University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 20

ECTS credits : 10

Level : SCQF level 7

Semester: 2

Planned timetable: 11.00 am

This module provides an introduction to statistical reasoning, elementary but powerful statistical methodologies, and real world applications of statistics. Case studies based on environmental impact assessment, medicine and economics and finance are used throughout the module to motivate and demonstrate the principles. Students get hands-on experience exploring data for patterns and interesting anomalies as well as experience using modern statistical software to fit statistical models to data.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Students must have at least GCSE (at A) or National 5 Mathematics (at A) or AS-Level/Higher Mathematics (at C)

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 4 lectures (x 10 weeks), 1 tutorial and 1 laboratory (x 10 weeks).

Scheduled learning hours: 60

Guided independent study hours: 140

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 2-hour Written Examination = 50%, Coursework = 50%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 50%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 50%

Re-assessment: 2-hour Written Examination = 75%, Existing Coursework = 25%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr M L Burt
Module teaching staff: Dr Charles Paxton
Module coordinator email lb9@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• Understand different data collection methods and sampling strategies
• Distinguish between different types of data and how to describe them both visually and numerically
• Have a usable conception of probability and basic probability axioms
• Understand basic distributions of discrete and continuous random variables (e.g. Binomial, Normal)
• Conduct simple hypothesis tests including in model selection for linear models and also understand alternative model selection statistics for linear models
• Use the statistical programming environment R for exploratory data analysis