03383 - Social Statistics

Learning outcomes

The course deals with basic topics concerning the methodology and technics of socio-political empirical research.

Students will acquire knowledge and skills useful for the comprehension of the main data collection designs, the critical evaluation of data displayed in socio-political empirical research, as well as the skills needed for producing basic (univariate, bivariate and multivariate) statistical analyses.

Course contents

The course is organized with a part of lectures taught online on MS TEAMS (30 hours) and another taught in presence (30 hours). The number of students allowed in class is determined on the basis of class capacity and by the health and safety provisions that deal with the pandemic emergency. In case more students want to attend classes in presence than permitted by the rules, a system of shifts will be organized so to allow students to participate. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.

Types of property and types of variables.

Structure of the data Matrix.

Official Statistics

Basic concepts and main techniques of monovariate descriptive statistics (mode, median, mean, quantiles; eterogeneity and variability measures),

Frequencies, graphic representations.

Statistical data sources.

Data transformation (standardization, index).

Historical and territorial series.

Basic concepts and main techniques of bivariate descriptive statistics: relation between variables (statistical dependence, anova, covariance, correlation).

Introduction to multivariate statistics.

Sampling techniques and issues.

Basics of inferential statistics.

Sampling designs and probability distributions. Hypothesis testing.

Readings/Bibliography

P. Corbetta, G. Gasperoni, M. Pisati, Statistica per la ricerca sociale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2001 (chaps. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10).

E. Giovannini, Scegliere il futuro. Conoscenza e politica al tempo dei Big Data, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2014.

Slides.

As regards permutations, combinations and probability theory, as well as inferential statistics, students can consult a number of specialised texts, material that can be freely accessed on-line and slides used in class (which can be downloaded from the Unibo AMS Campus - AlmaDL website).

Teaching methods

Face-to-face lessons and periodic exercises.

Assessment methods

The exam is administered in exclusively written form.

The students who attend the course can participate in a procedure of evaluation during the course period. It consists in two tests based on exercises and multiple-choice questions.

The only valid mark is the one achieved in the most recent attempt to pass the exam.

A candidate who doesn't participate in an exam for which he/she has registered cannot participate in the following exam session.

Teaching tools

Face-to-face lessons, periodic exercises, slides

Office hours

See the website of Valerio Vanelli