Introduction to Statistics

Catalog description

Three lecture. Three lab. Basic concepts in descriptive and inferential statistics, emphasizing application to behavioral sciences. Includes methods of data collection, sampling techniques, central tendency, standard scores, correlation and regression, and hypothesis testing, tests for significance, and decision-making. Students will be able to: distinguish between descriptive, correlational, and experimental research methods; select, prepare and interpret appropriate tables and graphs; compute and interpret measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode) and measures of variability (variance, standard deviation, and range); calculate and interpret standard scores; compute, calculate, and interpret the significance of Pearson and other correlation coefficients; understand and apply the steps and logic of hypothesis testing for the t-statistic, analysis of variance, and correlation; explain the concept of sampling distributions and the Central Limit Theorem; compute and interpret the significance of the t-test (single, matched/correlated and independent groups t tests); compute and interpret the chi-square statistic and other non-parametric analyses; compute and interpret multiple groups design (one-way and two-way ANOVA) and their applications; choose the correct statistical technique for different research situations; and use statistical software. Prerequisite(s): MAT 142 OR MAT 140 OR higher level course General Education: Quantitative Reasoning