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QSCI 381B: Introduction to Probability and Statistics |
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The objective of this course is to introduce students
to the fundamentals of probability and inferential statistics, within the
context of biological problems. We will first learn how to summarize data using
graphical and tabular methods. This is the first step when analyzing whether
a given data set provides support for or against a hypothesis regarding how
some biological process operates. We will learn how to calculate means,
standard deviations, and confidence intervals, as well as how to construct
histograms and other graphical data summaries.
The third section of the course focuses on testing
biological hypotheses. We will first explore how to state biological
hypotheses in a way that they can be tested using field data. The remainder
of this section will introduce students to the principles of statistical
hypothesis testing, including how to define Type I and Type II error rates,
how to define rejection regions for statistical tests, and how to select and
then apply a series of commonly applied statistical tests. The statistical
tests that will be covered will include: ·
tests based on one sample from a population; ·
tests based on a sample from each of two
populations; and ·
test which
assess whether two variables are correlated and if so how. The concepts will
be illustrated by applying them to problems from the biological sciences. Whenever
possible, the methods will be illustrated using EXCELTM, but
students will also be expected to be able to apply the methods using a
hand-held calculator. |
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The second section of the
course is an introduction to probability theory. We will learn how to define
and manipulate probabilities and how probability relates to the statistical
distributions used in inferential statistics. The probability distributions
covered during the course will include the normal, t, chi-square, Poisson, and binomial distributions.