Introduction to Statistical Reasoning

Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour; computer laboratory, two hours. Preparation: three years of high school mathematics. Not open for credit to students with credit for course 12, 13, or 15. Introduction to statistical thinking and understanding, including strengths and limitations of basic experimental designs, graphical and numerical summaries of data, inference, regression as descriptive tool. P/NP or letter grading.

Review Summary

Clarity
8.3 / 10
Organization
8.3 / 10
Time
0-5 hrs/week
Overall
8.3 / 10

Reviews

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A+

    The class was very simple and easy to understand. TAs were very helpful with labs and provided lots of support. I spent a limited amount of time reviewing content and still had a good understanding. Overall recommend this class.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A

    This class was good. Labs were difficult although TAs were very helpful. Quizzes and exams were short and easy and the textbook was a great help. I would recommend this class.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A+

    The concepts were a bit challenging at times, but Professor Zes's grading system made it easy to get an A. The quizzes were best out of three chances and the midterm and final were very similar to the quizzes.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2023 In-Person
    Grade: A

    For me, this class was so easy that I actually sort of regret taking it with Professor Zes. He's one of the most charismatic and eloquent lecturers in the stats department, but he also made the course way too easy. Homework was simple, exams were plugging-and-chugging exercises, and all I really learned was how to mindlessly use equations to get numbers whose interpretation I didn't understand. I retained almost none of the conceptual stuff, which turned out to bite me in the foot later on when I was lost in upper-division stats courses. Take it for a free GE, and if you actually need to learn statistics, make sure to engage with the material so you don't end up like me.

Course

Instructor
Dave Zes
Previously taught
23S 22S 21S 20S 20W

Grading Information

  • No group projects

  • Attendance not required

  • 2 midterms

  • Finals week final

  • 50% recommend the textbook