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Probability and Statistics

To p or not to p?

We live in an uncertain and complex world, yet we continually have to make decisions in the present with uncertain future outcomes. Indeed, we should be on the look-out for "black swans" - low-probability high-impact events.

To study, or not to study? To invest, or not to invest? To marry, or not to marry?

While uncertainty makes decision-making difficult, it does at least make life exciting! If the entire future was known in advance, there would never be an element of surprise. Whether a good future or a bad future, it would be a known future.

To study, or not to study? To invest, or not to invest? To marry, or not to marry?

In this course we consider many useful tools to deal with uncertainty and help us to make informed (and hence better) decisions - essential skills for a lifetime of good decision-making.

Key topics include quantifying uncertainty with probability, descriptive statistics, point and interval estimation of means and proportions, the basics of hypothesis testing, and a selection of multivariate applications of key terms and concepts seen throughout the course.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Dealing with Uncertainty and Complexity in a Chaotic World

Quantifying Uncertainty With Probability

Describing The World The Statistical Way

On Your Marks, Get Set, Infer!

To p Or Not To p?

Applications

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Particularly useful for those working with data

Provides essential decision-making skills for life

Equips learners to understand and navigate uncertainty

Provides a statistical foundation for making informed decisions

Delves into probability, a fundamental concept in data analysis

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Reviews summary

Introductory statistics

Learners say this is an engaging introduction to statistics, led by a passionate instructor named Dr. James Abdey. It's well-received for its engaging assignments, clear examples, and practical applications. The course covers foundational concepts in probability and statistics, including hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and regression analysis. Reviewers appreciate the real-world examples and intuitive explanations, which help make the material accessible and relevant. While the course is introductory and doesn't go into advanced mathematical details, it's a great starting point for those new to statistics or looking to refresh their knowledge.

The course is designed for beginners or those who need a refresher in statistics and doesn't delve into advanced mathematical proofs.

"This course is a great introduction to Statistics and Probability, I very much enjoyed taking this course"

"Excellent beginning to probability & statistics."

"Great course to understand the practical nature of probability and statistics."

Dr. Abdey's teaching style is energetic and engaging, making the material more enjoyable and easier to understand.

"Dr James Abdey is great!"

"Dr Abdey is an absolute pleasure to listen to!"

"Dr. Abdey mingled great logical sense and humour into this introductory course."

The course provides numerous real-world examples that illustrate how statistics are used in practice.

"Excellent course with a diversity of examples to aid in understanding."

"The explaination on first 5 chapter is great and enough for newbie or intermediate person who wants to learn data science (probability and statistics)."

"The course is great for introduction to Probability and Statistics. The instructor gives great explanation on basic theory with simple real world problem without touching too much detail with the formula."

Concepts are broken down into simple terms and explained in a way that makes sense, even for beginners.

"Excellent introductory course for probability and Statistics, Dr. Abdey made the course very lively with his approach of teaching."

"James Abdey is an excellent lecturer. He explains clearly while using a lot of examples from real life applications."

"I really enjoyed Dr James' lecture. Although it is distance learning but I feel connected and engaged to the lecturer."

The course includes peer-graded assignments, which provide an opportunity to get feedback on your work from other students.

"I found the lecture notes skipped some explanatory steps at times."

"I think the course does provide a broad overview of statistics, which helped me get my feet wet."

"It’s poorly done. The transcript of each video does not match the video."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p? with these activities:

Review notes and materials from previous statistics courses

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Reinforce understanding of statistical concepts and techniques.

Browse courses on Statistics

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Gather notes and materials from previous statistics courses.
Review key concepts and formulas.
Identify areas that need further attention.

Read 'Probability' by E.T. Jaynes

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Build a strong foundation for understanding probability and its applications in decision-making.

View Probability Theory: The Logic of Science on Amazon

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Read the book thoroughly.
Take notes and highlight key concepts.
Complete the exercises and problems at the end of each chapter.

Review Probability and Statistics

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Improve retention of key concepts covered in the course by reviewing basic knowledge before the start of the course.

Browse courses on Probability

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Review your notes or textbooks from previous statistics or probability courses.
Complete practice problems or quizzes to test your understanding.
Watch online tutorials or videos on the basics of probability and statistics.

Six other activities

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Engage in discussions on Coursera forums

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Connect with peers, share insights, and clarify concepts related to the course material.

Browse courses on Probability

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Create an account on Coursera.
Enroll in the 'Uncertainty and Decision-Making' course.
Participate in forum discussions.

Solve probability problems from Khan Academy

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Enhance problem-solving skills in probability and develop a deeper understanding of its concepts.

Browse courses on Probability

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Create an account on Khan Academy.
Select the 'Probability' section.
Practice solving problems from the exercises.

Watch tutorials on statistical inference from MIT OpenCourseWare

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Expand knowledge of statistical inference and its applications in decision-making.

Browse courses on Statistics

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Visit the MIT OpenCourseWare website.
Select the 'Statistics' section.
Watch the 'Statistical Inference' video lectures.

Develop a data visualization to illustrate the concepts of uncertainty

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Apply knowledge of probability to create a visual representation of uncertain scenarios.

Browse courses on Probability

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Gather data on a topic related to uncertainty.
Choose a data visualization tool.
Create a visualization that effectively conveys the concepts of uncertainty.

Compile a collection of resources on decision-making under uncertainty

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Gather and organize valuable resources to enhance understanding and decision-making skills.

Browse courses on Decision-Making

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Search for articles, books, and websites on decision-making under uncertainty.
Select the most relevant and insightful resources.
Organize the resources in a logical and accessible manner.

Contribute to the 'uncertainty-quantification' repository on GitHub

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Gain practical experience in uncertainty quantification and contribute to the open-source community.

Browse courses on Probability

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Create a GitHub account.
Fork the 'uncertainty-quantification' repository.
Make changes and submit a pull request.

Career center

Learners who complete Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p? will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Statistician

Statisticians use statistical analysis to solve problems in a wide variety of fields. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Statisticians to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze data. The course can also teach Statisticians how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in data. This information can then be used to solve problems in fields such as medicine, business, and social science.

See salaries and explore the career path for Statistician

Operations Research Analyst

Operations Research Analysts use statistical analysis to improve the efficiency of business operations. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Operations Research Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze operational data. The course can also teach Operations Research Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in operational data. This information can then be used to develop recommendations for businesses on how to improve their operations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Research Analyst

Data Analyst

Data Analysts use data to solve business problems. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Data Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze data. The course can also teach Data Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in data. This information can then be used to develop recommendations for businesses on how to improve their operations, marketing, and other areas.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts use statistical analysis to make investment decisions. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Financial Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze financial data. The course can also teach Financial Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in financial data. This information can then be used to develop recommendations for investors on how to invest their money.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Risk Analyst

Risk Analysts use statistical analysis to identify and assess risks. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Risk Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze data on risks. The course can also teach Risk Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in risk data. This information can then be used to develop risk management plans for businesses and other organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Analyst

Quantitative Analyst

The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Quantitative Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze large and complex datasets. The course can also teach Quantitative Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in data. This information can then be used to develop quantitative models that can be used to make predictions and investment decisions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quantitative Analyst

Market Researcher

Market Researchers use statistical analysis to understand consumer behavior. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Market Researchers to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze consumer data. The course can also teach Market Researchers how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in consumer data. This information can then be used to develop recommendations for businesses on how to improve their products and marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Analyst

An Analyst can use the skills learned in the course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* to help businesses and other organizations make informed decisions. The course can teach an Analyst how to use statistical analysis to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in data. This information can then be used to develop recommendations for businesses on how to improve their operations, marketing, and other areas. The course can also help Analysts to understand and communicate statistical information to non-technical audiences, which is an important skill for Analysts in any industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Analyst

Equity Research Analyst

The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Equity Research Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze financial data. The course can also teach Equity Research Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in financial data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Equity Research Analyst

Survey Researcher

Survey Researchers use statistical analysis to collect and analyze data from surveys. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Survey Researchers to develop the skills they need to design surveys, collect data, and analyze survey results. The course can also teach Survey Researchers how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in survey data. This information can then be used to understand public opinion, consumer behavior, and other important topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Survey Researcher

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use statistical analysis to solve business problems. The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Data Scientists to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze data. The course can also teach Data Scientists how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in data. This information can then be used to develop recommendations for businesses on how to improve their operations, marketing, and other areas.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Investment Analyst

The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Investment Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze financial data. The course can also teach Investment Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in financial data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Investment Analyst

Insurance Analyst

The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Insurance Analysts to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze insurance data. The course can also teach Insurance Analysts how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in insurance data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Insurance Analyst

Hedge Fund Manager

The course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* can help Hedge Fund Managers to develop the skills they need to collect, clean, and analyze financial data. The course can also teach Hedge Fund Managers how to use statistical techniques to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in financial data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hedge Fund Manager

Teacher

Teachers can use the skills learned in the course *Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?* to help students learn about statistics. The course can teach Teachers how to present statistical concepts in a clear and engaging way. The course can also help Teachers to develop lesson plans and activities that help students to understand and apply statistical concepts.

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Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?.

Bayesian Data Analysis, Third Edition

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Comprehensive reference on Bayesian data analysis, covering both theoretical foundations and practical applications. It is highly recommended for learners who want to gain a thorough understanding of Bayesian methods.

Probability and Statistics

To p or not to p?

What's inside

Syllabus

Good to know

Save this course

Reviews summary

Introductory statistics

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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