| CODE | SPI5102 | ||||||
| TITLE | Planning Methods: Statistical Analysis for Planning | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Spatial Planning and Infrastructure | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will bridge statistical techniques and statistical analysis with applications related to spatial planning. The unit will be divided in three sections: 1. The first part describes different sampling techniques; how to determine the required sample size given the margin of error and describe different data collection methods. 2. In the second part, the students will familiarize with several functions of EXCEL and SPSS, including the sort cases, recode, weight cases, select cases, transform and compute options; how to generate variables and how to enter the data. The students will learn how to get appropriate statistical output and interpret correctly descriptive statistics, cross-tabs and graphical displays. This section also describe how to simulate data and use it to make predictions. 3. The third section describes and implements several parametric / non-parametric inferential tests using SPSS to compare means and assess relationships/associations between variables and explain procedures to generalize results. This section also describe how to fit and interpret statistical models to different data sets. Several examples related to spatial planning will be provided to familiarize with these statistical techniques. Study-unit Aims Research plays an important role in the formulation, development, and assessment of spatial plans and policies. For this reason, it is essential for the students to be given the opportunity, through this study-unit, to understand the essentials of statistical reasoning and to learn how the outcomes of statistical analysis are construed, utilised, and communicated. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. solve problems gathering data, analyzing and interpreting information and simultaneously apply statistics to model situations; 2. gain knowledge of how to check model assumptions, validate the model and offer a critique of a model and its results. Moreover, students will know how to use modeling techniques that are used to analyse and assess these relationships and make generalizations from these relationships. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to be familiar with the statistical facilities of EXCEL and SPSS and use these statistical packages effectively and identify appropriate statistical tests for making inferences about a population. Moreover, the students are expected to know how to conduct a study/experiment, collect data, analyze the data, derive relationship and interpret correctly the statistical outputs. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings Glenberg, A., & Andrzejewski, M. (2008). Learning From Data: An Introduction To Statistical Reasoning (Third ed.). London: Routledge Academic. Leech, N. L., Barrett, K. C., & Morgan, G. A. (2011). IBM SPSS for Intermediate Statistics: Use and Interpretation (Fourth ed.). London: Routledge Academic. Lomax, R. G. (2007). An Introduction to Statistical Concepts: A Second Course for Education and the Behavioral Sciences (Second ed.). London: Routledge Academic. Lomax, R. G., & Hahs-Vaughn, D. L. (2012). An Introduction to Statistical Concepts (Third ed.). London: Routledge Academic. Stevens, J. P. (2007). Intermediate Statistics: A Modern Approach (Third ed.). London: Routledge Academic. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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