GE2213 Understanding Uncertainty and Statistical Reasoning

Part I

Course Duration : one semester
Credit Units : 3
Level: B2
Medium of Instruction: English
Prerequisite(s) : Nil
Precursors(s) : Nil
Equivalent Course(s) : Nil
Exclusive Course(s) : Nil

Part II

Course Aims:

With today’s widespread use of statistics in the media and academia, this course provides students with a good understanding of the concept of uncertainty so that they become better informed decision makers and critical consumers of statistical information in their future professional lives. It aims to examine both the uses and limitations of statistical information, looking at examples from the media, and using a case study approach. By the end of the course, students will be able to evaluate and make critical judgments about reports that involve uncertainty and statistical concepts, and develop the capacity to assume individual and social responsibilities.

Uncertainty, variability and incomplete information are inherent in all disciplines. With a minimum of mathematical and statistical prerequisites, the course has a wide potential audience and will be useful, for example, to students with major study in business administration, marketing, public administration, legal studies, journalism, political science, sociology, engineering, science, health, and environmental science.. The course content will be based on materials on economic and social statistics, and real world case studies concerning issues of current importance and relevance.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)
(Indicative of likely activities and tasks designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course)
TLA1: Lectures 

• Lectures:
  Concepts and relevant knowledge of how to identify uncertainty and use basic statistical theories are explained. Students learn how to identify uncertainty and become familiar with the use of basic statistical theories.
• Videos:
  Videos are shown to highlight real-life examples of uncertainty. Follow-up group discussions provide students with the opportunity to critique and identify relevant statistical solutions to the examples.

• Case Studies:
  Prior to class students work in groups to read and critique academic research papers or business case studies that illustrate uncertainty and demonstrate how statistics are used in the real world. In class students brainstorm possible answers to questions arising from various case study problems before giving a brief presentation of their findings, their critiques and recommendations.
• Group Discussion:
  Students work in groups to research and discuss the latest issues related to uncertainty and statistics. Students conduct a critical evaluation and make informed contributions to tutorial discussions on the basis of background reading.
• Group Project:
  Students work in a group of four or five to study the statistics published in the Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics. They are required to identify the relevant data relating to critical social, economic or environmental problems in Hong Kong. Students need to understand the terms used in the Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics. They also need to decide how to present the important/significant information graphically so as to be able to clearly describe the trends or observable characteristics. The students are encouraged to identify and interpret the relationships between the selected topics. Finally, they are required to provide recommendations/innovations to corresponding government departments which suggest ways to improve the living standard and social environment in Hong Kong.

• Company Visit:
  These may include visits to the Hong Kong Government Census and Statistics Department; a marketing research company, the analytic department of firms in the banking and/or other industries, etc.
• Newspaper Cuttings:
  Students research and select an article from a newspaper or magazine which contains statistical information. They identify the information in the article which is uncertain and write down the reasons why they believe this. In the classroom, groups of students discuss the statistical information and its applications in the community in their own and their classmate’s newspaper/magazine cuttings.
• Consultations:
  Additional help is provided to individuals and groups outside official class time within advertised hours.