Introductory Statistical Methods and Applications for the Social Sciences
Course Code
SOSC 20112 10
Cross Listed Course Code(s)
SOSC 30112
Course Description
This course introduces and applies fundamental statistical concepts, principles, and procedures to the analysis of data in the social and behavioral sciences. Students will learn computation, interpretation, and application of commonly used descriptive and inferential statistical procedures as they relate to social and behavioral research. These include z-test, t-test, bivariate correlation and simple linear regression with an introduction to analysis of variance and multiple regression.
The course emphasizes understanding normal distributions, sampling distribution, hypothesis testing, and the relationship among the various techniques covered, and will integrate the use of R as a software tool for these techniques.
By the end of the course, the student will be able to (1) differentiate, utilize and apply statistical description and inference to applied research in behavioral sciences or other disciplines, (2) understand and be able to utilize various forms of charts and plots useful for statistical description, (3) understand and utilize the concept of statistical error and sampling distribution, (4) use a statistical program for data analysis, (5) select statistical procedures appropriate for the type of data collected and the research questions hypothesized, (6) distinguish between Type I and Type II errors in statistical hypothesis testing, (7) understand the concepts of statistical power and the influence of sample size on inference, and (8) summarize and write up the results.
Course Criteria
This course is open to all undergraduates and is included in the Summer Institute in Social Research Methods.
It is equivalent to SOCI 20004/30004, CHDV 20101/3010, PSYCH 20100, SOSC 26009/36009, and other introductory level applied statistics courses. This course is NOT equivalent to STAT 22000. As with its sister course, SOSC 20111, this course satisfies the methods requirement for the Comparative Human Development major, and the statistics requirement for the Sociology major. It is an approved elective for the Latin American and Caribbean Studies major, and is an approved methodology course for the Health and Society minor. It satisfies the methods requirement for the Public Policy Studies major. It may be approved as an elective for additional majors by petition, including the Political Science major and the Education and Society minor.
Instructor(s)
Yanyan Sheng
Course Duration
Summer Online
Session
Session 1
Course Dates
June 15th - July 3rd
Class Days
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Class Time
9:30 am - 11:30 am
Eligibility
11th Grade, 12th Grade
Modality
Remote