Stat 113: Statistics and Society (Banner Course Number: 11300)

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Fall 2009 textbook is:

Moore and Notz, Statistics: Concepts and Controversies, updated 7th Edition, Required


Spring 2010 textbook will be:

Moore and Notz, Statistics: Concepts and Controversies, 7th Edition, Required

Outline:

  1. Collecting Data

    1. Sampling: random samples; use of tables of random digits; sources of bias in sampling human populations; multistage and stratified samples; random selection as public policy.
      Applications: Opinion polling, TV ratings, government economic and social statistics.


    2. Design of experiments: randomized comparative experiments; blocking and other elaborations; ethics of experimentation on human subjects.
      Applications: medical experiments, social policy experiments.


    3. Measurement: bias, reliability and validity; scales of measurement; good and bad data.
      Applications: measuring unemployment, critiquing the use of data in persuasion.


  2. Organizing and Describing Data

    1. Tables and graphs: bivariate frequency tables; common graphs and their abuses; frequency distributions; the normal distributions.


    2. Numerical summary measures: mean, median, mode; percentiles and boxplots; standard deviation and variance; correlation and regression; the question of causation.
      Applications: smoking and health, standardized tests as predictors.


    3. Index numbers and related topics: index numbers, interpretation of time series data.
      Applications: The Consumer Price Index; national economic indicators; social indicators.


  3. Formal Statistical Reasoning

    1. Probability: what is probability; simulation using random digits; expected values and the law of large numbers.
      Applications: state lotteries.


    2. Confidence intervals: basic ideas, simulations.
      Applications: return to opinion polling.