Using real-world examples from a wide range of domains including law, medicine, and football, you’ll learn how data scientists make conclusions about unknowns based on the data available. Often, the data we have are not complete, yet we’d still like to draw inferences about the world and quantify the uncertainty in our conclusions. This is called statistical inference. In this course, you will learn the framework for statistical inference and apply them to real-world data sets. Notably, you will learn how to conduct hypothesis testing—comparing theoretical predictions to actual data, and choosing whether to accept those predictions. You will utilize the power of computation to conduct simulations by which you can evaluate theories or hypotheses about how the world works. This course will teach you the power of statistical inference: given a random sample, how do we predict some quantity that we cannot observe directly? You will also learn how to by quantifying the uncertainty in the conclusions you draw from hypothesis testing. This helps assess whether patterns that appear to be present in the data actually represent a true relationship in the world, or whether they might merely reflect random fluctuations due to chance. Throughout this course, we will go over multiple methods for estimation and hypothesis testing, based on simulations and the bootstrap method. Finally, you will learn about randomized controlled experiments and how to draw conclusions about causality. The course emphasizes the conceptual basis of inference, the logic of the decision-making process, and the sound interpretation of results.
An excellent online course offered by edX: how it works
edX courses consist of weekly learning sequences. Each learning sequence is composed of short videos interspersed with interactive learning exercises, where students can immediately practise the concepts from the videos. The courses often include tutorial videos that are similar to small on-campus discussion groups, an online textbook, and an online discussion forum where students can post and review questions and comments to each other and teaching assistants. Where applicable, online laboratories are incorporated into the course.
edX offers certificates of successful completion and some courses are credit-eligible. Whether or not a college or university offers credit for an online course is within the sole discretion of the school. edX offers a variety of ways to take courses, including verified courses where students have the option to audit the course (no cost) or to work toward an edX Verified Certificate (fees vary by course). edX also offers XSeries Certificates for completion of a bundled set of two to seven verified courses in a single subject (cost varies depending on the courses).
An edX learning programme under Other Experiences
