Undergraduate

Linear statistical modelling

On this page

• What you will study
• Entry
• If you have a disability or additional requirement
• Study materials
• Teaching and assessment
• Professional recognition
• Students also studied
• Future availability

This course covers statistical modelling where a response variable depends on one or several explanatory variables: such as how well patients respond to a treatment, given their age and disease severity; or how different strains of wheat compare when grown in various conditions. Taking a practical approach, you’ll use real problems and data to stimulate analyses and their interpretation. Statistical tools are introduced, and use of the statistical software package, GenStat (supplied) is taught. You need a reasonable understanding of basic statistical ideas, as developed by Analysing data (M248). You’ll learn to use the most important methods of analysing data – a skill that too few people have.

Course facts

Register for the course

This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.

What you will study

This course is about the statistical modelling of situations in which a response variable depends on at least one explanatory variable. It offers a practical treatment of an important area of statistical methodology, applicable in a wide variety of situations. For example, it enables us to deal with questions such as how cavity wall insulation will affect the total energy consumption of a house; or how the probability of a successful bone marrow transplant is influenced by the ages of the donor and recipient, and other factors; or how loss due to abrasion might depend on the hardness and tensile strength of samples of rubber. M346 uses real problems and data to stimulate analyses and their interpretation. Technical background is not ignored, but the main emphasis is on the knowledge needed to analyse data effectively.

The course begins with a general introductory unit, including a review of the general statistical methods and concepts that will be used later. The next unit gives a complete introduction to using the statistics package GenStat for Windows (which is supplied). We then move on to the basic linear regression model, extensions of which are the core of this course. Subsequent units introduce a wide variety of linear statistical modelling tools: one-way analysis of variance, multiple regression, more general analysis of variance and designed experiments. All these are widely applicable cases of the normal linear model. Further units develop linear modelling in the more general framework of the generalised linear model: binary regression; the full generalised linear model; diagnostic checking; and log-linear modelling. A closing unit applies the methods you have learnt to the analysis of further data sets. The GenStat package is extensively used throughout the course to perform the necessary calculations and analyses.

You will learn

Successful study of this course should enhance your skills in analysing and interpreting data.

Entry

This is a Level 3 course. Level 3 courses build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at Levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably with the OU. 

This course follows the Level 2 introductory course Analysing data (M248) , which is an excellent basis from which to start M346. You need a basic knowledge of the ideas of statistical science at the level of M248: a theoretical grounding is not expected, but you should have a conceptual understanding of basic topics and should be able to apply the ideas and interpret the answers they give. The topics include histograms, boxplots and scatterplots; normal, Poisson and binomial distributions; the central limit theorem; confidence intervals; hypothesis testing; simple linear regression; correlation. All these are reviewed in the early units of the course. 

Some experience of using a statistical software package is expected, although you are not expected to be familiar with GenStat. If you used MINITAB in M248 you will have the necessary expertise. The course also requires a mathematical knowledge similar to that expected in an introductory statistical course such as M248. You are expected to be familiar with mathematical notation, to be able to follow short algebraic arguments, to handle the logarithm and exponential functions, and to use formulae. You will not be expected to follow complicated algebraic arguments nor to produce a great deal of algebra in your written work. 

You can find out more information about studying statistics, including diagnostic quizzes to assess your readiness, on the StatsChoices website.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

If you have a disability or additional requirement

Some students may find using some of the study material challenging. Diagrams and data tables are used extensively in the course, both in text and on computer screens, and you will be asked to interpret graphs. If you have a visual impairment you may need assistance from a sighted helper for working with GenStat and looking at its graphical output. You will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer.  Please contact us for advice if you have concerns about taking this course, or about the support that could be provided. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.

If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.

You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.

Study materials

What's included

Course books, a CD-ROM, website, and online forums.

You will need

Calculator (basic mathematical functions would be useful).

You require access to the internet at least once a week during the course to download some essential course resources and to keep up to date with course news.

Computing requirements

This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.

You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you cannot use an Apple Mac or Linux computer unless it is running Windows using Boot Camp or similar dual-boot system.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where your tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course.

Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.

Please note that TMAs for all undergraduate mathematics and statistics courses must be submitted on paper as – due to technical reasons – we are unable to accept TMAs via our eTMA system.

Professional recognition

This course may help you to gain recognition from a professional body. You can view or download our Recognition leaflets 3.6 Institute of Mathematics and its Application and 3.11 Other organisations for further information.

Students also studied

Students who studied this course also studied at some time:

• Applications of probability (M343)
• Practical modern statistics (M249)
• Analysing data (M248)
• Graphs, networks and design (MT365)
• Mathematical methods and models (MST209)

Future availability

The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.

Fees 2012

See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.

Study explained

Financial support

- find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.

Study explained

- all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.

Student Reviews

This was a very demanding course but also very rewarding. The course itself appears very easy since most of the ...
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M346 is a course written around the operation manual for genstat, a software course for examining Statistical Data. From March ...
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Course satisfaction survey

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Your questions

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Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35

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