MPH1031 - Introductory statistics

Leader(s): Dr Julie Simpson

Offered

Alfred Hospital First semester 2009 (Day)

Synopsis

Descriptive statistics - graphs and tables. Theoretical and empirical probability distributions - chi-square, student's-t, binomial, Poisson, standard normal. Basic statistics - mean, median, mode, minimum, maximum, standard deviation, proportion. Standard errors, confidence intervals and their construction. Paired and unpaired t-tests. Chi-square and Fisher's exact for contingency tables. Non-parametric tests, correlation and bivariate regression. Relative risks and Odds ratios.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. perform simple statistical analyses of small data sets by hand;
2. identify the appropriate technique for data analysis;
3. obtain p-values from tables;
4. distinguish between clinical and statistical significance;
5. understand the concept of a Type I and Type II error and identify where these may have occurred;
6. calculate and explain the interpretation of simple confidence intervals.

Assessment

Mid-semester examination 25%
Final examination 50%
assignment 25%.

Contact hours

2 contact hours per week at Melbourne University

Co-requisites

MPH1030

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/pgrad