10804150Science Based Statistics
Course Information
Description
This is an introductory course with examples and applications chosen from quantitative x-ray analysis, image analysis, metrology and selected biomedical problems. Covers techniques for the collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of experimental results and develops procedures to deal with uncertainty in inferences and decisions when data are subject to random error. Topics covered include descriptive statistics; basic probability; the hypergeometric, binomial, normal, Students t, chi-square and F distributions; sampling distributions; the Central Limit Theorem; one-way analysis of variance and linear regression.
Total Credits
3

Course Competencies
  1. Perform basic mathematical operations
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you convert fractions or decimals into percentages and vice versa
    you compute expressions that involve addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponentiation or combinations of these according to the standard order of operation rules
    you evaluate algebraic formulas involving signed numbers or measurements using the standard order of operation rules
    you use technology to compute expressions that involve addition according to the standard order of operation rules
    you use technology to compute expressions that involve subtraction according to the standard order of operation rules
    you use technology to compute expressions that involve multiplication according to the standard order of operation rules
    you use technology to compute expressions that involve division according to the standard order of operation rules
    you use technology to compute expressions that involve exponentiation according to the standard order of operation rules
    you use technology to compute expressions that involve combinations of these according to the standard order of operation rules

  2. Construct graphs
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you calculate the slope, y and x intercepts of a line and graphs the line given a linear equation in x and y
    you interpret information from graphical representations of data
    you extract information from graphical representations of data
    you generate a graphical representation of data from a table or relationship given by an algebraic formula
    you interpret a graphical representation of data from a table or relationship given by an algebraic formula

  3. Evaluate expressions that use summation notation
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you interpret expressions that use summation notation
    you evaluate expressions that use summation notation
    you use algebraic identities to evaluate or simplify expressions that use summation notation
    you use technology to compute expressions that use summation notation

  4. Generate frequency distributions.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you generate frequency distributions from a given data set or groups the scores into classes
    you calculate the frequency of each class
    you calculate the relative frequency of each class
    you calculate the cumulative frequency of each class
    you calculate the width and midpoint of each class
    you interpret the frequency of each class
    you interpret the relative frequency of each class
    you interpret the cumulative frequency of each class
    you interpret the width and midpoint of each class
    you calculate the mean of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the mode of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the median of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the mean of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the mode of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the median of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the quartiles of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the percentile scores of a frequency distribution
    you calculate inter-quartile range of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the quartiles of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the percentile range of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the inter-quartile range of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the range of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the variance of a frequency distribution
    you calculate the standard deviation of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the range of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the variance of a frequency distribution
    you interpret the standard deviation of a frequency distribution
    you demonstrate the relationship between the variance and standard deviation
    you distinguish the population standard deviation from the sample standard deviation
    you use the properties of the mean and standard deviation
    you calculate z scores for a frequency distribution
    you interpret z scores for a frequency distribution
    you use the properties of z scores
    you demonstrate the connections between z scores and the properties of the mean
    you demonstrate the connections between z scores and the properties of standard deviation
    you use both Tchebyshev's inequality and the percentage points for a normal distribution to estimate the fraction of scores beyond a given z score
    you use technology to generate a frequency distribution
    you use technology to calculate a frequency distribution as to its descriptive statistics

  5. Generate graphs of frequency distributions.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you generate histograms of frequency distributions
    you interpret histograms of frequency distributions
    you generate a box plot from a frequency distribution
    you interpret a box plot from a frequency distribution
    you use a histogram or box plot to estimate measures of central tendency and dispersion
    you demonstrate the connections between information found in a histogram or a box plot and calculated descriptive statistics

  6. Use the definitions and axioms of probability.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you distinguish theoretical probabilities from empirical probabilities
    you generate a representation of a sample space of an experiment by listing all outcomes, drawing Venn diagrams, making tree diagrams, or constructing tables
    you use a representation of the sample space of an experiment and the fair experiment or equi-probability model to compute probabilities
    you use the fundamental rule of counting, the number of permutations, the number of combinations, and binomial coefficients to compute the number of outcomes in a given event
    you recognize computations which count the number of outcomes corresponding to a given event
    you formulate computations which count the number of outcomes corresponding to a given event
    you evaluate computations which count the number of outcomes corresponding to a given event
    you use these results to compute event probabilities
    you appropriately use set theory rules to calculate the probability of unions, intersections, and complements of events
    you distinguish mutually exclusive events from events with non-null intersection
    you recognize conditional probabilities
    you formulate conditional probabilities
    you evaluate conditional probabilities
    you determine if two events are independent
    you compare and contrast the intuitive notion of event independence from the formal definition
    you distinguish between mutually exclusive and independent events
    you recognize events that are neither independent or mutually exclusive
    you use a tree diagram to distinguish the probabilities of a false positive and a false negative test
    you use a tree diagram to compute the probabilities of a false positive and a false negative test
    you recognize computations which calculate the reliability of systems consisting of components arranged in series or parallel
    you formulate computations which calculate the reliability of systems consisting of components arranged in series or parallel
    you evaluate computations which calculate the reliability of systems consisting of components arranged in series or parallel

  7. Use probability distributions of a random variable.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you generate the probability distribution of a discrete random variable
    you graph the probability distribution of a discrete random variable
    you generate histograms for the probability distribution of a discrete random variable
    you interpret histograms for the probability distribution of a discrete random variable
    you compute the mean of a discrete random variable
    you compute the variance of a discrete random variable
    you compute the standard deviation of a discrete random variable
    you demonstrate the connections between the formulas for the mean, variance and standard deviation of a random variable
    you demonstrate the connections between these formulas and those used in descriptive statistics
    you distinguish a drawing without replacement from a drawing with replacement and formulate and compute probabilities of events associated with the drawing
    you distinguish a drawing without replacement from a drawing with replacement
    you recognize when the hypergeometric distribution applies to a drawing without replacement
    you formulate and compute probabilities of events associated with the hypergeometric distribution
    you recognize when an experiment is a succession of simple Bernoulli trials
    you formulate event probabilities for an experiment consisting of simple Bernoulli trials using the binomial distribution
    you compute event probabilities for an experiment consisting of simple Bernoulli trials using the binomial distribution
    you calculate the mean of a hypergeometric or binomial random variable
    you calculate the variance of a hypergeometric or binomial random variable
    you calculate the standard deviation of a hypergeometric or binomial random variable
    you interpret the mean of a hypergeometric or binomial random variable
    you interpret the variance of hypergeometric or binomial random variable
    you interpret the standard deviation of a hypergeometric or binomial random variable
    you demonstrate the connections between the formulas for the mean, variance and standard deviation of hypergeometric and binomial random variables and the corresponding formulas for a generic random variable
    you demonstrate the connections between the formulas for the mean, variance and standard deviation of both hypergeometric and binomial distributions
    you use the binomial distribution to approximate the hypergeometric distribution for large populations and justify when such an approximation is valid
    you justify the validity of the binomial distribution to approximate the hypergeometric distribution for large populations
    you use the Poisson distribution to approximate the binomial distribution for large sample sizes and fixed mean number of successes
    you justify why and when the Poisson distribution approximate is valid for the binomial distribution for large sample sizes and fixed mean number of successes

  8. Solve applications using probability distributions.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you use the fair experiment to model simple experiments such as coin or die tosses
    you compare the theoretical and empirical probability distributions for a random variable associated with the coin or die tosses experiment
    you recognize verbally stated applications which require using the hypergeometric, binomial and/or Poisson distributions
    you formulate verbally stated applications which require using the hypergeometric, binomial and Poisson distributions
    you solve verbally stated applications which require using the hypergeometric, binomial and/or Poisson distributions
    you use probability distributions to analyze processes such as games of chance, insurance rates, instrument reliability and medical tests

  9. Apply the properties of a continuous probability distribution.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you distinguish between a continuous and a discrete random variable
    you recognize the connection between the area under a probability density curve and the probability of an event
    you formulate the connection between the area under a probability density curve and the probability of an event
    you estimate the mean of a continuous probability distribution from the graph of its probability density curve
    you estimate the standard deviation of a continuous probability distribution from the graph of its probability density curve

  10. Apply the normal distribution.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you use the normal distribution to approximate the binomial distribution for large sample sizes and a fixed probability of success
    you justify why and when the normal distribution approximation is valid for the binomial distribution for large sample sizes and a fixed probability of success
    you compute the area between two scores in a normal distribution by transforming to z scores and using the standard normal distribution
    you determine critical z scores of a standard normal distribution from a stated probability
    you recognize verbally stated applications which involve using the normal distribution
    you formulate verbally stated applications which involve using the normal distribution
    you solve verbally stated applications which involve using the normal distribution

  11. Apply the chi-squared distribution.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you recognize when empirical and theoretical probability distributions are in agreement based on their graphs
    you determine critical scores of a chi-squared distribution from a stated probability
    you compute the mean of a chi-squared distribution from the degrees of freedom
    you compute the standard deviation of a chi-squared distribution from the degrees of freedom
    you use the chi-squared distribution at a given level of significance to test whether the disagreement between theoretical and empirical probabilities is not random
    you provide valid justification for the use of a chi-squared distribution in testing whether the disagreement between theoretical and empirical probabilities is not random

  12. Apply the Central Limit Theorem.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you identify the sampling distribution of means
    you represent the sampling distribution of means
    you distinguish the mean and standard deviation of the parent population from the mean and standard deviation of the sampling distribution of means
    you calculate the mean of the sampling distribution of means from the mean and standard deviation of the parent population
    you calculate the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of means from the mean and standard deviation of the parent population
    you verify the content of the Central Limit Theorem by computational simulation
    you use the Central Limit Theorem to compute probabilities for a range of values of a sample mean
    you calculate at a given level of significance a confidence interval for a sample mean in terms of parent population parameters

  13. Calculate confidence intervals for population parameters based on sample data.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you recognize confidence intervals for population means in terms of sample means and sample standard deviations
    you formulate confidence intervals for population means in terms of sample means and sample standard deviations
    you calculate confidence intervals for population means in terms of sample means and sample standard deviations
    you demonstrate the connection between the Central Limit Theorem and confidence intervals for the population mean based on large sample sizes
    you demonstrate the connections between confidence intervals for a population mean and a population proportion
    you demonstrate the similarities between confidence intervals for a population mean and a population proportion
    you demonstrate the differences between confidence intervals for a population mean and a population proportion
    you use the degrees of freedom of a Student's t
    you provide justification for the use of a t distribution
    you demonstrate the connections between the standard normal distribution and a t distribution
    you demonstrate the similarities between the standard normal distribution and a t distribution
    you demonstrate the differences between the standard normal distribution and a t distribution
    you use the sampling distribution of differences of means
    you recognize the pooled estimate of the variance of two populations of equal variance based on the sample variances
    you formulate the pooled estimate of the variance of two populations of equal variance based on the sample variances
    you compute the pooled estimate of the variance of two populations of equal variance based on the sample variances
    you recognize confidence intervals for the difference of two population means in terms of the sample means and sample standard deviations for both large and small independent samples
    you formulate confidence intervals for the difference of two population means in terms of the sample means and sample standard deviations for both large and small independent samples
    you calculate confidence intervals for the difference of two population means in terms of the sample means and sample standard deviations for both large and small independent samples
    you calculate a confidence interval on a difference of two population means using a matched pair experimental design
    you calculate a confidence interval on a difference of two population means using a matched pair experimental design

  14. Test hypotheses about population parameters based on sample data.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you recognize alternative and null hypotheses from a written statement of a question to be decided
    you translate alternative and null hypotheses from a written statement of a question to be decided
    you formulate alternative and null hypotheses from a written statement of a question to be decided
    you recognize Type I and Type II errors
    you recognize the connection between Type I errors and the level of significance
    you recognize one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population means
    you recognize one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population proportions
    you recognize one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about differences of two population means
    you distinguish between one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population means
    you distinguish between one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population proportions
    you distinguish between one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about differences of two population means
    you formulate one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population means
    you formulate one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population proportions
    you formulate one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about differences of two population means
    you test one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population means
    you test one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about population proportions
    you test one tail and two tail hypotheses tests about differences of two population means
    you calculate significance probabilities (p-values) for hypotheses tests using the standard normal distribution
    you interpret significance probabilities (p-values) for hypotheses tests using the standard normal distribution
    you estimate significance probabilities for hypotheses tests that use the Student's t or chi-squared distributions
    you interpret significance probabilities for hypotheses tests that use the Student's t or chi-squared distributions
    you explain the relationship between the stated level of significance and the calculated significance probability
    you perform a hypothesis test on a difference of two population means using a matched pair experimental design
    you test whether two categorical variables are dependent by performing a contingency table analysis using a chi-squared distribution
    you recognize the underlying assumptions involved in testing a given hypothesis
    you recognize the underlying limitations involved in testing a given hypothesis

  15. Interpret a one way analysis of variance.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you recognize a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test whether there are differences in performance due to a single factor varied at more than two levels
    you formulate a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test whether there are differences in performance due to a single factor varied at more than two levels
    you perform a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test whether there are differences in performance due to a single factor varied at more than two levels
    you interpret the treatment sum of squares and the error sum of squares
    you interpret the null hypothesis for a one-way ANOVA
    you explain the null hypothesis for a one-way ANOVA
    you relate the null hypothesis to the interpretation of the mean square due to treatment and the mean square due to error
    you use the F distribution in a one-way ANOVA
    you recognize the underlying assumptions of a one-way ANOVA
    you recognize the underlying limitations of a one-way ANOVA

  16. Determine which levels of a single factor make a significant difference in performance.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you test for which treatment means are different by performing multiple pair comparison tests
    you interpret the value of the level of significance used in the multiple pair comparisons
    you explain the value of the level of significance used in the multiple pair comparisons
    you explain the connections between the conclusions of the one-way ANOVA test and the multiple pair comparisons

  17. Set up and calculate a linear regression fit of bivariate data.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you paraphrase the method of least squares and its connection to the linear regression equations
    you generate the scatter diagram
    you generate the regression slope and the regression intercept on a scatter diagram
    you plot the regression line for a set of paired xy data on the scatter diagram

  18. Perform statistical inference on a linear regression fit of bivariate data.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you recognize the underlying assumptions of a linear regression analysis
    you recognize the underlying limitations of a linear regression analysis
    you perform statistical inference (calculation of a confidence interval or performance of a hypothesis test) on the population slope and population intercept
    you calculate confidence intervals for an average y measurement
    you interpret confidence intervals for an average y measurement
    you calculate confidence intervals for a single y measurement for a given x value
    you interpret confidence intervals for a single y measurement for a given x value
    you calculate the coefficient of determination and the correlation coefficient for a set of paired xy data
    you interpret the coefficient of determination and the correlation coefficient for a set of paired xy data
    you demonstrate the connections between the regression slope and the correlation coefficient
    you compute the degrees of freedom associated with the error variation and the explained variation
    you demonstrate the connections between the explained variation, the error variation, ANOVA and the coefficient of determination
    you interpret the results of ANOVA applied to the regression fit
    you plot graphs of the residuals
    you inspect graphs of the residuals for deterministic deviations from a linear model

  19. Apply statistical methods to a real experiment.
    Assessment Strategies
    in the solution to a problem on a quiz, homework, project or exam
    Criteria
    you acquire real data from an experiment
    you apply statistical processes and reasoning to questions posed by acquired data
    you communicate the hypotheses tested
    you communicate the procedure for data acquisition
    you communicate the statistical methods used
    you communicate the conclusions reached
    you communicate any underlying assumptions made about the nature of the data, and the self consistency or reasonableness of such assumptions