Fitting Models to Data: Maximum Likelihood Methods and Model Selection

Catalog description

This course will introduce students to maximum likelihood methods for fitting models to data and to ways of deciding which model is best supported by the data (model selection). Along the way, students will learn some basic tenets of probability and develop competency in R, a commonly used statistical package. Examples will be drawn from ecology, epidemiology, and potentially other areas of biology. The second half of the course is devoted to in-class projects, and students are encouraged to bring their own data. Offered as BIOL 304 and BIOL 404 . Prereq: Graduate student standing.