Statistics

Introductory Statistics Honors Course

  • Dr. Nancy Pfenning teaches has been teaching Honors Applied Statistical Methods for 8 years which is designed to develop students' critical thinking skills and awareness of how statistical methods are applied in a variety of disciplines.
  • Students investigate applications of statistics in their own areas of personal interest and give 15 minute talks on journal articles which reference statistical methods learned in class.
  • In this seminar style course, students must embrace that they are not only responsible for their own learning, but also responsible for the learning of the rest of the group.

​Honors Statistics in Journalism

  • Dr. Nancy Pfenning co-taught this course with Cindy Skrzycki​ from the English department.
  • The course focuses on helping students understand the weaknesses and inaccuracies that can occur when journalists present statistical results, and statistics is used and misused in science-based news.
  • In the first part of the course, students critique popular news articles in major publications to develop an understanding of the shortcomings of shallow reporting. In the second part, students write a news article based on recently published research.
  • For more information, see Just the Facts?, an article about this course published in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
  • Also, more information about the course, search STAT 1000.