Biostatistics Unit

(15 credits)

The aim of this unit is to:

  • educate students in the fundamentals of quantitative analysis as it applies to dental research

Learning objectives

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

  • Appropriately describe and present quantitative data
  • Understand the principles of sampling, estimation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing and meta-analysis
  • Choose and apply the appropriate parametric or non-parametric analysis
  • Carry out such analyses by hand or using a statistical software package

Description of the unit

The unit is a 15 credit, interactive online course, complementing the Research Methods unit. The unit will run over a 12 week period, inclusive of three face-to-face sessions which will be used to consolidate the online material through small group discussion and presentation.

Unit material will be released on a weekly basis. To obtain the most from this unit and to progress in a logical manner, students are expected to work on the material during the week that it is released. In the same way, whilst quizzes are not mandatory, students are encouraged to use this tool in a timely manner to confirm their understanding of the information provided. The Unit Director will be advised of students who fail to access the unit material and participate in the discussion boards on a regular basis.

Topics covered include:

  • Collection and summary of data
  • Sampling and probability
  • Estimation and confidence intervals
  • Comparing groups and sample size calculations
  • Contingency tables
  • Correlation and regression
  • Reliability and validity

Face-to-Face Sessions

These are mandatory for all students taking Biostatistics:

27 January 2020 1.30-3.30p.m.                 Venue: Zochonis Building Lecture Room E

2 March 2020 1.30-3.30p.m.                      Venue: University Place 2.220

27 April 2020 1.30-3.30p.m.                       Venue: University Place 2.220

Recommended Books for the Biostatistics Unit

*Medical Statistics at a Glance

Petrie A and Sabin C. 3rd Ed.

Published by Chichester: Wiley Blackwell 2016

ISBN 140518051X

 

Dental Statistics Made Easy

Smeeton N 3rd Ed.

Published by Radcliffe Publishing Ltd 2016

ISBN 9781498775052

Aimed at dental students, this easy to read book details the basic principles of dental research methodology, from the initial stages of planning a research study, through to analysis and interpretation of data. The textbook overviews sampling, randomized controlled trials, ethical considerations, the normal distribution, diagnostic testing and introduces methods for conducting hypothesis testing. Coverage of statistical techniques is kept to a necessary minimum.

*Discovering Statistics with SPSS

Field A 5th Ed

Published by Sage Publications 2018

ISBN 9781526419521

Probably the most comprehensive and easy to read introductory guide to statistics with SPSS that you will ever read. Presented in a straightforward manner, the coverage of regression, Generalized Linear Models and nonparametric statistics is particularly good.

Practical Nonparametric Statistics

Cononver, W.J. 3rd Ed.

Published by John Wiley, 1999

ISBN 978 047 116 0687

* These books are essential reading for the unit

You will be provided with a good scientific calculator.