This course covers descriptive statistics, probability theory, probability distributions (normal, binomial, Poisson, exponential), sampling distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. It also includes an introduction to experimental design. The emphasis in the course is on preparing competent users and consumers of basic statistics. Some attention is paid to the mathematical underpinnings of statistical theory so that students will be prepared to go on to the Ford School econometrics course (PUBPOL 571). No previous course work in statistics is required, but a prior calculus course or concurrent enrollment in PUBPOL 513 is a prerequisite.
