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Aug 19: Statistics in Practice

Statistics in Practice

Last week we looked at a notable failure of the statistic “AUC”; this week we dive deeper.  Our curriculum spotlight is our 10-course Analytics for Data Science certificate program: compare cost and coverage to ANY Master’s program!  

You can get started with 

Need to brush up on your stats?  Enrollees in the certificate program can take our intro stats course, offered monthly, at no charge. 

See you in class! 

Peter Bruce

Founder, Author, and Senior Scientist

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The Failure of AUC – a Deeper Dive 

Last week we studied the striking failure of the model metric AUC, or area under the ROC curve, in a recidivism model that was biased against Black defendants.  This week, John Elder, Founder and CEO of Elder Research (our parent company), presents the case that AUC should, in fact, never […]  


Of Note

Covid: Choose your Words Carefully 

It is well known that coughs and sneezes propel coronavirus-bearing aerosols into the air, posing a major risk of Covid spread. It is less well known that ordinary speech can also do this, not at the same intensity as coughing or sneezing, but still significant:  two minutes of speech are roughly equivalent to a cough.  But choice of words is important: different speech components (individual vowels, consonants, and speech sounds in general) emit aerosol particles at different rates.  For example, the vowel sound in “heed” yields, on average, double the particles in “had.”  The practical applications?  People in public-facing jobs saying the same thing over and over (“Can I help you?” “May I see your boarding pass?”) might choose versions of these phrases that minimize emissions.  (From work by a research team at UC Davis, “Effect of voicing and articulation manner on aerosol particle emission during human speech,” by Asadi et al,  via my colleague at Elder Research, Carl Hoover, who has also studied this phenomenon.)  


Stackable Credentials

  • Take an Individual Course
  • Apply it to a Mastery Series (3-courses)
  • Apply those to a Certificate Program (10-courses)
  • Apply those to a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science and Analytics at Thomas Edison State University (TESU)

Course Spotlight

Predictive Analytics 3-course series

These 3-courses make up the core of our Analytics for Data Science Certificate. You will learn the standard techniques for predictive modeling and unsupervised learning. Hands-on training allows you to apply data mining algorithms to real data and — using Analytic Solver, a data-mining add-in for Excel R, or Python — to interpret the results.

Best of all, you will be taught from leaders in this field, including the co-authors of Data Mining for Business Analytics, a Wiley global best-seller, and be able to apply these skills at work, in your research, or learning practicum.


Certificate Spotlight

Analytics for Data Science*

This is your ticket into the world of data science and analytics. In this 10-course program you’ll learn everything from forecasting and data visualization to network analysis, risk simulation, and a deep dive in predictive analytics.

The core of the Analytics for Data Science certificate program was developed and is still taught by

The Program compares favorably to the best Masters programs at universities – nowhere else will you get access to top instructors at such an affordable price ($5,000 for 10 classes).  College credit is available via the American Council on Education (ACE Credit).  Classes are small and cohort-based, but you need not be online at particular times during the course period. A number of case-study projects are included and you can assemble a portfolio of your work.

Need to brush up on your stats?  Enrollees in the certificate program can take our intro stats course, offered monthly, at no charge. We offer rolling admissions year-round so you can start right away.

See you in class!

*The courses required in this certificate program can contribute towards the Bachelor of Science in Data Science at Thomas Edison State University (see below).


Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Analytics

BS DSA at Thomas Edison State University (TESU)

The program can be completed entirely online using a combination of Thomas Edison State University online courses, exams and other credit-earning options and online courses in data science and analytics provided by Statistics.com.

Earning this degree

  • General Education requirements: Earned via TESU online courses, exams and other credit-earning options
  • Electives: Earned via TESU online courses, exams and other credit-earning options
  • Area of Study requirements: 12 courses earned via Statistics.com online courses (transferred via ACE)

Digital Badges

Digital badges provide employers and peers concrete evidence of what you have learned and the skills required to earn your credential. Each badge’s digital image holds verified metadata describing your qualifications and the mastery required to earn them.


Contact Us To Learn More

If you have any questions on our courses, certificates, and degree programs and how they can apply to you, your work, and to your career, please get in touch. We’re here to help you succeed.