THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014 -
- ARCHIVE as at 1 September 2013 for reference only
THIS PAGE IS OUT OF DATE

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : School (School of Social and Political Studies)

Undergraduate Course: Dealing with Statistical Data (SSPS07002)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) Credits0
Home subject areaSchool (School of Social and Political Studies) Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis course is for HSS International Foundation Programme only. It is not available to undergraduate students. Students enrolled for many social science courses will need to understand ¿ and be ready to question and challenge ¿ the use of statistics in their subject area. A solid grounding in descriptive statistics means that subsequently it is easier for students to understand concepts in inferential statistics. This course will provide an introduction to interpreting and understanding data, data types and methods for summarising and presenting data. It will use software rather than asking students to perform manual calculations, allowing the focus to be on meaning, interpretation and understanding, rather than algebra and mathematics.

This course is designed for students on the HSS International Foundation Programme. A pass in this course will be a requirement for progression to Business Studies, Psychology and Social Work degrees.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2013/14 Lifelong Learning - Session 3, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Learn enabled:  No Quota:  10
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Course Start Date 21/04/2014
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
No Exam Information
Delivery period: 2013/14 Block 5 (Sem 2) and beyond, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Learn enabled:  No Quota:  0
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Course Start Date 21/04/2014
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 0 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 18, Summative Assessment Hours 10, Other Study Hours 6, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 0 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
No Exam Information
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to:

¿ explain about different types of data and the need for appropriate analysis;
¿ discuss issues of sampling fluctuation or error;
¿ use a computer analysis package and interpret computer generated output;
¿ use basic descriptive statistics appropriately;
¿ critically interpret graphs, charts and other summary statistics;
¿ construct a survey instrument for a specific research question; and
¿ question and challenge some statistical claims.
Assessment Information
Students will undertake a survey and present their findings. This involves:

1. Group survey design and data collection
2. Group presentation focused on agreed element of the data
3. Framing, asking and responding to individual questions when results are presented.

To pass, students must participate in each of these stages and achieve a minimum of 40%.
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Week 1 Statistics in the media

Week 2 Surveys and identify research question(s)

Week 3 Questionnaire design

Week 4 Introduction to computer analysis system

Week 5 Data analysis and interpretation

Week 6 Data analysis and interpretation

Week 7 An introduction to probability and the concept of statistical significance

Week 8 Class presentations
Transferable skills Exercising informed critical judgement about statistical information.
IT skills, numeracy and data handling, interpersonal and group work skills.
Group presentation skills.
Reading list Students will be given access to web-based materials.
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserMr James Mooney
Tel: (0131 6)50 3077
Email: james.mooney@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryDr Caroline Bamford
Tel: (0131 6)50 4322
Email: Caroline.Bamford@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information
 
© Copyright 2013 The University of Edinburgh - 10 October 2013 5:23 am