Introduction to Statistics and Data Visualisation with R

Please note that this course is full.

Overview

This course is designed to provide researchers in biomedical sciences with experience in the application of basic statistical analysis techniques to a variety of biological problems.

The course will combine lectures on statistics and practical exercises, during which the participants will learn how to work with the widely used "R" language and environment for statistical computing and graphics.

Topics covered during the course include: reminders about numerical and graphical summaries, and hypothesis testing; multiple testing, linear models, correlation and regression, dimensionality reduction such as principal component analysis, heatmaps and the basis of clustering algorithms. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the analysis of their own data.

Audience

This typical profile is a biologist needing to perform statistical analyses using R.

Learning objectives

After this course, the participants should be able to:

• choose the right method to summarize a dataset, graphically and numerically
• perform basic hypothesis tests on a datatest
• assess whether different variables are linked, using correlation and regression analysis
• use the R statistical package to run statistical analyses and interpret their outcome
• use dimensionality reduction to overcome problems of big data
• perform clustering on datasets
• visualise complex data using heatmaps.

Prerequisites

• A laptop with a wifi connection
• Software to be installed PRIOR to the course: R, R Studio

• No prior statistical knowledge is required in order to attend the course
• Participants do not need any experience in R before the course

Application

Please note that this course is full.

Registration fees for academics are 240 CHF and 1200 CHF for for-profit companies. The fees include course material, coffee breaks and a social dinner on Wed 23 January.

Upon reception of the confirmation email, participants will be asked to confirm attendance by paying the fees within 5 days.

Deadline for registration and free-of-charge cancellation is set to 13 January. Cancellation after this date will not be reimbursed. Please note that participation to SIB courses is subject to this and other general conditions.

Location & Time

University of Zurich, Irchel campus, Winterthurerstrasse 190, building Y34 room J-02, map.

The course will start at 10:30 on the first day (22/01) then at 9:00 the other days and end around 17:00 every day. Precise information will be provided to the participants on due time.

Additional information

The course will be taught by Linda Dib and Frédéric Schütz. We will recommend 1 ECTS credits for this course (given a passed exam at the end of the course).

Coordination: Diana Marek, SIB Training group.

You are welcome to register to the SIB courses mailing-list to be informed of all future courses and workshops, as well as all important deadlines using the form here.