What is Statistics?

Statistics is a branch of mathematics that involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. It provides the tools that let us make sense of data, interpret results from analyses, and test hypotheses. In the context of biology, statistics is used to design and analyze experiments, draw conclusions from biological data, and communicate our results to others.

This course covers the basics of statistics with a focus on a conceptual understanding, rather than a mathematical understanding. We will cover common statistical tests used in biological studies and their interpretation.

Although understanding the math is important to fully comprehend the statistical analyses, grasping the concepts and theory is the most important first step. The math will make much more sense once you understand the concepts.

Lastly, statistics can be performed in a wide range of software and even by hand. However, this course covers statistics using the R programming language. While we do not have time to cover the basics of R, we will keep the explanations and code as straightforward as possible.