LibGuides: MTH-2010 v1: Week 1 Resources

Week 1 Resources

Review the resources listed below to prepare for this week's assignment. Before reviewing these resources, read through the assignment instructions so you know what you will be expected to do with this material.

As you work through the resources this week, focus on these questions:

How do statistics help us understand the quantitative nature of reality?
What does “statistically literate” mean to you and why is it important to be “statistically literate”?
What is the difference between inferential statistics and descriptive statistics?
How do we distinguish between categorical data and quantitative data?
In what ways does information overload require that we use graphs and other visuals to display numbers?
In the TedEx video, what does the speaker mean when he says, ‘Let the dataset change your mindset’?

Textbook Reading (Straightforward Statistics : Understanding the Tools of Research)

Straightforward Statistics: Chapter 1 - Why Do I Need to Learn Statistics? by Glenn Geher; Sara Hall
ISBN: 9780199751761
Publication Date: 2014-05-01
Geher, G., & Hall, S. (2014). Straightforward Statistics: Understanding the tools of research. (Chapter 1) Retrieved from: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/nu/detail.action?docID=1692209
- Reading this chapter will help you better understand the value of statistics and this course.
Straightforward Statistics: Chapter 2 - Describing a Single Variable by Glenn Geher; Sara Hall
ISBN: 9780199751761
Publication Date: 2014-05-01
Geher, G., & Hall, S. (2014). Straightforward Statistics: Understanding the tools of research. (Chapter 2) Retrieved from: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/nu/detail.action?docID=1692209
- Reading this chapter will help you understand different kinds of variables and how to explain them. Additionally, this chapter lays down the foundation for central tendency and variability.

Additional Resources

Introduction to Statistics (video) 4:49 minutes
Simple Learning Pro (Director). (2015, October 16). Introduction to Statistics (1.1) Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/MXaJ7sa7q-8
- Watching this video will provide you with a brief overview of statistics and common vocabulary used in the field of statistics. There is a focus on the difference between inferential and descriptive statistics.
The Beauty of Data Visualization (video) 18:17 minutes
Ted Ex (Director). (2012, Nov 23). The beauty of data visualization. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/5Zg-C8AAIGg
- Watching this video will help you understand the importance of good design with navigating information glut. The speaker turns complex data sets, like worldwide military spending, media buzz, and Facebook status updates, into simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections.