This course introduces students to the use of data, measurement, and basic statistics in the field of public health. This introduction to biostatistics provides an overview of data collection, sample sizes, normality of data sets, basic measurement statistics, parametric and non-parametric statistical comparisons, and statistical significance. Students apply concepts through in-class labs and real-world data collection.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:
- Apply basic statistical methods.
- Describe the role of data in making inferences and decisions about comparison groups, treatments, and interventions.
- Examine data sets for suitability for statistical analysis.
- Use a statistical software package to perform basic statistical analyses.
- Understand approaches to data collection, data evaluation, and statistical comparisons.