Principles of Statistics
University of Arkansas
Course Overview
Principles of Statistics is a problem-oriented course that introduces statistical reasoning through applications from a range of fields. The course emphasizes probability, statistical patterns, and the use of statistical analysis to make decisions when outcomes are uncertain.
Teaching Focus
In teaching this course, I emphasize the interpretation of statistical ideas alongside computation. Students should be able to explain what a result means, identify the assumptions behind an analysis, and connect a statistical procedure to the question being asked.
- understanding data through descriptive summaries and visualization;
- reasoning about probability and uncertainty;
- interpreting confidence intervals and hypothesis tests;
- understanding relationships between variables;
- communicating statistical conclusions in context.