Entry requirements

Earth Science - Planet Earth, 30 credits, or the equivalent and 10 credits in mathematics.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• explain the elementary principles of Statistics
• Identify statistical methods generally used in Earth Sciences
• be able to use statistical tools for analysis of data from different areas of geoscience
• carry out test of hypothesis

Content

The course is divided into two parts. The first part introduces concepts within classical statistics, such as discrete and continuous variables, probability distributions, class intervals, frequency plots, different types of means (arithmetic, geometric, harmonic), measures of dispersion, moments, elementary probability theory, sampling theory, normal distribution, student "t"-distribution, chi-square distribution, central limit theorem, curve fitting, and the method of least squares. The second part of the course focuses on geostatistic methods such as variograms, variogram modelling, and kriging.

Instruction

Lectures and exercises.

Assessment

Examination is held at the end of the course. A passing grade for the course requires that the examination and all exercises have been completed satisfactorily. Written examination corresponds to 4 credits and exercises 1 credit.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.