Statistics II for Social Sciences

6 ECTS credits
156 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 1017129BNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

Studenten die dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen, moeten geslaagd zijn voor 'Statistiek I voor de sociale wetenschappen' en geslaagd zijn voor minstens 30 ECTS-credits op bachelorniveau. Studenten die ingeschreven zijn in een verkort traject kunnen dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen indien ze ingeschreven of geslaagd zijn voor 'Statistiek I voor de sociale wetenschappen'.

Taught in

Dutch

Partnership Agreement

Under agreement for exchange of courses

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool

Department

Sociology

Educational team

Juliette De Vestel
Barbara Janssens
Tom De Winter (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture
40 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
139 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

The course is divided into three main parts: (1) introduction; (2) probability rules, probability distributions and sampling distributions; and (3) inferential statistics.

The introduction goes into the distinction between descriptive and inferential statistics and discusses the concepts of probability.

Part 2 of this course highlights probability rules, probability distributions and sampling distributions. Different topics are dealt with: elementary probability theory, discrete distributions (binomial distribution among other distributions), continuous distributions (normal distribution among other distributions), and the concepts of sampling distributions and of the central limit theorem.

Part 3 focuses on inferential statistics. The two inferential statistical methods, confidence intervals and significance tests, are dealt with at great length. Both univariate and bivariate applications are taught.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Slides van hoor- en werkcolleges en extra infomateriaal, F. Van Droogenbroeck & T. De Winter, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 2021
Digital course material (Recommended) : Leertraject Statistiek II 2021 via Canvas, T. De Winter, J. De Vestel, B. Janssens, & Filip Van Droogenbroeck, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 2021
Digital course material (Required) : Bootcamp SPSS via Canvas, T. De Winter, J. De Vestel, & B. Janssens, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 2021

Additional info

This subject is taught in Dutch.

Taking part in the exercise classes is compulsory. Participation is essential to master the subject matter fully.

The slides of the lectures and the extra material available on the digital learning environment are the core course material. The exercise manual and the manual ‘Statistiek en Wetenschap’ are obligatory. The recommended manual is by way of supplement and illustration of the course material.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

The aim is to give an introduction to the concepts and techniques of probability theory and inferential statistics. The course consists of applications rather than mathematical proofs. The essential mathematical tools will be taught during the course.

Specific objectives are specified at the beginning of each class. Summed up: at the end of this course, students should be able:

to explain in their own words the concepts of probability
to apply probability rules
to elaborate upon the characteristics of theoretical and sampling distributions
to describe in their own words the principles of inferential statistics (o.a. the central limit theorem)
to explain in their own words the inferential techniques and to apply these to univariate and bivariate examples
to interpret the results of inferential statistical techniques critically and report on these ethically

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 80% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 20% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Schritelijk Examen with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 80% of the final mark.

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Examen SPSS with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 20% of the final mark.

Note: SPSS-vaardigheden en oefeningen. Praktische proef op computer

Additional info regarding evaluation

A student must pass for both the written and the practical exam before the student passes for this course.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context