units

SCI1020

Faculty of Science

18 September 2017 22 November 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Science
Organisational UnitSchool of Mathematical Sciences
OfferedClayton First semester 2015 (Day)
Clayton Second semester 2015 (Day)
Malaysia Second semester 2015 (Day)
Malaysia October intake 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)Dr Dianne Atkinson (Clayton); Dr. Chen Won Sun (Malaysia)

Synopsis

Scientific method. The role of mathematical models in science. Principles of experimental and sampling design, data acquisition, analysis and presentation of data. Hypothesis testing and confidence intervals. Relationship between quantitative variables. Communication of scientific information.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Understand the key steps of the scientific method and apply these to real problems that involve data analysis and interpretation;

  1. Understand the importance of statistical techniques in the analysis of data;

  1. Describe how statistical data is collected and analysed;

  1. Use Excel to present and interpret data in numerical summaries and/or graphs;

  1. Use appropriate statistical summaries to explore data;

  1. Perform regression and interpret results;

  1. Determine confidence intervals;

  1. Conduct hypothesis testing and interpret results;

  1. Communicate findings through a scientific report.

Assessment

Final examination (3 hours): 65%
Assignments and tests: 35%

Workload requirements

3 hours lectures per week, 2 hours workshop per week

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Dianne Atkinson

Prohibitions

STA1010, ETC1000, ETW1000, ETW1102, ETX1100, FIT1006. Note that SCI1020 is an introductory unit and students who have already completed one of these prohibited units cannot enrol subsequently in SCI1020.