Introduction to Statistics for Beginners

Dr. Robert Hayden

Aim of Course:

To provide an easy introduction to statistics for those with little or no prior exposure to basic probability and descriptive statistics in preparation for the two course sequence Introduction to Statistics I:  Inference for a Single Variable and Introduction to Statistics II: Working with Bivariate Data.

Who Should Take This Course:

Anyone with no prior statistical background who wishes to take Introduction to Statistics I:  Inference for a Single Variable. 

Course Program:

The course is structured as follows

The Instructor:

Dr. Robert W. Hayden has been teaching statistics since 1982, and is a recognized authority on the teaching of introductory statistics. He has published articles on this subject in The American Statistician, the MAA Notes series, and elsewhere. He has received a national award from high school statistics teachers for his online guidance to AP Statistics teachers, something he has been doing since 1996 on the AP Statistics listserv. Dr. Hayden has also had careers in mechanical engineering and mathematics education, with publications that have included high school mathematics textbooks, articles on the thermopysical properties of aerospace alloys, articles on training high school mathematics teachers to teach statistics, and more. He holds a B.S. from M.I.T. and received his Ph.D. in mathematics and education from Iowa State University, where he also obtained his training in statistics.

Organization of the Course:

The course takes place over the internet, at statistics.com. During each course week, you participate at times of your own choosing - there are no set times when you must be online. Course participants will be given access to a private discussion board. In class discussions led by the instructor, you can post questions, seek clarification, and interact with your fellow students and the instructor. The course is scheduled to take place over 3 weeks, and typically requires 10-15 hours per week. At the beginning of each week, you receive the relevant material, in addition to answers to exercises from the previous session. During the week, you are expected to go over the course materials and work through exercises. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments.

Credit:

This course offers continuing education units (CEU's). For those successfully completing the course (generally this means marks of 50% or better on the homework), 3.75 CEU's and a certificate will be issued by statistics.com, upon request.

Dates:

May. 23 - Jun. 13, 2008
Jul. 11 - Aug. 1, 2008
Sep. 12 - Oct. 3, 2008
Click here to be notified of future course offerings.

Participants gain access to the online materials on the first day of the course, and typically spend about 10-15 hours per week (at their convenience). You retain full access to course materials, including discussion board, for two weeks after the course closing date.

Level:

Beginner

Prerequisite:

No prior study of statistics is required. The only mathematics you need is arithmetic.

Course Text:

The course text is Stats: Data and Models, by De Veaux, Velleman and Bock, with ActivStats CD. You can purchase it directly from the publisher here. AP statistics teachers should purchase a slightly different version: Bock, Velleman and De Veaux, Stats: Modeling the World, with ActivStats CD. You can purchase it directly from the publisher here. (Note: If you are an AP statistics instructor contemplating teaching with this book, you may wish to obtain the Instructor's edition, which you can find using the above link).

ActivStats is an award-winning multimedia statistics tutorial. It runs on PCs and Macs. Important: To make sure you get the right textbook bundled with the right CD, we strongly recommend that you buy them as a package directly from the publisher at the above link, rather than from Amazon or a used book market.

Please order your text in time to have it in hand by the course starting date!

Software:

Students should have access to a software package that can perform basic statistical analysis. The default package is Data Desk, which comes with the textbook/ActivStats bundle, and runs on PCs and Macs. In addition the lessons will offer illustrations in Minitab and R. The textbook provides brief tips on using SPSS, JMP and the TI-83 and TI-89 families of graphing calculators. While calculators will suffice to get through the course, those planning to do statistics on the job, or planning to study additional statistics beyond the introductory sequence, will benefit from learning a standard package that can do the tasks needed there. See our Software section for information on obtaining free or nominal cost software for use during the course. Data Desk is the only package familiar to all instructors. Individual instructors may be familiar with other packages.

If you will be installing course software on a computer owned by someone else (your school or employer) you may wish to start the process well in advance of the course start date in case you need permissions or have to wait for installation by someone other than yourself. Here are some tips on doing this.

Registration:

Register Online - $349
Register Online (academic) - $279 (you must be affiliated with a college, university or high school)

Add $50 service fee if you require a prior invoice, or if you need to submit a purchase order or voucher, pay by wire transfer or EFT, or refund and reprocess a prior payment. Please use this printed registration form, for these and other special orders.

Note: See our Introduction to Statistics course packages to save money on Introduction to Statistics for Beginners, Introduction to Statistics 1, and Introduction to Statistics 2.

Note: Courses may fill up at any time and registrations are processed in the order in which they are received.