This experimental unit aims to provide students with the theoretical, practical and computational tools to enable them to design experimental and observational studies in the area of Animal Production, apply the correct methodology of collection, presentation and analysis of the resulting data, in particular the use of statistical tests appropriate to each case, interpret the results and draw the right conclusions.
What is statistics? Need for statistical analysis. Deductive and inductive reasoning (technician vs. researcher). Revision of terms and statistical concepts (types of variables, parametric and non-parametric statistics, descriptive and inferential statistics, experimental vs observational unit, treatment, null vs alternative hypothesis, confidence interval and level of significance, statistical significance vs. biological importance, type I and type II errors).
Observational vs experimental studies. Determination of the number of replicas in an experiment. Transformation of nonparametric data. Experimental design; definition, principles and main models (completely randomized design, completely randomized blocks, Latin square, split-plot). Parametric statistical tests (Student t test, ANOVA, correlations and regressions, χ2) and nonparametric tests. Tests of "outliers" detection. Assumptions of parametric tests. Utilization of the SPSS computer package.
The formal contact of students with the professor has the duration of 46 hours divided by 20 hours of theoretical and 26 hours of theoretical/practical lectures. Additionally, the specific conditions of natural closeness between professors and students of the DCA, favors informal contacts often focused on the contents of the curricular unit. All classes take place in a room with individual computers. Concepts are exposed using PowerPoint and search on the Internet. Several practical exercises are provided to students (including scientific work carried out by the lecturer) that are worked in theoretical/practical classes following a holistic approach in which students have the opportunity to address the experimental design, the collection of data, the application of appropriate statistical tests as well as the presentation and discussion of the data and conclusions of the study.
Maroco J., 2007. Análise Estatística com Utilização do SPSS (3º Edição). Edições Sílabo, Lda. Lisboa. ISBN 978-972- 618-452-2.
Mead, R. et al., 1993. Statistical Methods in Agriculture and Experimental Biology (Second edition). Chapman & Hall. London. ISBN 0-412-35480-2.
Morris, T. R., 1999. Experimental Design and Analysis in Animal Science. CABI Publishing, UK. ISBN 085199-349-4.
Petrie A. & Watson P., 2006. Statistics for Veterinary and Animal Science, Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 974-1-4051- 2781-3
Zar, J.H., 1996. Biostatistical Analysis. Prentice-Hall, London. ISBN 0-13-084542-6.
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