P6104: Introduction to Biostatistical Methods
Instructor:
Office:
e-mail:
Phone:
Hours:
Michael Parides, Ph.D.
PH 18-325
parides@columbia.edu
305-2097 (62097)
Wednesdays 11:00-12:00 and by appointment
TA:
To be announnced
Meetings:
Mondays and Wednesdays 5:30-8:00
Lecture: 5:30-7:00
Discussion: 7:05-8:00
Location:
Lecture: HSC 401
Discussion: To be announced
Autumn 2001
Pre-requisites: Satisfactory score on the placement exam.
Course Description: This course provides a thorough introduction to statistical
estimation and hypothesis testing. The emphasis is on concepts and problem solving and
not on the underlying mathematical theory.
Text: The required text is Fundamentals of Biostatistics, Fifth edition(2000), Duxbury
Press by Bernard Rosner. I recommend that you also purchase the accompanying study
guide.
Computers: Some of the assignments, especially in the latter part of the course, will
require the use of some statistical software package. I will introduce you to Stata, a
simple but powerful statistical analysis package available on PCs in the Learning Center
and Media Center of the Health Sciences campus.
Course Requirements:
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Class attendance: I expect you regularly attend class meetings. If you must be gone
from class for some reason, you are still responsible for all that is done in that
meeting.
Homework: Homework will be assigned every week or two and graded. I encourage
you to work with one or more of your classmates on these assignments, but be sure
that the paper you turn in is your own composition and reflects your own
understanding. Late assignments will not be expected. If you must be absent from
class it is your responsibility either to hand in your assignment early or have someone
bring it to class for you. If an unexpected emergency arises, please tell me about it in
writing or by e-mail as soon as possible.
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Exams: We will have three exams on dates to be determined. There will be no makeups for missed exams. If you have special needs please let me know about them in
writing by the end of the second week of class.
Grading: Grades will be based on homework (10%) and exams (30% each).
Course Outline: (tentative)
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Introduction; summarizing data
Introduction to probability
Discrete probability distributions
Continuous probability distributions
Statistical Inference: Estimation
Statistical Inference: Hypothesis Testing
Analysis of categorical data
Regression analysis
Analysis of variance
Survival Analysis
Chapters 1-2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapters 7-8
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 14 (14.8-14.11)