Prerequisites

HS 550, or equivalent, instructor may review syllabi of previously taken courses (past 5 years) and/or require a test to assess the equivalence of the student background, as necessary.

Class Schedule

See UMSN Courses and UMich Office of the Registrar.

Course Description

HS 851 introduces students to applied inference methods in studies involving multiple variables. Specific methods that will be discussed include linear regression, analysis of variance, and different regression models. This course will emphasize the scientific formulation, analytical modeling, computational tools and applied statistical inference in diverse health-sciences problems. Data interrogation, modeling approaches, rigorous interpretation and inference will be emphasized throughout. HS851 is a 4 credit hour course (3 lectures + 1 lab/discussion).

Objectives

Students will learn how to:

• Understand the commonly used statistical methods of published scientific papers
• Conduct statistical calculations/analyses on available data
• Use software tools to analyze specific case-studies data
• Communicate advanced statistical concepts/techniques
• Determine, explain and interpret assumptions and limitations

Examples of Topics Covered

• Epidemiology
• Correlation/SLR
• (ρ and slope inference, 1-2 samples)
• ROC Curve
• ANOVA
• Non-parametric inference
• Cronbach's α
• Measurement Reliability/Validity
• Survival Analysis
• Decision theory
• CLT/LLNs – limiting results and misconceptions
• Association Tests
• Bayesian Inference
• PCA/ICA/Factor Analysis
• Point/Interval Estimation (CI) – MoM, MLE
• Instrument performance Evaluation
• Study/Research Critiques
• Common mistakes and misconceptions in using probability and statistics, identifying potential assumption violations, and avoiding them.

Teaching and Learning Methods

This is a 4-credit hour course using modern instructional techniques and web-services. Synchronous web-streaming of lectures/labs and asynchronous virtual office hour forums will be utilized. Assignments will be announced on the web-site and will be electronically collected, graded and recorded. A variety of teaching methods will be used including lecture, Journal Club, discussion, small group work, and guest presentation.

Textbooks

Scientific Methods for Health Sciences EBook. Additional resources will be made available through the SOCR Wiki and may include chapters, websites for review, references, reports posted online, ebooks and learning modules.

Assignments and Evaluation Methods

• 40% Homework Projects
• 30% Midterm Exam
• 30% Final Paper

Current Offerings

Past Offerings