Key Facts

Module Title: Quantitative Data Analysis 1 (basic)
Mode of Study:Single Module
Contact Details:Christine Pointon
Contact email:c.a.pointon@keele.ac.uk
Faculty: Faculty of Health
Fees 2012/13:
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This module is run within the School of Sociology and Criminology but is often chosen by Health students

 

Module Learning Outcomes/Objectives:

The student should be able to demonstrate:

  • An understanding of key concepts and principles in statistical analysis
  • Judicious selection and interpretation of descriptive statistical procedures
  • Judicious selection and interpretation of inferential statistical procedures
  • Competence in the use of SPSS for statistical analyses

Module Code - CRI-40022

Module Dates

to be advised

Module Aims:

  • To develop students’ conceptual understanding of fundamental issues in statistical theory and practice
  • To enable a critical understanding of the rationale and assumptions of descriptive and inferential statistics, and the role of data visualization techniques
  • To provide an understanding of the application of a range of elementary univariate and bivariate statistical analysis techniques, and a critical appreciation of their appropriateness

The course is aimed at students interested in acquiring skills in quantitative data analysis in social and health sciences.

Candidates should normally have a first or second class honours degree in a relevant professional or academic area (e.g. medicine, physiotherapy, sociology, psychology, politics).

The module CLM-40006 Statistics and epidemiology is an excluded combination.

Module Content:

Basic statistical concepts: levels of measurement, types of data, descriptive summaries; Graphical summaries and their (in)appropriate use; The logic of hypothesis testing; The meaning of conditional probability and statistical significance; Type 1 and Type 2 errors; Basics of estimation; confidence intervals; Introduction to scale construction; Statistical tests and their assumptions: chi-square, tests for differences in means and medians, correlation and bivariate regression, one-way ANOVA and a posteriori testing; Use of SPSS for statistical analysis.

Teaching Format

Four days, over a four week period. Involves classroom instruction and practical SPSS sessions. The morning usually consists of lectures and discussion and the afternoon of sessions in the computer laboratory.

Assessment Type:

30% marks - A series of data analysis/interpretation exercises and explanations of key conceptual issues

70% marks - A 3000 word data analysis report