Statistics

The teaching main aim is to ensure that students acquire an appropriate knowledge and degree of understanding of the suitable tools to synthetically describe one or more variables of interest that are found in the most varied fields (economic, sociological, political, administrative, historical, legal, etc.). This description can be made by aggregating the observed data in tables, giving an adequate graphical representation, constructing appropriate position and variability indices, identifying the most suitable measures that highlight the relationships. When the survey is not total but partial, in addition to statistical description, statistical induction is also needed; in this case the knowledge of the variables is not in "certain" terms but only "probable" and has the purpose of providing indications on the entire reference community. The basic arguments of Probability and Statistical Inference are therefore provided. Knowledge and understanding of these tools require a strong application capacity.

At the end of the teaching the students will know the basic concepts of Descriptive and Inferential Statistics and they will be able to apply them in different contexts. They must have developed a marked independence of judgment, acquired in the appropriate choice of the most suitable techniques for solving the proposed problems, and they will have refined their communication skills, through the presentation of the methodologies and logical paths used in solving the questions. Finally, they must have acquired a more and more refined ability to learn, developed in the analysis of new situations with a high degree of autonomy.