Course: Practical Data Analysis

Prof. Jacques Savoy
University of Neuchatel
Computer Science Department

Main objective

The main objective of this course is to introduce the students to the various graphical and numerical tools and techniques that can be used to

to find (to see) relationships between variables
to detect outliers
to know how to present statistics with an appropriate presentation / interpretation of the results.

Or in other words, this course will introduce the R (or S) language that "forever altered how people analyze, visualize, and manipulate data" J. Chambers

Practical exercises will complete the theoretical presentation.

Description

Introduction to R; Descriptive Statistics (tables, graphs, numerical measures); Normal Law and related topics (Binomial distribution, Student's t distribution); Analysis of data assessment (Q-Q plot, goodness-of-fit); Estimation and confident intervals; Statistical tests (means, ANOVA); Linear Regression (simple and multiple); Principal component analysis.

The final mark is based on both a final written exam and the results of the practical exercices.

References

J. Maindonald, J. Braum: Data Analysis and Graphics Using R. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
M. J. Crawley: The R Book. John Wiley & Sons, 2007.
P. Murrell: R Graphics. Chapman & Hall, 2006.
W.N. Venables, B.D. Ripley: Modern Applied Statistics with S-PLUS. Springer, 1999.
A. Krause, M. Olson: The Basics of S-Plus. Springer, 4td ed., 2005.

S. Siegel: Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. McGraw-Hill.
L. G. Grimm: Statistical Applications for the Behavioral Sciences. John Wiley, 1993.
John Verzani. Using R for Introductory Statistics. Chapman & Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, 2005.
M. J. Crawley: Statistics: an Introduction using R. John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
Brian Everitt and Torsten Hothorn. A Handbook of Statistical Analyses Using R. Chapman & Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, 2006.
Michael Greenacre. Correspondence Analysis in Practice, Second Edition. Chapman & Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, 2007.

Additional information

The Random generation of values
Examples of graphics with R
A mathematical encyclopedia
The CA (correspondance analysis) package

To get a free version of R

The official R web site
The CRAN (Comprehensive R Archive Network) web site

Prof. Jacques Savoy
Université de Neuchâtel
Institut d'informatique
Rue Emile-Argand 11
CH-2009 Neuchâtel
Switzerland

+41 32 718 1375 (phone)
+41 32 718 2701 (fax)