Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
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Description A thorough understanding of statistical methods is a minimum requirement for practitioners and consumers of modern political and policy research. In this course you learn the basics of statistical analysis; it assumes no prior knowledge of statistics. The aim of this class is not just to learn statistics, but to learn how to reason through problems using available data, how not be fooled by data, and how to use your statistical skills to frame arguments and research. In order to learn these skills we will spend a lot of time \getting hands dirty" with actual data sets, learning by doing. The important thing to remember is that we will use and rely on various formulas and techniques, but they should always aid our own reasoning about the problem, rather than replace it. The topics covered, summarised below, go step by step from describing simple and more complex data, to simple analysis of univariate information and contingency tables, to the types and requirements of statistical inference, and nally to linear statistical models. Students should be able to understand how to think through problems using data, and how to communicate their research both to the professional scholars and to an audience that may not be familiar with statistical jargon. Students are expected to understand and interpret the results of the quantitative studies published in the international relations literature. They will be able to use the most common statistical methods in their own research, to incorporate their statistical knowledge into a persuasive and truthful argument. Crucially, they should be able to build upon and extend on techniques learnt in this class. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. to be added 2. Students should be able to understand how to think through problems using data, and how to communicate their research both to the professional scholars and to an audience that may not be familiar with statistical jargon. Students are expected to understand and interpret the results of the quantitative studies published in the international relations literature. They will be able to use the most common statistical methods in their own research, to incorporate their statistical knowledge into a persuasive and truthful argument. Crucially, they should be able to build upon and extend on techniques learnt in this class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
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Indicative Reading List Books: None Articles: None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Other Resources None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||