STA 440: Case Studies

STA 440 is an intensive applied course that asks you to analyze timely real-world data across diverse domains in a principled, data-driven way. There may be more than one reasonable approach for any given situation, and you may be introduced to new material and techniques you haven't yet seen. Along the way, you'll work with a team of peers, develop critical thinking and communication skills, develop best-practices in version-control and reproducibility, and strive to become a creative and well-rounded practicing statistician.


Course info
Lecture W/F 10:15 - 11:30 AM Smith Warehouse Bay 6 B177
Lab M 10:15 - 11:30 AM Reuben-Cooke 129
Instructor Yue Jiang T 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Old Chemistry 207A / Zoom
F 2:00 - 3:00 PM
Teaching Assistant Betsy Bersson Th 4:00 - 6:00 PM See Sakai for Zoom
Teaching Assistant Bora Jin T 9:00 - 11:00 AM See Sakai for Zoom
Teaching Assistant Xiaojun Zheng M 7:00 - 9:00 PM See Sakai for Zoom

Additional instructor office hours are available by appointment.

Topics covered

This semester's case studies include:

  • analyzing psychological impressions of Chinese given names,
  • evaluating whether NBA one-and-dones last longer in the league, and
  • assessing perceived satisfaction with quality of life in Durham, NC.

In addition, each student will conduct an individual case study project of their own interest and provide meaningful, detailed reviews and critiques of case projects from peers.

To develop your skills as a practicing statistician, throughout the course you will:

  • solidify skills in reproducible research and programming, including version-control and collaboration via GitHub,
  • critically think about reasonable analysis approaches in the context of recent real-world data,
  • express statistical models clearly and correctly,
  • develop scientific writing skills by providing clear, concise, data-driven conclusions suitable for allied researchers, and
  • effectively and concisely communicate results to allied researchers.