Student Training Summer Institute: Biostatistics Workshop 2007

Instructors:

  • Manisha Desai Manisha's Columbia web page
  • Ying Wei Ying's Columbia web page
  • Judy Jacobson Judy's Columbia web page

    • Course Objectives:

    This workshop is designed to introduce students to fundamental biostatistical methods that are necessary for doing scientific research. Application of these methods in SPSS will be demonstrated using an interactive and hands-on approach: In this course, we will cover the following topics:

  • Tools for basic descriptive analysis
  • Comparing means between two groups
  • Comparing proportions between two groups
  • Introduction to correlation and linear regression
  • Introduction to logistic regression

    • Meeting Times:

    This course consists of five lectures given on the following dates and times:

  • Lecture 1: Wednesday June 20th, 10:30-12:30
  • Lecture 2: Wednesday June 27th, 10:30-12:30
  • Lecture 3: Wednesday July 18th, 10:30-12:30
  • Lecture 4: Wednesday July 25th, 10:30-12:30
  • Lecture 5: Wednesday August 1st, 10:30-12:30

    • Location:

    The lectures will be delivered in the Biostatistics Computing Lab in the Allan Rosenfield Building, located at 722 West 168th Street on the 6th floor.

    Directions from LIU: Take the A train or 1 train uptown to 168th street. Exit the subway station, and walk west on 168th street, cross over Fort Washington Street. The Allan Rosenfield Building is 722 West 168th Street. When you enter the building, you will be in the lobby. The lobby is the 10th floor of the building. Take the elevators DOWN to the 6th floor. You will then be in the Biostatistics Department. Make a left after exiting the elevators and the Biostatistics Computing Lab will be on the right hand side toward the end of the corridor.


    Recommended Textbook for Course:

    Statistics 3rd Edition by Freedman, Pisani and Purves (1998). W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

    The following are specific sections of the text that will be covered in the course:

  • Lecture 1: Chapter 3/Sections 1-5; Chapter 4/Sections 1-3; Chapter 5; Chapter 7
  • Lecture 2: Chapter 26
  • Lecture 3: Chapter 28
  • Lecture 4: Chapters 8-10

    • Lectures Notes To Print Out Before Lectures:

  • Lecture 1
  • Lecture 2

    • Homework 1 (to be discussed at Lecture 2):

  • Chapter 2, Exercise Set A/6,7,9
  • Chapter 2, Review Exercises/9
  • Chapter 3, Exercise Set D/1
  • Chapter 3, Review Exercises/1,4
  • Chapter 4, Exercise Set A/3, 4
  • Chapter 4, Exercise Set B/1, 2
  • Read p.72 Example 2 for details on computing the standard deviation (SD). Then do: Exercise Set E/1,4
  • Read in the Low Birth Weight Data Set into SPSS. This is a data set containing the weights of 20 infants. Use SPSS to find the mean, median, and SD of these birthweights. Are the mean and median close in value? How many of the birthweights are within 1 SD? How many are within 2? How many are within 3? Draw a histogram and box-plots of the low birthweight distribution. How would you describe the shape of the distribution?

    • Homework 2 (to be discussed at Lecture 3):

  • Homework 2

    • Data sets to download and bring to class (if possible):

  • Hypothetical Example
  • GPA Example
  • Low Birth Weight Data Set for Homework 1
  • Blood Pressure Data Set for Homework 2
  • Parental Involvement Data Set for Homework 2