MA3504: Official Statistics

School Cardiff School of Mathematics
Department Code MATHS
Module Code MA3504
External Subject Code 100406
Number of Credits 10
Level L6
Language of Delivery English
Module Leader Dr Andrey Pepelyshev
Semester Autumn Semester
Academic Year 2022/3

Outline Description of Module

This module is designed to provide you with the specialist skills and knowledge which are central to the conducting professional statistical work in civil service. The module introduces standard methods of drawing samples from finite populations, making inferences about population characteristics, theory in survey inference, the methodology for survey based estimation for population totals and related quantities, regression estimation for modelling relationships between variables with an emphasis on practical considerations, the principles and methods used to compensate for non-response following survey data collection, calibration methods for household surveys, the theory of index numbers as a means of making price and quantity comparisons.

Several lectures will be delivered by practitioners from the Office of National Statistics who will describe the case studies with application of official statistics.

Prerequisite Modules:  MA1501 Statistical Inference

Recommended Modules: MA2500 Foundations of Probability and Statistics

On completion of the module a student should be able to

  • Deduce and compare estimates for means, totals, proportions, and ratios for different sampling methods.
  • Apply alternative weighting methods used to compensate for the effects of unit non-response.
  • Exploit calibration methods for household surveys.
  • Use different approaches to index number problems and methods for dealing with quality change and new goods.
  • Apply the theory to practical surveys.

How the module will be delivered

Modules will be delivered through blended learning. You will be guided through learning activities appropriate to your module, which may include:

  • Weekly face to face classes (e.g. labs, lectures, exercise classes)
  • Electronic resources that you work through at your own pace (e.g. videos, exercise sheets, lecture notes, e-books, quizzes)

Students are also expected to undertake self-guided study throughout the duration of the module.

Skills that will be practised and developed

 

 

Be able to estimate means, totals, proportions, and ratios using various sampling procedures, and be able to compare accuracies.

Be able to apply alternative methods to compensate for the effects of item non-response, with a focus on imputation methods.

Be able to use calibration methods for household surveys.

Be able to use different approaches to index number problems and methods for dealing with quality change and new goods.

 

Transferable Skills:
Knowledge of the application of theory to practical surveys in various fields.

How the module will be assessed

 

 

Assessment Breakdown

Type % Title Duration(hrs)
Exam - Autumn Semester 90 Official Statistics 2
Written Assessment 10 Coursework N/A

Syllabus content

  • Estimation for simple random sampling, stratified sampling and cluster sampling.
  • Regression and ratio estimation.
  • Non-response and imputation of missing values.
  • Calibration.
  • Index numbers.

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