MTH4106 |
Introduction to Statistics |
Advice on lab work |
Spring 2012 |
Topics to be covered in the lab sessions
- Entering data.
- Manipulating data.
- Summarizing data.
- Plotting various types of data (some of this is not covered in
lectures).
- Using Mintab's inbuilt `Help'.
- Obtaining values of the pdf and cdf of several known probability
distributions, both continuous and discrete.
- Plotting the pdf and cdf of several known probability
distributions, both continuous and discrete.
- Comparing two distributions by plotting them on the same graph.
- Performing known statistical tests.
- Simulating random variables.
- Verifying that the simulations agree with theoretical predictions
(this requires an understanding of the theory).
- Selecting relevant portions of output and pasting them into a
report pad.
- Editing the report pad to include comments, interpretation and conclusions.
What you should do in the lab sessions
- Attend each week, in your allotted hour.
- Collect the current worksheet (labelled `Practical n') from
the front of the lab, and
work through it at one of the computer terminals.
- Bring notes of all previous practicals, because they contain
instructions about how to do certain things (e.g. open a report
pad) that you will need to do again.
- Complete practical n before starting practical n +1,
because each practical assumes knowledge from all previous ones. If
you miss a practical through illness, or for any other reason, do the
missed work in your own time. Lab helpers will not give advice on
practical n+1 if you have not completed practical n.
- Each time that you create a new column, take a quick look at the
values to make sure that they are reasonable (this ensures that you
spot mistakes quickly).
- Each time that you create a graph or data plot, look at it, make
sure that you understand it and that it shows what you expect.
- Each time that you do something that enters text or figures into
the session window, look at all of the output carefully and make sure
that you understand it all well enough to be able to explain it to
someone else.
- Each week, write your own notes on what you did in the practical
session and what you learnt from it.
- When Minitab questions are set as part of an assignment (either
practice questions or feedback questions), you must do them
individually. The tutors expect all of the solutions that they look
at to be slightly different.
- Because of the limited number of licences that Queen Mary has for
Minitab, please do not use Minitab in college on Tuesdays except for
your allotted hour in the lab.
- During the lab, you may also ask me or your tutor for help on any
assignment question, whether or not it uses Minitab.
- The previous feedback question(s) must be given to your tutor at the
start of the lab. Marked feedback questions should be collected from
your tutor or me during the lab.
Page maintained by
R. A. Bailey
r.a.bailey AT qmul.ac.uk
Page updated 4/01/12