Statistics I 2500-EN-PS-OB1L-2

In this course you will learn about statistical methods and inference necessary to analyze data and test the relationships between variables. To get to this point you will need a basic understanding of the principles of statistical reasoning. These are not so much mathematical principles, but rather logical principles. As a consequence the emphasis in this course lies on the verbal understanding of this logic. You will also learn how to apply this knowledge in practice, in the form of different statistical tests. However, all these tests are expressions of the same underlying logic, applied in different situations.

One of the main reasons to teach you all this is because it enables you to test your ideas, notions and theories. Any scientific theory has to be put to the test to see if its predictions are correct. An important part of this involves translating research questions into testable hypotheses which can be verified by applying the appropriate statistical techniques. Understanding of statistical inference makes it possible to make general conclusions about larger populations of people on the basis of research outcomes obtained from a relatively small number of tested participants. This course therefore helps you in forming a deeper understanding of the (empirical) scientific method, and complements knowledge of research methods.

A major goal of this course is to prepare you to become an independent researcher of course. But you will benefit from having knowledge of statistics in other, more direct ways too. It will make it easier for you to read, understand and judge scientific writing for instance. Because of your increased skills in statistical reasoning it will become easier to avoid common cognitive biases and logical thinking errors, which greatly helps with drawing correct conclusions. You will be much better able to distinguish between common sense beliefs and scientific beliefs, which helps a lot with seeing the flaws in bogus or pseudo science and pop-science often found in magazines. So this course in general also increases your critical thinking skills. Additional, forms of more professional skills you will acquire include an increased ability to communicate and explain research setups and findings, using numbers and graphs, and a better understanding of the construction, and use of psychological tests.