Swinburne University of Technology - Melbourne Australia
Future Students - Courses
Duration
Contact Hours
Campus
Prerequisite
Corequisite
One semester /study period/teaching period
Nil
Online
Admission to a postgraduate Applied Statistics Program.
Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points
A unit of study in the Graduate Certificate of Science (Applied Statistics), Graduate Diploma of Science (Applied Statistics) and Master of Science (Applied Statistics).
This unit of study aims to identify and understand some of the methodologies used in survey research. It includes an overview of the procedures used in survey research, a descriptive approach to methods including questionnaire design, both sample and census data collection methods, and an introduction to survey sampling. Basic techniques used to analyse and present survey data, such as construction of scales and graphing procedures and the analysis of secondary data, are covered in this unit of study. The unit also covers observational and experimental data collection, incidence and prevalence statistics, standardisation and the different types of study designs commonly used in health statistics and elsewhere. Case studies will be drawn from areas such as sociology, marketresearch, psychology, medical sciences and other areas as appropriate.
Online delivery Voluntary weekend workshops at the Hawthorn Campus
Online quizzes -10%, Assignment 1 - 25%, Assignment 2 - 25%, Examination - 40%
This unit of study will contribute to helping students achieve some of the attributes expected of Swinburne graduates. The graduate attributes which relate to this unit of study help to produce students who:* Are capable in their chosen professional areas: Students will attain mathematical and statistical knowledge and skills that will support their professional work. This will include abilities in critical enquiry, an awareness of the relationship between statistical theory and practice and an appreciation of the limitations of statistical models.* Are adaptable and manage change: Problem-solving and research skills are parts of statistical abilities and enable students to investigate problems and issues of their own devising as well as those covered in this unit.
An overview of the steps in designing a social survey includes survey planning and preparing a survey proposal. Procedures used in survey research include question and questionnaire design and survey data collection techniques (mail surveys, telephone, face-to-face interviews and on-line data collection methods). An introduction to sampling includes introductions to probability and nonprobabilitymethods of sampling and associated issues. Other topics include data editing, coding, and quality control of survey data in preparation for processing and analysis, analysing secondary data,qualitative data analysis and an introduction to scale construction. Examples are to be drawn from areas such as sociology, market research, psychology, medical sciences and other areas as appropriate.Specific topics to be covered in this unit include:* Introduction to survey research.* Basics of survey sampling* Developing a questionnaire* Methods of data collection* Coding and cleaning survey data.* Introduction to scale development * Basic concepts of experimental designs * Common designs* Introduction to methods used in health statistics and elsewhere* Incidence and prevalence statistics* Standardization of rates* Randomized trials and Cohort studies* Case-control studies
Module 1 Prescribed Material:Filonenko, I. (2012). Research Design: Module 1 course notes will be made available on Blackboard (weekly). Other Resources and Optional Material: Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods (4th ed.). Oxford University Press (available at Swinburne Library, Swinburne Bookshop and students may buy this book - optional). De Vaus, D.A. (2002). Surveys in Social Research (5th ed.). Sydney: Allen & Unwin (available at Swinburne Bookshop, Swinburne Library and as online recourse through Swinburne Library. Module 2 Prescribed Material: Bhowmik, J. (2012). Research Design: Module 2 course notes will bemade available on Blackboard (weekly). Other Resources and Optional Material: Gordis, L. (2009). Epidemiology, 4th Edition, Elsevier/Saunders(available at Swinburne Bookshop and students may buy this book - optional). Montgomery, D.C. (2009). Design and Analysis of Experiments, 7thEdition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (optional book - can be borrowed from Swinburne library). Dawson, B. and Trapp, R.G. (2001). Basic and Clinical Biostatistics, 3rdEdition (international edition), Lange Medical Book/McGraw-Hill. Pagano, M. and Gauvreau, K. (1993). Principles of Biostatistics, Duxbury Press, USA. Clayton, D. and Hills, M. (1993). Statistical Models in Epidemiology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
