Module 23856 (2013)

Module Description - Evaluation Methods and Statistics

The Module Description is a strict subset of the Syllabus Page, which gives more information

Module TitleEvaluation Methods and Statistics
SchoolComputer Science
Module Code06-23856
DescriptorCOMP/06-23856/LM
Member of StaffAndrew Howes
LevelM
Credits10
Semester1
Pre-requisitesNone
Co-requisitesNone
RestrictionsNone
Contact hours33
Delivery1 hr lecture, 2hr tutorial/practical a week
DescriptionThe aim of the module is to provide an introduction to the use of experimental design and statistics for the purpose of investigating human behaviour. The module is targeted at computer scientists with an interest in (i) understanding empirical studies concerning human behaviour, including studies of cognitive, social, and economic behaviour, and (ii) designing and conducting empirical research into the interaction between people and computers. The module may be of interest to computer scientists who look to an understanding of human behaviour to help constrain the development of computational systems, including novel forms of social media, information visualisation, information retrieval system, decision support system, robotics, and dynamic control systems. The module focuses on the implications of methodology and statistics (through lectures) and the practical implementation of research methodologies on real world datasets. Students will learn about how to design experiments, how to analyse data (using a statistical programming language or package), and how to write evidence-based reports.
Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:Assessed by:
Identify and discuss research methodologies for investigating human behaviour Examination, Continuous Assessment
Recognise the appropriateness of statistical techniques in data analysis Examination, Continuous Assessment
Conduct and report a variety of statistical tests using appropriate software Examination, Continuous Assessment
Interpret research findings from a variety of statistical techniques to a high level Examination, Continuous Assessment
Discuss issues related to conducting research on human participants (sampling, recruitment, ethics etc) Examination, Continuous Assessment
AssessmentSessional: 1.5hr examination (70%), continuous assessment (30%)
Supplementary (where allowed): examination only (100%)
The continuous assessment is based on three practical reports (in the format of scientific papers- 10% each) based around 3 datasets used in the course.
Texts Howell, David C. , Statistical Methods for Psychology , 2006
Crawley, Michael J. , Statistics in R: An introduction using R , 2005
Field, A. , Discovering Statistics using SPSS; Third Edition , 2009