EPIB 659 (Special Topics) - Winter 2008

Current Readings in Statistics

1 credit; Thursdays 1:05-2:55pm (every second week), Purvis Hall, Room 49

Office hours by appointment

NOTE: This class has been cancelled for Winter 2008 due to low enrolment.

 

Objectives:        The goals of the class are to

i. increase students’ exposure to current areas of research and new

methods in statistics,

ii. make students aware of a wider variety of journals in which they may

wish to publish their work, and

iii. help students learn to read and think about research articles in statistics.

 

 

Content:            This course will provide a forum for graduate students in Statistics and Biostatistics

                          to keep abreast of current research in Statistics through a journal-club style

                          class focusing on statistical articles published in the last 12 months.  Class will meet

                          for two hours every two weeks.

 

Format:            Each class, two papers on a related topic will be discussed. Each paper will be

                          presented by one student in a 15 minute presentation. The student will also be

                          responsible for producing a (maximum) 3 page report summarizing key issues

                          in the article (including points that were confusing or required further thought!),

                          which will serve as a hand-out for the other students.

 

                          Each week, all students in the class are expected to have read the relevant papers

                          and to participate in the discussion following the presentation. The homework

                          for each class will consist of a brief summary (1/2 page per article) of what was

                          learned and any questions that arose in reading the articles to be discussed.

 

Evaluation:      Assessment in the class will consist of a letter grade, determined by

                          50%      Paper presentations and reports

                          50%      Homework (brief reports on readings)

                            

Schedule:          To be determined. Possible articles listed on course flyer.

 

Note on academic integrity:

McGill University values academic integrity.  Therefore all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see http://www.mcgill.ca/integrity/ for more information).

 

 

 

Erica E. M. Moodie

email: erica.moodie@mcgill.ca

Purvis Hall room 38B

Phone: 398-5520