Teaching code

4S02345

Credits

6

Coordinator

Elisa Menardo

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SECS-S/05 - SOCIAL STATISTICS

Courses Single

Authorized

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

General learining oucomes Knowledge and understanding - Knowledge and understanding of the main process of social change Ability to apply knowledge and understanding - Ability to project and conduct researches on social problems and social needs of a specific territorial area SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES The aim of the course is providing a statistical reading key of the realty: starting from the study of the problems and errors inherent in the process of observation and measurement, it develops a reflection on the variability of the phenomena and the observed data, in order to understand how the whole empirical knowledge is in fact of a matter of sample nature. The students should realize that a statistical formed mind and the statistical tools are necessary to face the study of any observed phenomenon. By the end of the course the students will have acquired the knowledge and the skills necessary to statistically understand social change processes and to operate quantitative detection of the social needs of a specific territorial area.

Prerequisites and basic notions

No

Program

Research methods in social sciences.
From theory to practice: reflections on initiating a research process. Bibliographic research. Techniques for collecting quantitative data: initiating a small research project.
From field survey to analysis phase: construction and preparation of a database. Preliminary analysis of a dataset and use of some functions useful for database management in Excel.
Description of quantitative data. Summarising data: Measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, measures of position. Description of data, between Excel and Jamovi. - Pivot Tables in Excel for data description, and corresponding graphical representation.
Description of quantitative data. Analysis of the relationship between two quantitative variables: the correlation coefficient. Scatter plots and correlation analysis.
Samples and population. Brief overview of inferential statistics. The Null Hypothesis Significant Testing. T-test for independent samples.
Paired-sample t-test.
Testing the independence of two distributions: the Chi-square test.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The lessons will be held in the computer room and involve computer use.

Learning assessment procedures

A written assessment using the computer will be proposed. Students should be able to use spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel, free for students, or Apache OpenOffice Calc) and JAMOVI, an open-source statistical package. Starting from a given dataset, students should perform some analysis in agreement with the course program, and discuss the results.
Open-ended or closed-ended questions aimed at verifying theoretical knowledge will also be possible.
Subject to agreement with students, the exam may be an oral exam.

Evaluation criteria

The score in the exercises/questions will consider theoretical skills, technical skills, and the ability to interpret the results.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final evaluation will be the sum of the scores of each exercise/question.

Exam language

Italiano