Biostatistics Notes

This page includes notes for an introductory biostatistics class taught for public health students at San Francisco State University. Please note that the class notes on this page are under construction.
The goal in this class is to learn the fundamental concepts of statistics which are useful in the field of public health, using computer simulation, which is used extensively to illustrate the fundamental probabilistic basis of statistical inference. The topics covered are fundamental probability theory, the T-test, the Chi-square test, One way analysis of variance, Correlation, Regression, and optional topics.

Final Examination

The final examination has been posted.

Administrative Details

San Francisco State University, Fall 2001
Instructor: Travis C. Porco, Ph.D., M.P.H.tcporco@mathepi.com
Class Time: Wednesday, 7:00 PM to 9:45 PM
Class Location: Thornton Hall, Room 425.
Instructor Office Hours: Science, Rm. 392, Wednesdays 5 PM to 6:50 PM.

Required Course Reading

Innumeracy, by John Allen Paulos. Vintage Books, 1988.
Probability without Tears, by Derek Rowntree.
Primer of Biostatistics, by Stanton Glantz.
Seeing through Statistics, by Sheila Utts.

Grading

3/7: homework, due at the beginning of each class.
2/7: final exam
1/7: project
1/7: quizzes

Optional Readings

How to Lie with Statistics, by Huff. Amusing look at techniques for clear and effective communication and presentation of statistical information.
The Cartoon Guide to Statistics, by Gonick and Smith. Don't laugh - this book contains serious and useful content.
How we Know what isn't So. The Fallibility of Reason in Everyday Life, by Thomas Gilovich.
Statistics as Principled Argument, by Robert Abelson.
Statistics, by Freedman, Pasani, and Purves. Elegant and clear; a classic introduction to statistics.
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by Edward Tufte. This book shows you how to communicate quantitative information using visual methods. Beautiful; authoritative.

Course Outline

Proceed to the course outline.

Thanks to Carol Langhauser, Tomas Aragon, Jack Berry, Jeff Grand and Mary Beth Love for valuable suggestions. Mathematical symbols courtesy of pls@astro.umd.edu.