Quantitative Methods
Keywords |
Classification |
Keyword |
OFICIAL |
Basic Sciences |
Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S (of 16-09-2024 to 10-01-2025)
Cycles of Study/Courses
Acronym |
No. of Students |
Study Plan |
Curricular Years |
Credits UCN |
Credits ECTS |
Contact hours |
Total Time |
MIMV |
95 |
Official Study Plan |
1 |
- |
6 |
84 |
162 |
Teaching Staff - Responsibilities
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
The aim of this course is to familiarize first year students with basic mathematical/statistical concepts and techniques essential for formulating and understanding models in biology.
Learning outcomes and competences
Students should acquire skills to understand statistical principles and practical application of mathematical/statistical models in biology. Skills in this case are of various orders, but basically it is intended that the student understand the usefulness of mathematical models for interpreting biological phenomena, as well as be able to realize, when you want to do a statistical study, what type of data to be collected, what type of analysis should be done in an attempt to obtain the desired results, i.e. the answer to research issues. The reality is that it is just that the student understand what role mathematics and statistics play in the life Sciences. We do not intend to graduate the students as mathematicians or statisticians, but only someone who knows how to relate with mathematicians and statisticians.
Working method
Presencial
Program
DIFFERENTIAL/INTEGRAL CALCULUS
- A review of functions: logarithmic, exponential. Rules of differentiation, implicit differentiation;
- Functions of several variables. Partial derivatives;
- Integration: The indefinite integral, the definite integral and areas under a curve. Improper integrals.
-Standard integrals and methods of integration: by partial fractions.
- First order differential equations: variables separable differential equations.
Applications in biology.
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
- Biological data and its graphical display; Probability and probability distributions.
STATISTICAL INFERENCE
- Basic concepts of statistical inference: Sampling and sampling distributions; The Central Limit Theorem; Estimation and hypothesis testing; Confidence Intervals.
- Inferences concerning means (one sample, paired and independent samples);
- Inferences concerning proportions: Inference for a population proportion; Comparing two proportions (paired and independent samples); Comparing more than two proportions.
- Correlation and Linear regression: Regression models and its applications to biological models.
Mandatory literature
Eason G.;
Mathematics and statistics for the bio-sciences. ISBN: 13-560541-5
Altman DG; Pratical Statistics for Medical Research, Chapman and Hall, 1991
Brown D.;
Models in biology. ISBN: 0-471-93322-8
Dawson-Saunders Beth;
Basic and clinical biostatistics. ISBN: 0-8385-0541-4
Busenberg S. ed.;
Differential equations models in biology, epidemiology and ecology. ISBN: 3-540-54283-3
Complementary Bibliography
Fleiss Joseph L.;
Statistical methods for rates and proportions. ISBN: 0-471-26370-2
Teaching methods and learning activities
The topics covered are introduced in the theoretical lectures, through an example of application in the biological sciences. In practical lessons students use SPSS software to solve complex exercises. Emphasis is given to teaching the need of understanding and using methods of formulating models, rather than the mechanical use of the techniques.
Software
SPSS versão 22.0
Evaluation Type
Distributed evaluation with final exam
Assessment Components
Designation |
Weight (%) |
Teste |
60,00 |
Trabalho prático ou de projeto |
40,00 |
Total: |
100,00 |
Amount of time allocated to each course unit
Designation |
Time (hours) |
Estudo autónomo |
78,00 |
Frequência das aulas |
84,00 |
Total: |
162,00 |
Eligibility for exams
The evaluation will have two components:
Theoretical (T): In the practical lessons or by final examination.
Practical (P): In the last week of lessons (1st time students) or by final examination (for the remaining students).
Calculation formula of final grade
0.40xP + 0.60xT
The student must have at least 8 (out of 20) in each part.