Undergraduate Course: Challenges in Statistics (LLLJ07017)

Course Outline
School	Centre for Open Learning	College	College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate)	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	10	ECTS Credits	5
Summary	Statistical reasoning is important for the successful study of a number of undergraduate degree subjects, and for understanding and interpreting statistics in the media and in research reports. Through practical exercises and challenges, the course will build studentsż skills in evaluating the authenticity and reliability of data, and in designing survey questions and collecting, analyzing and presenting data of their own as well as secondary digital data.
Course description	The course will be taught in a computer lab and in a classroom, and will provide an introduction to interpreting and understanding data, data types and methods for summarizing and presenting data. By working through challenges and practical exercises, Challenges in Statistics will explore topics such as how to spot leading and misleading questions and bias in samples and the difference between correlation and causation. Through practical exercises and reading, students will learn about questionnaire design, sampling methods, data collection, and summary statistics. They will work in a group to carry out their own research project and present their findings.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites		Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information

Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: 35
Course Start	Lifelong Learning - Session 3
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 40, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 58 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	Quiz 1 (15%) Quiz 2 (15%) Written project submission (40%) Project presentation score (30%) Directed reading (websites, texts, articles) and activities will be set between classes to prepare students for the next interactive class session. Students will undertake a group project in a small group. Each group will investigate a research question independently, with tutors providing guidance and direction. It is anticipated that the project will always include either a survey element or work with a secondary dataset, but the size of that element may vary between projects. The students will be expected to use appropriate statistical techniques to agree one or more responses to the research question. In the last week of the course the group will present their work to their peers. All students will be expected to take part in the presentation, to respond to questions and to ask questions of their peers. Students will also submit an individual report on their project, where they reflect, critique and expand on their group project.
Feedback	Students will submit a research proposal for formative feedback in the first half of the course. Formative quiz.
No Exam Information

Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: None
Course Start	Semester 2
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 40, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 58 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	Quiz 1 (15%) Quiz 2 (15%) Written project submission (40%) Project presentation score (30%) Directed reading (websites, texts, articles) and activities will be set between classes to prepare students for the next interactive class session. Students will undertake a group project in a small group. Each group will investigate a research question independently, with tutors providing guidance and direction. It is anticipated that the project will always include either a survey element or work with a secondary dataset, but the size of that element may vary between projects. The students will be expected to use appropriate statistical techniques to agree one or more responses to the research question. In the last week of the course the group will present their work to their peers. All students will be expected to take part in the presentation, to respond to questions and to ask questions of their peers. Students will also submit an individual report on their project, where they reflect, critique and expand on their group project.
Feedback	Students will submit a research proposal for formative feedback in the first half of the course. Formative quiz.
No Exam Information

Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS2)		Quota: None
Course Start	Semester 2
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 50, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 48 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	Quiz 1 (15%) Quiz 2 (15%) Written project submission (40%) Project presentation score (30%) Directed reading (websites, texts, articles) and activities will be set between classes to prepare students for the next interactive class session. Students will undertake a group project in a small group. Each group will investigate a research question independently, with tutors providing guidance and direction. It is anticipated that the project will always include either a survey element or work with a secondary dataset, but the size of that element may vary between projects. The students will be expected to use appropriate statistical techniques to agree one or more responses to the research question. In the last week of the course the group will present their work to their peers. All students will be expected to take part in the presentation, to respond to questions and to ask questions of their peers. Students will also submit an individual report on their project, where they reflect, critique and expand on their group project.
Feedback	Students will submit a research proposal for formative feedback in the first half of the course. Formative quiz.
No Exam Information

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to: As part of a group, design and carry out a study to answer specific questions (pose problem, collect data according to a plan, analyze data, draw conclusions from data). Present and explain data in an appropriate and meaningful manner. Evaluate and question statistical ideas. Develop data analysis skills by using statistical software.

Reading List
None

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills	By the end of the course, students should have strengthened their skills in: data analysis; evaluating and questioning statistical ideas; participating in group work.
Keywords	Not entered

Contacts
Course organiser	Mrs Anthea Coleman-Chan Tel: (0131 6)51 1589 Email: Anthea.Coleman-Chan@ed.ac.uk	Course secretary	Ms Kameliya Skerleva Tel: (0131 6)51 1855 Email: Kameliya.Skerleva@ed.ac.uk