Title

Exploring Ecological Datasets

Course Description

In this course we’ll explore several data sets.  Most of the datasets will be supplied by past and present students.  What are the initial steps that need to be taken with every data set?  Is your data ”normal”, is there skew?  Is there multi-colinearity in your data?  Which transformation should you use?  This class will go over the very basics of exploratory statistics using your data to become familiar with the process.  In addition, we will explore questions like:  How did the sampling design affect results?  How could the study design be improved?  What are the spatial, temporal, and taxonomic limitations to the data?  What did we learn about ecology in the meantime?  We’ll use SYSTAT version 11, Excel, and other software as needed (e.g. PCCORD, R code).  We will put the fun back into statistics! 

Instructor (s)

Tom Stohlgren

E-mail

toms@nrel.colostate.edu   

Phone Number

970-491-1980

Credits

1

Academic Restrictions or Recommendations

Enthusiasm, data if you have them!

Meeting Times

Tuesdays, 4 -5 pm  preferred - one hour per week

Classroom

First Meeting Date

August 20, 2007

Section ID/CRN

60164

Will this course be cross-listed or cross-enrolled

No

Enrollment Limit

12

Background

None

Text to be used

None