This unit covers an introduction to formal statistical reasoning ('inference') and its application to other fields such as science, engineering, medicine, law and mathematics. Examples covered include medical screening tests, paternity tests, cot death controversy (erroneous statistical models), DNA testimony and the prosecutor's fallacy (erroneous statistical inference) and the search for exoplanets. Different approaches to statistical inference are covered. Topics also include Frequentist—estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis tests, p-values and significance, quality control; and the Bayesian approach—prior, posterior, Bayes' rule. -- Course Website
Instructor: Assistant Professor John Lau
Prerequisites: STAT1400 Statistics for Science or STAT1520 Economics and Business Statistics
