Course description

The aim of this course is to prepare you for an understanding of the basic statistical methods that are useful in your major field. Concepts are introduced in an intuitive way. The relevance of the procedures is demonstrated by examples selected from a wide area of life sciences. The course uses a common-sense approach to explain basic ideas and methods. Real-life examples show how each idea or method is applied in practice.

Prerequisites:Informatics

Course coordinator

• ELEK, Zoltan,[Click to see email]

Instructors

• ABONYI-TÓTH, Zsolt, [Click to see email], office hours: WE 12:15-13:00 Building L, 3rd floor 305/a
• ELEK, Zoltan,[Click to see email], office hours: TU/WE 08:00-10:00, Building L, 3rd floor 306, request for appointment in advance via email.
• KOVÁCS, Ágnes, [Click to see email], office hours: TU 12:00-13:00, Building L, 3rd floor 306, ask for an appointment in advance
• KÖVÉR, Szilvia, [Click to see email], office hours:  TU 17:00-18:00, office: Rottenbiller u. 50., Institute for Biology, room 17 (downstairs), ask for an appointment in advance in email
• PASZERBOVICS, Bettina, [Click to see email], office hours: TH 10:45-11:45, 16:15-17:15. Ask for an appointment in advance in email.

Lecture: MO 14:15, Kotlán lecture hall, ELEK, Zoltan

Practicals:

Group 1: TH 14:15 HEFOP2, ELEK, Zoltan

Group 2: MO 9:15 HEFOP1, KÖVÉR, Szilvia

Group 3: WE 8:15 HEFOP2, KOVÁCS, Ágnes

Group 4: WE 8:15 HEFOP1, ABONYI-TÓTH, Zsolt

Group 5: WE 12:15 HEFOP1, ELEK, Zoltan

Group 6: WE 12:15 N3, PASZERBOVICS, Bettina

Group 7: TU: 8:15 HEFOP1, KÖVÉR, Szilvia

Group 8: TH 12:15 HEFOP2, KOVÁCS, Ágnes

Group 9: WE 8:15 N3, PASZERBOVICS, Bettina

Group 10: WE 10:15 HEFOP1, ABONYI-TÓTH, Zsolt

Recommended literature:

Wassertheil-Smoller S: Biostatistics and Epidemiology. A Primer for Health and Biomedical Professionals, Springer, 1990, 1995, 2004. (It can be borrowed from the University Library.)

Petrie A, Watson P: Statistics for Veterinary and Animal Science. 3rd edition. Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.

Course material can be reached on the e-learning site of the Biomathematics Department.

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Lectures theme

Data collection and exploration

1. Week 1 02.05 – 02.09 – Course overview, introduction to statistics, learning from data: data types, scales, falcon demo data
2. Week 2 02.12 – 02.16 – Descriptive statistics, data exploration

Probability and sampling distributions

3. Week 3 02.19 – 02.23 – Probability theory: events, probability, conditional probability, independence
4. Week 4 02.26 – 03.01 – Epidemiology 1. (prevalence, diagnostic tests)
5. Week 5 03.04 – 03.08 – Random variables and discrete probability distributions – binomial, Poisson, sampling

Inferential statistics

6. Week 6 03.11 – 03.15 – Intro to inferential statistics, probability estimation, and testing
7. Week 7 03.18 – 03.22 – Analysis of qualitative data,  MIDTERM for practicals I. (devoted time: 45 mins.)
8. (Week 8 03.25 – 03.29 – spring holiday)
9. Week 9 (04.01- 04.06) – Normal distribution, CLT: point estimates, SE, confidence interval of the mean
10. Week 10 04.08 – 04.12 – (04.05) – Testing of means: t-tests and Analysis of Variance, multiple comparisons
11. Week 11 04.15 – 04.19 – Two-factor ANOVA, study type,s and study designs
12. Week 12 04.22 – 04.26 – Correlation vs association, comparison of measurements
13. Week 13 04.29 – 05.03 – Simple linear regression
14. Week 14 05.06 – 05.10 – Non-parametric tests, Epidemiology II.
15. Week 15 05.13 – 05.17 – More advanced models,  MIDTERM for practicals II. (devoted time: 60 mins.)
16. Exam period 05.20-05.24 – Final test from lectures (devoted time: 60 mins)

Practical lessons theme

1. week R commander
2. week Introduction. Descriptive and inferential statistics.
3. week Elementary probability theory.
4. week Random variables, probability distributions (binomial, Poisson, normal)
5. week The logic of inferential statistics
6. week Hypothesis tests I. (introduction and t-tests), QQ-plot.
7. week Hypothesis tests (ANOVA, F tests, Levelene-test, nonparametric tests).
8. week Hypothesis tests 3. (Analysis of qualitative data)
9. week Correlation and regression.
10. week Multivariate regresssion.
11. week Applications of probability theory in epidemiology 1.
12. week Repetition
13. week Midterm
14. week Retake midterm

Evaluation description

General information:

• It is obligatory to participate both on the lectures and the practicals! At most three uncertified absences from the lectures and from the practicals (altogether 3+3=6) are tolerated to obtain signature of the course and to be allowed to write the final exam. (Medical certifications are accepted.)
• It is not allowed to change between groups during the semester.
• The subjects of this course are statistics, and a little bit of probability theory (necessary to understand statistics).
• The practicals will be computer assisted with the use of R commander (www.rcommander.com). Hand calculations will almost be omitted.
• You will find the course material (lecture and practical handouts, etc.) on the university homepage.
• Recommended literature: Wassertheil-Smoller, Biostatistics and Epidemiology, A Primer for Health and Biomedical Professionals, Springer, 1990, 1995, 2004.

Short tests will be written on each practical from the subjects of the previous lecture and  practicals  32 points (no limit to pass)

Practical test: early May

32 points (≥ 16 are needed to pass)

• Participation is obligatory on the midterm.  Absences are accepted and justified only if you provide medical certification.
• Exercises only, similar to the ones on the practicals. No theoretical questions. Proper reporting and interpretation of the results obtained.
• You need to achieve at least 16 points on the test to be allowed to write the final test.
• You will have the opportunity to use one page of hand-written paper (not photocopied) as a help.
• There’s a re-take possibility on the last practical in May provided you have not missed more than 3 practicals.

Homeworks: Maximum 10 bonus points can be collected from homeworks.

Written final test

36 points (>18 are needed to pass)

• There will be a possibility to write the final test each week in the exam term.
• Theoretical questions only, no exercises.

The final score is the sum of the scores of the short tests, the midterm and the final test (maximum: 100+10).

Altogether: 110 points

•  0-50  -> 1
• 51-61  -> 2
• 62-72  -> 3
• 73-83  -> 4
• 84-110 -> 5

Exam information

(to be announced in due time)

Exam dates:

Location:

Time:

Duration: 45 minutes