Level/category

Other studies

Teaching language

Swedish

Type of course

Compulsory

Cycle/level of course

First

Recommended year of study

3

Total number of ECTS

2 cr

Competency aims

The overall aim of this module is that you develop a general literacy and understanding for the quantitative approach, both as part of your own research and as a source of references to be used in your own research.

Learning outcomes

After having passed this module:
You are aware of the extensive reporting of results based on quantitative methods in both public and scientific media,
You understand the structure of a quantitative data set and you are familiar with the basic methods for administering and modifying data both in spreadsheets and in a statistics software.
You are familiar with different data types and scales, you understand the difference between them and how to use them in a spreadsheet or in a statistics software.
You have developed a basic literacy for reading, interpreting, drawing conclusions and reporting results from statistical analyses;
- You know how to interpret the basic descriptives regarding variables in a data set (such as mean, median, standard deviation and variance) and what conclusions you may draw from them.
- You are familiar with basic univariate and bivariate analysis procedures (such as comparing means, confidence intervals, cross-tabs, correlations analysis) and what conclusions you may draw from the results.
- You are familiar with standard formats for expressing and reporting results from statistical analyses, and you know how to read and interpret them.
You are able to retrieve evidence for your research from statistical results reported in other studies.
You are familiar with the possibilities for creating evidence for your own study through statistical analyses.

Course contents

During the module a spreadsheet software and the statistics software SPSS (or PSPP) will be used for practicing and demonstrating the various analyses. This is done through learning by doing, i.e. by performing selected operations and analyses on sample data sets using a statistics software. Focus is mainly on a literacy for reading and interpreting results and on the possibilities and limitations of statistical analyses, less on the technical use of statistics software.

Prerequisites and co-requisites

The course is intended for students who plan to
start their thesis work within 2 years.

Recommended or required reading

Textbook and video clips on itslearning

Study activities

  • Lectures - 2 hours
  • Individual- and group instruction - 9 hours
  • Internet-based studies - 43 hours

Workload

  • Total workload of the course: 54 hours
  • Of which autonomous studies: 54 hours
  • Of which scheduled studies: 0 hours

Mode of Delivery

Supported virtual education

Assessment methods

Assessment requirements

The exercices are assessed using self correcting tests, where you perform certain analyses and report the results and the conclusions you have arrived at.
To accomplish this course you need to pass the introductory (group) assignment and all the (individual) tests. See itslearning, the Tests folder

Teacher

  • Andersson Mirja
  • Ståhl Tore

Examiner

Andersson Mirja

Group size

No limit

Assignments valid until

12 months after course has ended

Assessment methods

2014-11-05 - Other assignments

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