QSCI 318 - Quantitative Analysis of the Environment

Credits: 5
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 44
Lab Hours: 22
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Fundamentals of statistical data analysis in the context of ecology and natural resources management. Encouraging students to think critically and quantitatively about how experiments are designed and data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted.

Prerequisite: MATH& 141 or MATH&146 with a C or higher; and admission to BASEC or Dept. Chair permission.
Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Describe standard elements and practices of experimental and observational study design including independent and dependent variables, replication, sample size, and controlled variables.
Analyze how experimental design influences statistical analysis including statistical power and choice of analysis methods.
Describe ecological data with measures of central tendency, variability, and dispersion.
Apply the concepts of sample versus population to interpreting statistical analysis results.
Describe and interpret the properties of normally distributed data.
Apply appropriate data transformations when necessary for statistical analysis.
Calculate probabilities and interpret their role in the outcomes of ecological experiments.
Choose, execute, and interpret the appropriate statistical test for data analysis given a particular experimental design, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression, and goodness of fit testing.

Course Contents

Biological data, populations, and samples.
Measures of central tendency, variability, and dispersion.
Probabilities.
Properties of a normal distribution.
Sample hypotheses.
Multisample hypotheses and analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Data transformations.
Linear regressions.
Testing for goodness of fit.

Instructional Units: 5.5