Prem (2015), Introductory Statistics, Eighth Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The course is designed as a rigorous introduction to statistics for economics and business students. For most of you this will be your first course in statistics. For this reason, one of the goals of the course is to introduce you to many new concepts and techniques, as well as interesting applications of these concepts. We will also learn to use the same statistical tools employed by professional statisticians. This course does not have the level of technical difficulty of more advanced statistics courses. However, the large range of topics covered can make this course challenging. The best way to succeed is to review the material after every lecture.
Course Objectives:
The course contents are designed to give students a clear idea about -
- Introductory concepts of statistical issues.
- How to group and present data
- Numerical descriptive measures
- Probability issues and different distributions
- Discrete and continuous random variable
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon the successful completion of this course, a student will be able to -
- Learn how to construct and interpret graphical and numerical summaries of data
- Understand many of the fundamental ideas of statistics, such as variability, distribution, sampling
- Understand how the nature of data collection methods affects the scope of the conclusions that can be drawn from statistical studies (especially cause and effect); the role of probability in sampling and experiments
- Learn the normal distribution and the Central Limit Theorem
- Learn the basics of statistical inference: estimation, assessing statistical significance, statistical reasoning; apply and interpret the results of a variety of statistical techniques
Teaching Method:
The instructor will present the concepts of statistics through lecture and guided discussion. The principles will be applied to a variety of business conditions and will be presented from a “real world perspective.”. Classes will be conducted using a variety of methods. These will include lectures, small group discussions and exercises. You are encouraged to actively participate in all aspects of the class as significant learning occurs when all members of the class make contributions. I see my role as to facilitate learning through a varied and collaborative experience, not simply by lecturing.
Required Text: Mann & Prem (2015), Introductory Statistics, Eighth Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.