Scientific and Statistical Thinking

This is an introductory course on statistical and scientific thinking – but not in the way you may have considered it before. The focus will be on how to think about statistical issues in science and in society more generally. There won’t be any statistical analysis but instead of thinking critically about data, data collection, analysis and drawing conclusions both from scientific reports and from scientific stories in the press.

The module will provide a useful methodological background for all students intending to use quantitative data. The course is facilitated by St Leonard’s Postgraduate College and delivered by the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM).

Content Structure

The course material covers:

• Different definitions of science and pseudoscience
• Basic logic
• Experimental design
• Drawing conclusions
• Scientific publication
• The rationale of statistics and modelling
• The principles of visualising of data
• Reproducibility
• The role of science in society
• Statistics and science in the media

The whole course is spread over semesters 1 and 2 and there will be guided programme for self-study. Course materials – lecture notes, exercises and tutorials – will be available on Moodle.

The course will start in week 3 ( week starting 30 September 2024) and there will be regular, one-hour tutorials with the course instructor. These will be held online. Tutorials will cover material not in the lecture notes and so attendance is strongly recommended.

The weekly time commitment is anticipated to be about 1-2 hours, learning through the course notes and attending the optional tutorials.

There is an option for participants to obtain a certificate for the course by attempting online assessed quizzes and obtaining a score of at least 60% for each quiz. The deadlines for submitting responses to the assessed quizzes will be announced on Moodle. 

Entry Requirements and Prior Learning

There are no pre-requisites for this course.

Eligibility

The course is for University of St Andrews students matriculated on a doctoral degree or the following research degree programmes (MSc (Res), MSt (Res), and MPhil (by research)). The course is also open to University of St Andrews staff.

The course is not open to students on an undergraduate degree or to students on a taught postgraduate degree programme (MSc, MLitt, or MRes).

Book Your Place

You can enrol on the course through the Personal Development Management System (PDMS). Course code – 14795.

If you have any questions, please contact St Leonard’s Postgraduate College via email [email protected].