Basic operational concepts.

In today's world there is an enormous amount of information available. There are diverse sources and many of them are accessible through the Internet. To analyze this information and draw valid conclusions we need to use specific techniques. The most widely used and successful technique are based on Statistics. In this course we will learn how to obtain information from the data with techniques that you will use both in your studies and in your professional career, because these techniques are commonly used by most companies and organizations. Today a statistical analysis is inconceivable without computer resources. Therefore the teaching of Statistics will rely heavily on computer laboratories. After completing this course, you should be able to extract information from the data and draw scientific conclusions, and to express those conclusions in a written report. Also, you can establish relationships between variables using the regression model and to interpret the model properly.

K6: Know and value the economic, temporal and human resources available for sociological research. K8: Identify the objectives of social and political analysis as well as the populations subject to social research K9: Understand and synthesize the plurality of approaches and concepts of the subdisciplines linked to sociology. S1: To know of basic humanistic contents, oral and written expression, following ethical principles and completing a multidisciplinary training profile. S2: Use information interpreting relevant data avoiding plagiarism, and in accordance with the academic and professional conventions of the area of study, being able to assess the reliability and quality of such information. S3: Identify and apply interpersonal skills on responsibility, negotiation and emotional intelligence. S5: Develop personal autonomy in the work and professional sphere in order to identify one's own learning needs. S7: Apply the knowledge acquired to identify the sociological perspective in the analysis of social, political and economic processes. S8: Know the tools and instruments of application in the field of sociological analysis in the company S9: Be able to formulate, debate and defend critical reasoning, using precise terminology of the discipline and methodologies of the discipline. S10: Be able to manage, identify, gather and interpret relevant information on the economic, political and social field of teaching and research. S11: Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, and the ability to discern the most appropriate ones to apply in the specific field of the discipline. C1: Know and be able to handle interpersonal skills on initiative, responsibility, conflict resolution, negotiation, etc., which are required in a professional environment. C2: Know and apply sampling and field work techniques for the different fields of sociological research C3: Possess skills and abilities in developing, using, and interpreting social indicators and social measurement instruments

1. Exploratory Data Analysis. 1.1. Introduction. 1.2. Types of Variables. 1.3. Univariate Data Analysis. 1.4. Bivariate Data Analysis. 2. Statistical Inference. 2.1. Introduction. 2.2. Point and Interval Estimation. 2.3. Hypothesis Testing of Means and Proportions. 2.4. ANOVA Test. 3. Relationships Between Variables. 3.1. Introduction. 3.2. Relationships Between Qualitative Variables. Chi-Square Statistic. 3.3. Relationships Between Quantitative Variables. Correlation. 4. The Simple Regression Model. 4.1. Purpose of Analysis. 4.2. Estimation and Interpretation. 4.3. Diagnosis and Goodness of Fit. 4.4. Prediction.

Theory (3 ECTS): During theoretical sessions, the contents of the course will be introduced, explained, and illustrated with examples. Teaching materials will be provided on the Internet. Practice (3 ECTS): Blackboard exercises will be solved during practical sessions. Optionally, these activities can be complemented with applications to real datasets using statistical software. It is highly recommended that group review sessions be organized in the weeks before the midterm and final exams to address questions related to those exams.