Applied Statistics I

Code:

C108

Acronym:

ESTA I

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Statistics

Instance: 2019/2020 - 2S (since 10-02-2020 to 15-05-2020)

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://moodle.up.pt/course/view.php?id=49
Course/CS Responsible:	Criminology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
C	59	Oficial Study Plan LC	1	-	6	-

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

This course introduces students to the descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, always relying on the extensive use of statistical analysis software.

With this curricular unit, it is intended to provide students with knowledge about the instruments and techniques of statistical analysis most appropriate to the treatment of data that is faced in the description, explanatory study and prospective analysis of facts, phenomena and behaviours in the field of crime, justice and security. It is also intended that students use extensively statistical analysis software such as IBM SPSS Statistics, JASP and R.

Learning outcomes and competences

With this curricular unit it is specifically intended that the student be able to:

1) Place the statistical analysis in the scientific research process;

2) To use statistical procedures to the needs and specificities of research in the study of crime, justice and security;

3) Understand and apply basic concepts of descriptive statistics and statistical inference;

4) Describe quantitative and categorical data correctly, respecting scientific writing standards (eg APA);

5) Select the type of geometric representations most appropriate to the clear presentation of information;

6) Interpret basic statistical analysis results in the scientific literature and critically comment them;

7) Start using more commonly used statistical analysis software in the study of crime, justice and security (eg, IBM SPSS Statistics and R).

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

N.a.

Program

I. Statistics applied to Criminology

1) The role of statistical methods in Criminology and Justice

2) Research validity

3) Software for statistics: SPSS, JASP, R

II. Data analysis

1) Basic data analysis notions in Criminology

2) Data screening

3) Outliers: identification and correction or mitigation procedures

4) Missing data and corrections

5) Representing data on tables

6) Representing data with graphs: benefits, limitations and precautions

 

III. Descriptive statistics

1) Introduction

2) Central tendency measures

3) Measures of dispersion

4) Asymmetries and kurtosis

5) Practical examples with software

6) Presenting descriptive analysis results in scientific texts and in technical reports

 
IV. Probability theory

1) Introduction

2) Teoria das probabilidades

3) Discrete Distributions

4) Continuous Distributions

5) Probability calculus in the domain of Criminology

V. Inferential Analysis

1) Introduction

2) Point Estimation and Confidence Intervals

3) Hypothesis tests

4) Practical examples in Criminology with software and how to present statistical results in scientific texts and in technical reports.

VI. Relations between variables

1) Introduction

2) Quantitative variables and correlations

3) Categorical variables and association measures

4) Practical examples with software and how to present statistical results in scientific texts and in technical reports.

Mandatory literature

Field Andy; Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics and sex and drugs and rock.n.roll. ISBN: 978-14462-4918-5
Marôco, João; Análise estatística com o PASW Statistics (ex-SPSS). ISBN: 9789899676305
Weisburd David; Statistics in criminal justice. ISBN: 978-0-387-34112-5
Bachman Ronet; Statistical for criminology and criminal justice. ISBN: 978-0-07-312924-2

Complementary Bibliography

Hagan Frank E.; Research methods in criminal justice and criminology. ISBN: 0-205-44739-2
Howell, david; statistical methods for psychology. ISBN: 0495012874
Reis Elisabeth 1957-; Estatística multivariada aplicada. ISBN: 972-618-247-6
Pestana Maria Helena 1958-; Análise de dados para ciências sociais. ISBN: 972-618-391-X
Imai, Kosuke; Quantitative Social Science - An Introduction, Princeton University Press, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-691-16703-9

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical-practical classes of practical-laboratory teaching. At each point of the program, the contents are presented in theoretical terms focusing, at first, their usefulness in the quantitative analysis of the object of study. Students are then faced with a more practical approach, solving case studies, whenever possible, using specific software.

Moodle platform of the University of Porto is extensively used, allowing a greater interaction with the students.

Software

R
IBM SPSS Statistics
JASP

keywords

Social sciences > Criminology
Physical sciences > Mathematics > Statistics

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	102,00
Frequência das aulas	60,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

- The student must fulfill the condition of attendance, which means that she/he cannot exceed the limit number of absences corresponding to 25% of the classes taught in this course.

- Students who, by law, are exempt from class attendance must submit a short report of descriptive data analysis, respecting rules and deadlines set by the teacher at the beginning of classes.

(not applied due to covid19)

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade = Final exam grade

Examinations or Special Assignments

Cf. General Regulation

Internship work/project

n.a.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Cf. General Regulation

Classification improvement

By written final exam.

Observations

All relevant UC-related information not available on this sheet, including the date of the distributed assessment test, is available at the Moodle webpage.