BIOS03 Experimental Design 7,5 ECTS credits
Course description
All activities based on scientific understanding require knowledge about analysing and handling information, data, and uncertainty. After successfully finishing this course you will be able to formulate hypotheses based on a scientific problem, design experiments to test the hypotheses, and analyse and interpret the experimental results. By focusing on practical applications rather than the underlying statistical theories we introduce basic statistical concepts and methods in a way that is easily understood. Due to the extensive use of computer simulations you will soon acquire the basic skills needed to plan, carry out, and evaluate scientific experiments.
Teaching and examination
Basic concepts and theories are introduced during the first week of lectures. After the introductory week there are weekly projects aiming at giving you the skills and knowledge within the frames of the course contents and goals. The course teachers will introduce the projects and will also be available for supervision. If needed, difficulties will be discussed during seminars. By the end of each week a written report will be produced which, together with the written exam, form the basis of the grades. The projects are based on simulated data and the SPSS software is used for statistical analyses
For later…
This course may well be combined with Philosophy of Science; the courses are complementary and provide important knowledge of relevance for the evaluation of information and decision making. To be able to formulate hypotheses based on a scientific problem, design experiments to test the hypotheses, and analyse and interpret the experimental results are fundamental skills needed in science as well as other analytical professions.
Last modified 23 Nov 2009
Lotta Persmark
Student Advisor
Department of Undergraduate Studies in Biology
Phone:
+46 46-2223728
E-mail:
Lotta.Persmark@biol.lu.se
Niclas Jonzén
Theoretical ecology
Phone:
+46 46-2224828
E-mail:
Niclas.Jonzen@teorekol.lu.se
Per-Erik Isberg
Department of Statistics
Phone:
+46 46-2228908
E-mail:
Per-Erik.Isberg@stat.lu.se
Course literature
- Gotelli & Ellison - A Primer of Ecological Statistics (2004) Sinauer Associates Inc, US, ISBN: 0878932690
The course will be given during the first part of the autumn semester.