STATS 101 Introduction to Statistics

Below description edited in year: 2019

Points: 15

Restrictions: STATS 101., 102, 107, 191.

Stats 101G: You cannot take this course for General Education if you have a prior or concurrent enrolment in any of the following subjects: COMPSCI, ENGGEN, ENGSCI, INFOSYS, MATHS, PSYCH or STATS.

Credit: Final Exam = 50%; Test = 20%; Assignments & Quizzes = 30%
or Final Exam = 60%; Test = 10%; Assignments & Quizzes = 30%.
Must obtain at least 50% overall and at least 45% in final exam alone to pass.

Textbooks: Materials produced by the department will be available from the Student Resource Centre and on Canvas. Clickers are available via using web-enabled devices. “Wild & Seber Chance Encounters” is an optional reference text.

Website: STATS 101 website

This course is intended for anyone who will ever have to collect or make sense of data, either in their career or private life. The steps involved in conducting a statistical investigation are studied with the main emphasis being on data analysis and the background concepts necessary for successfully analysing data, extrapolating from patterns in data to more generally applicable conclusions (statistical inference), and communicating results to others. Technical topics discussed include: types of investigations; data collection; tools for exploring and summarising data; proportions; tools for extrapolating from data (includes confidence intervals to convey uncertainty, randomisation tests, statistical significance, t-tests, and P-values); analysing relationships (includes comparing groups and one-way analysis of variance, simple linear regression, correlation, tables of counts and the chi-square test).

The Department tries to make Statistics come alive by:

• showing videos that show statistics at work in the real world
• using class activities to illustrate concepts
• using small groups to brainstorm ideas or get the answers to exercises
• using computer demonstrations to clarify ideas, and
• choosing enthusiastic lecturers who want to see students do well.
• using web-enabled devices as “clickers” for student interaction.

In fact if your idea of fun is copying formulae off blackboards you probably won't like our courses!
If you think Statistics 101/108 sounds good but you have always been a bit worried about Maths we offer a variety of help services.

Disclaimer:
Although every reasonable effort is made to ensure accuracy, this information for the course year (2025) is provided as a general guide only for students and is subject to alteration. All students enrolling at the University of Auckland must consult its official document, the University of Auckland Calendar, to ensure that they are aware of and comply with all regulations, requirements and policies.