Foundations of Statistics
& Inferential Data Analysis

Build the statistical foundation you need for Data Analytics and Research. No previous statistics knowledge is required, start from the ground up and develop the statistical thinking behind every analysis.

26Detailed Modules
7Learning Units
4Weeks
$100Course Fee
Foundations of Statistics and Inferential Data Analysis
Beginner Level No prerequisite required
This Course Builds Toward: Data Analytics Research Analytics Stata R Python SPSS Power BI Course Fee: $100

Statistics Is the Foundation of Meaningful Data Analytics and Research

You can learn how to use Excel, Power BI, Stata, R, Python or other analytical tools, but using analytical software effectively also requires an understanding of the statistics behind the results.

What does a p-value actually mean? What is the difference between standard deviation and standard error? When should you use a t-test, chi-square test or ANOVA? What does a confidence interval tell you? When should regression be used? How do you determine whether a result is statistically significant, and does statistical significance necessarily mean that a finding is important?

This 4-week beginner course is designed for participants who want to build this understanding from the ground up. It begins with the meaning of statistics and progressively develops your understanding of data, descriptive statistics, probability, sampling, statistical uncertainty, hypothesis testing, statistical tests, correlation and introductory regression.

The objective is not simply to memorize formulas. The objective is to develop the statistical thinking required for Data Analytics and Research.

Course Structure

  • Duration: 4 Weeks
  • Curriculum: 26 Modules across 7 Learning Units
  • Level: Beginner
  • Prerequisite: None
  • $100

26 Detailed Modules, Organized Into 7 Learning Units

For clarity and easier navigation, the 26 modules have been organized into 7 major learning units on this page. These units are not individual modules, each brings together several related modules taught progressively during the 4-week course. Participants receive training across the full 26-module curriculum.

Begin your statistical journey by understanding what statistics is, why it matters and how data are structured. This unit establishes the language and concepts required for everything that follows.

1
Introduction to Statistics
  • What statistics is
  • Why statistics matters in Data Analytics and Research
2
Understanding Data and Variables
  • Data, observations and variables
  • Categorical and numerical variables
  • Nominal and ordinal variables
  • Discrete and continuous variables
3
Populations, Samples and Sampling
  • Populations and samples
  • Parameters and statistics
  • Sampling variability
4
Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
  • Descriptive statistics
  • Inferential statistics

Learn how analysts summarize, describe and explore data before performing statistical inference. Participants learn not only how these statistics are calculated, but also what they tell us about the data.

5
Measures of Central Tendency
  • Mean
  • Median
  • Mode
6
Measures of Variability
  • Range
  • Variance
  • Standard deviation
7
Distributions, Normality and Outliers
  • Data distributions & the normal distribution
  • Skewness and outliers
  • Choosing appropriate descriptive statistics

Develop the concepts that connect descriptive statistics to statistical inference, and address one of the most important questions in statistics: how can information from a sample be used to learn about a larger population?

8
Introduction to Probability
  • Basic probability
  • Events and outcomes
9
Sampling Distributions and Standard Error
  • Sampling variability & sampling distributions
  • Standard error
  • Standard deviation vs standard error
10
Estimation and Confidence Intervals
  • Point estimates
  • Confidence intervals
  • Statistical precision

Learn the reasoning behind statistical hypothesis testing and how statistical evidence is evaluated. Participants learn why p < 0.05 does not automatically mean a finding is important, and p > 0.05 does not prove that there is no difference.

11
Hypothesis Testing
  • Null hypothesis
  • Alternative hypothesis
12
P-values and Statistical Significance
  • P-values
  • Significance levels
  • Statistical significance
13
Type I and Type II Errors
  • Type I & Type II error
  • False positives and false negatives
14
Statistical Power
  • Statistical power
  • Relationship between sample size and power

Learn how to select statistical methods based on the research question and the types of variables being analyzed, developing a practical decision framework for choosing the right test.

15
Independent-Samples T-test
  • What a t-test is
  • Comparing means between two independent groups
16
Chi-square Test
  • What a chi-square test is
  • Testing associations between categorical variables
17
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
  • Comparing means across three or more groups
  • F-statistic & post-hoc comparisons
18
Choosing T-test, Chi-square, ANOVA and Other Methods
  • Choosing the correct statistical test

Progress from group comparisons into relationships between variables and introductory statistical modelling, an important foundation for more advanced statistical modelling.

19
Correlation
  • Pearson correlation coefficient
  • Correlation vs causation
20
Regression
  • Linear regression & regression coefficients
  • R-squared & multiple regression
  • Logistic regression & odds ratios
21
Confounding
  • Confounding
  • Adjusted associations
22
Statistical Assumptions and Diagnostics
  • Model diagnostics & multicollinearity
  • Variance Inflation Factor (VIF)

Bring all the concepts together and learn how to interpret statistical evidence rather than simply reading software output. The course concludes with the complete statistical thinking framework: Research Question → Data → Description → Variability → Uncertainty → Inference → Interpretation → Conclusion.

23
Statistical vs Practical Significance
  • Distinguishing statistical from practical importance
24
Interpreting Statistical Results
  • Interpreting estimates, confidence intervals, p-values & odds ratios
  • Evaluating uncertainty
25
Complete Statistical Thinking Framework
  • Communicating statistical findings
  • Drawing defensible conclusions
26
Final Course Assessment
  • Comprehensive assessment across the full curriculum

By the End of This Course

  • Understand fundamental statistical terminology and identify different types of variables
  • Calculate and interpret descriptive statistics, variability and distributions
  • Understand probability, sampling variability and confidence intervals
  • Understand hypothesis testing and interpret p-values appropriately
  • Know when to use t-tests, chi-square tests and ANOVA
  • Understand correlation and introductory linear and logistic regression
  • Recognize confounding and basic statistical assumptions
  • Distinguish statistical significance from practical importance and interpret results professionally

Built for Anyone Starting Their Data Journey

Aspiring data analysts Beginner researchers Research assistants University students Postgraduate students Monitoring & Evaluation professionals Public health professionals Healthcare professionals Business analysts Financial analysts Anyone preparing to learn Stata, R, Python, SPSS or Power BI

No previous statistics knowledge is required.

Learn Why, Not Just Which Buttons to Click

Learning analytical software is important, but knowing which buttons to click or which commands to run does not automatically mean that you understand the analysis. A professional analyst should be able to answer these questions, and defend their conclusions.

Why am I using this method?

Is this method appropriate for my data?

What does the result mean?

How certain am I about the result?

Can I defend my conclusion?

This Course Provides a Strong Foundation for Progressing Into

Data Analytics

Research Analytics

Statistical Analysis

Statistical Modelling

Stata

R

Python

SPSS

Power BI

Epidemiological Analysis

Business Analytics

Monitoring and Evaluation

Begin With the Right Foundation

Do not begin by memorizing statistical commands. Begin by understanding what the statistics mean, why they are used and how they help us learn from data. Registration is now open.