Research Applications I

Overview

Course Description

This course, restricted for HISP program students, is an introduction to statistics in health record information systems with applied computer analysis using SPSS. Topics covered include: preparing data for analysis, describing data, probability distributions, sampling, testing hypotheses, and examining relationships between variables.

Course Content

Review of Descriptive Statistics

. scales of measurement

. frequency distributions

. histograms, graphs and diagrams

. averages and variation

. using SPSS for computing frequencies, averages and variance

. cross-tabulation

Introduction to SPSS

. setting up a data file

. defining data

. running SPSS/PC+

. the PRISM data base

Probability and Probability Distributions

. approaches to probability

. measures of probability or expectation

. mutually exclusive events

. independent and dependent events

. conditional probabilities

. binomial, normal, and poisson distributions

Sampling Theory and Techniques

. types of sampling

. surveys

. sampling distributions

Statistical Inference

. population parameters and sample statistics

. sampling distribution of the mean

. standard error of the mean

. first limit theorem and central limit theorem

. estimation of the population mean

. confidence intervals

. sample size

. estimation of the population proportion

. z-scores, t-distribution, chi-square distribution

. using SPSS in statistical inference

Hypothesis Testing

. null and alternative hypotheses

. test statistics

. test of significance, decision rule

. Type I and Type II error

. z-test, t-test, chi-square test

. using SPSS to test statistical hypotheses

Examining Relationships

. correlation co-efficient (r)

. .linear regression

. standard error of the estimate

. co-efficient of determination

. using SPSS to calculate (r) and simple regression lines

Learning Activities

Lecture/discussion

Computerized application exercises. A significant component of this course requires individual usage of computer facilities.

Means of Assessment

Assignments (Minimum 4) 40%

Mid-term Exam 20%

Final Exam 30%

Participation 10%

100%

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student should be able to:

Describe data using measures of central tendency and variability;
Utilize SPSS statistical software to extract data from a database (PRISM), conduct basic statistical computations, and analyze the results.
Calculate the probability of mutually exclusive, dependent or independent events; apply probability distributions to make estimates;
Identify appropriate sampling techniques in order to make inferences about the population mean or proportion;
Set up confidence intervals and conduct tests of significance for the population mean, proportion and variance using small or large samples;
Set up and conduct tests of hypotheses and interpret results;
Examine relationships between variables using correlation and linear regression.

Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Daniel W. Biostatistics: A Foundation for Analysis in the Health Sciences, 5th Edition, Wiley, 1991.

Raymond Yu. Research Applications I Manual for BUSN 337, Douglas College Printers, 1991.

Requisites

Prerequisites

Second semester standing or permission of instructor.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

January 2009 (Current)