STA2007F - Study Design & Data Analysis For Scientists

Course Outline:

The course aims to equip students with practical experience and skills in analysing data and applying statistical techniques relevant to the natural sciences. Skills include designing experiments, choosing appropriate statistical methods for analysing data, visual display and statistical modelling of data, model checking, interpretation and reporting of statistical results, and understanding limitations of statistical methods and data. Topics include: introduction to statistical notation, linear regression, design and analysis of experiments, generalised linear models. There will be a strong emphasis on the practical application of these methods using the open-source statistical software R. There will be a one-day face-to-face workshop at the beginning of the first semester and a one-day face-to-face workshop at the beginning of the second semester. Students must attend one of these workshops before being given access to the online material. They can elect to do the online material in their own time and at their own pace subject to assignment and quiz deadlines being met. Communication with lecturers will be through an online forum. Students can choose to write the examination (at UCT) either at the end of the first or second semester.