Sociology

The goal of the course is to provide students with methods and techniques of both descriptive and inferential statistics useful for the analysis of data from census and/or sample surveys. Part I. Describing univariate data (30 hours) 1 Introduction to statistics 2 Statistical distributions 3 Graphical displays 4 Means 5 Variability 6 Shape 7 An overview of statistical summaries 8 Indexes Part II. Describing the relation between two variables (16 hours) 9 Bivariate distributions: dependency 10 Bivariate distributions: regression 11 Bivariate distributions: correlation Part III. Inferential statistics (26 hours) 12 Probability 13 Random variables 14 Some probability distributions 15 Population, sample, sampling distributions 16 Point estimation 17 Interval estimation 18 Hypothesis testing

There are no specific requirements. No preparatory courses are required.

Cicchitelli, G., D'Urso, P., Minozzo, M. - Statistica: principi e metodi. Terza edizione (2017), Pearson.

In-class sessions comprise didactic lectures, practical sessions, hands-on exercises, demonstrations, discussion. Lectures will be aimed at stimulating both interaction with students and their problem solving skills. Therefore, each topic will be supplemented by examples and hands-on exercises in order to facilitate the understanding of statistical tools and their use in social issues. The textbook comes with an online platform providing tutoring for the exercises and self-assessment tools. This will facilitate students in preparation for the exam. Due to Covid-19 medical emergency and with reference to the evolution of government and health authority provisions, the course or parts thereof may also be held remotely or in mixed mode (in presence and remotely), however ensuring in presence the compliance in safety standards.

Lecture attendance is not mandatory, but is strongly recommended given the know-how-oriented course setting.

The evaluation is performed by a final written examination, carried out during the scheduled exam sessions (3 calls in June / July session, 1 call in the September session, 2 calls in January / February session). The duration of the test is 75 minutes. The written exam consists of 21 exercises with both theoretical and practical questions. The test is intended to assess knowledge and understanding and the student's ability to apply knowledge and understanding. The student must indicate the correct answer and return the calculations necessary to obtain the indicated result. For completing the test, the students will have 75 minutes and can use a calculator. In itinere evaluation will be performed, based on a test with the same structure and rules. In determining the final grade, the assessment takes into account the following elements: 1. the thought process followed by the student in solving the proposed questions; 2. the correctness of the procedure chosen by the student to get the solution; 3. the adequacy of each solution proposed by the student, considering both the type of question and his expected competences; 4. the use of a correct and proper language. A grade of at least 18/30 is required to pass the exam. Students must demonstrate a) to have acquired a sufficient knowledge of the topics covered in the course and b) to be able to identify statistical techniques and tools - simple but adequate - for the solution of the proposed real problems. The grade 30/30 cum laude is assigned to those students who demonstrate an excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course and strong critical thinking skills. Students must also demonstrate to be able to identify the most suitable statistical techniques and tools, both simple and complex, for solving real problems.

In-class sessions comprise didactic lectures, practical sessions, hands-on exercises, demonstrations, discussion. Lectures will be aimed at stimulating both interaction with students and their problem solving skills. Therefore, each topic will be supplemented by examples and hands-on exercises in order to facilitate the understanding of statistical tools and their use in social issues. The textbook comes with an online platform providing tutoring for the exercises and self-assessment tools. This will facilitate students in preparation for the exam.

Arguments considered are: frequency distributions, graphics, measure of central tendency (mean, mode, median), measure of dispersion (standard deviation, variance, variation coefficient), bivariate contingency tables, correlation analysis (covariance, correlation coefficient), regression analysis, probability, random variables, probability distributionss, estimators, confidence interval, hypothesis testing.

No prerequisites are required.

Zealure C. Holcomb ,Fundamentals of Descriptive Statistics, Taylor and Francis, 1998. Casella , G., Berger, R.L, Statistical Inference, (2001).

Lectures

THE EXAMINATION TEST IS UNIQUE and consists of multiple-choice questions to be taken in presence on the SAPIENZA ELEARNING platform via PC. The exam will be conducted in a classroom equipped with a PC. The test consists of 21 questions, with both theoretical and practical questions (exercises) designed to test knowledge and understanding and the ability to apply knowledge and understanding.

Class.