Overview
An understanding of experimental design, statistical methods, ethics and the ability to critically analyse scientific reports is essential for graduates in the sciences. In this unit, you will study experimental design, ethics and commonly used statistical procedures. You will be introduced to hypothesis testing and experimental design, parametric and non-parametric analyses, one, two and multi sample analyses (including one way, two way, and nested ANOVA designs, as well as multivariate analyses), correlation and regression, and data transformation. The learning and teaching strategy uses a clear, conceptual approach, which assumes that you have little or no statistical background.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: SCIE11023 Scientific Research Fundamentals or ESSC11004 Study and Research Skills for Health Science or SCIE11024 Science Investigation
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE feedback Moodle feedback
Students again appreciated the concise 'bite-sized' delivery of the unit content, noting that this made it easier to understand the theory with examples.
Maintain current lecture delivery structure.
Feedback from Email
One student asked that more notification be given regarding the expectations of the assessment, suggesting that email isn't the best way to transfer this information.
Students were provided clear expectations of assessment through Moodle assessment tabs, lecture content, live weekly Zoom sessions, direct email, and reminder announcements online. This broad approach will be maintained to help students access unit requirements in a number of ways.
Feedback from Moodle/online feedback
Students expressed their gratitude for the unit having additional live Zoom sessions for them to ask questions and resolve issues.
Maintain the offering of the additional live Zoom sessions throughout term.
- Describe the uses, pitfalls and limitations of parametric and non-parametric statistical tests
- Choose an appropriate statistical test for a set of data
- Correctly use software programs for analysing scientific data
- Know when experiments require ethical clearance and explain the basic principles of ethical experimentation
- Critique scientific reports and research proposals in terms of the quality of their experimental design
- Design realistic experiments with appropriate control and replicates
- Explain the rationale behind statistical testing and probability levels.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 25% | |||||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 25% | |||||||
3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
1 - Communication | |||||||
2 - Problem Solving | |||||||
3 - Critical Thinking | |||||||
4 - Information Literacy | |||||||
5 - Team Work | |||||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||||
8 - Ethical practice | |||||||
9 - Social Innovation | |||||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 50% |
Textbooks
Statistics Explained
Edition: 2nd (2016)
Authors: Steve McKillup
Cambridge
ISBN: 978-0-521-18328
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- SPSS Statistical software (instructions for accessing will be provided during term)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.irving@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
• Unit Introduction
• What is science, logic, and reasoning?
• The scientific method
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 1 & 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Types of data
• Fundamentals of sampling and experimental design
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 3 & 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Making decisions from data
• The normal distribution
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 6 - 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• One sample tests
• Two sample tests
• Decision errors
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 9 & 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
• Multiple comparisons
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 11 & 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Assumptions and transformations for ANOVA
• Two-way ANOVA
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 13 & 14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Correlation
• Regression
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 16 & 17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Non-parametric tests
• Chi-Square and related tests
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 19 & 20
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Non-parametric correlation
Chapter
McKillup Chapter 21
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Introduction to multivariate analysis
• Principal components analysis
• Multi-dimensional scaling
• Cluster analysis
Chapter
McKillup Chapter 22
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Choosing the right test
• Ethics in research
Chapter
McKillup Chapters 23 & 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
• Unit revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please note that the lecture and assessment content for this unit is delivered online, and as such, will require your dedication to keep up with the provided learning materials throughout term. The Moodle page will be a central resource for accessing content, assignment instructions, as well as the teaching staff. Additional live "drop in, drop out" Zoom Q&A sessions will be run throughout term as an opportunity for you to ask questions and get live feedback from the teaching staff. These additional Zoom sessions are not compulsory to attend, but instead offer an additional forum for you to gain clarity about unit content and assessment requirements. The schedule for these additional live Zoom sessions will be made available on Moodle. There is no on-campus residential school for this unit, but there will be an 'at home' practical assessment that you will need to complete (see Assessment 2 in this unit profile for details).
1 Written Assessment
You are required to critique a summary description of a research project, using the knowledge you have gained so far in the unit (up to and including week 5 content).
You will be provided with a summary description of a research project that will contain conceptual and technical flaws in the description of the research. This may include flaws in experimental conntext & justification, methodology & experimental design, logic of thought, analysis techniques and/or conclusions & interpretations. In your critique submission, you will need to:
· Identify the flaw(s) in approach, logic, methodology, analytical procedures, interpretation/conclusions, etc.
· Describe why you consider it a flaw, and
· Present your specific solution to remedy the flaw, if possible (if you think a solution is not possible, explain why).
Note that statements such as "The entire methodology wasn't presented", "The summary is written in the first person", and other such broad perceived flaws won't attract any marks since this is a summary of a project, and not the full formal description (i.e. marks are awarded for focusing on the scientific validity of what is presented in the summary, and not what isn't presented).
You may present your findings as either regular prose (i.e. akin to an essay or report), as an expanded list of dot points, or as a table. Most students find that a table is the easiest way to keep a logical train of thought between flaw identification, reasoning, and solution. Please choose whichever written format you consider will be most suited to conveying your thoughts.
There is a limit of 1000 words (+/- 10%) for this assignment.
Week 6 Monday (19 Aug 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Please submit your work as a Word document via Moodle. No PDF files will be accepted.
Week 8 Monday (2 Sept 2024)
Your work will be returned to you via Moodle.
This assessment is worth 25 % of your overall unit grade, and will be marked according to the following criteria:
Flaw identification (33.33 % of final mark)
Reasoning why you think it's a flaw (33.33 % of final mark)
Solution to the flaw (33.33 % of final mark)
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Ethical practice
- Describe the uses, pitfalls and limitations of parametric and non-parametric statistical tests
- Know when experiments require ethical clearance and explain the basic principles of ethical experimentation
- Critique scientific reports and research proposals in terms of the quality of their experimental design
2 Practical Assessment
You are required to evaluate the data acquired from three different experiments, suggest an appropriate statistical test for each, do the tests using the IBM SPSS statistics computer program (or similar), and interpret your results. An assessment template (a Word document) with the experimental data and questions to answer will be provided to you. You will be able to type your answers directly into this template, and resubmit the file to Moodle for assessment. You will need to download/access the SPSS computer program (or similar) for this assessment. Instructions on how to do this will be provided during the term.
Week 11 Monday (23 Sept 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Please submit your work as a Word document via Moodle. No PDF files will be accepted.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024)
Your work will be returned to you via Moodle.
This assessment is worth 25 % of your overall unit grade, and will be marked based on providing correct answers to the questions asked for each of the three experimental data sets provided to you. Each data set has 8 questions, with one point awarded per correct answer. Broadly, questions are focused on choosing the appropriate statistical test for the data provided, using it correctly, and providing a thorough and correct interpretation of the test.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Choose an appropriate statistical test for a set of data
- Correctly use software programs for analysing scientific data
3 Online Quiz(zes)
You will be required to complete an end of term online quiz that will test your knowledge of the entire content of the unit. The quiz will be in a similar format to a traditional end-of-term exam, requiring you to complete the task within a defined period of time (3 hours will be allowed once you start the quiz within a 24 hour window, starting at 9am Tuesday 8th of October, and finishing at 9am Wednesday 9th of October). Some basic calculations will be required, as practiced in the lecture content.
1
Other
Review/Exam Week Wednesday (9 Oct 2024) 9:00 am AEST
Please complete the quiz on Moodle as instructed, ensuring you submit before the quiz closes at 9am Wednesday 9th October
Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2024)
Your quiz will be marked online through Moodle.
This quiz is worth 50 % of your overall unit grade. Each question in the quiz will be worth a different amount of marks depending on its complexity. Please attempt ALL questions to ensure you can get the highest mark possible. It is usually a good strategy to first attempt those questions that have the highest marks allocated to them, in case you run short of time. Example questions from previous end-of-term quizzes/exams will be provided to you as a study aid on Moodle.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical practice
- Describe the uses, pitfalls and limitations of parametric and non-parametric statistical tests
- Choose an appropriate statistical test for a set of data
- Know when experiments require ethical clearance and explain the basic principles of ethical experimentation
- Critique scientific reports and research proposals in terms of the quality of their experimental design
- Design realistic experiments with appropriate control and replicates
- Explain the rationale behind statistical testing and probability levels.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.