Biomedical and Life Sciences

2023/24

Module Outline for:

BIOL143: Experimental Design and Data Analysis

Module Convener:
Andy Lewis
B24 Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Furness College
Email: andrew.lewis@lancaster.ac.uk

Module Staff:
Dr Dave Clancy, Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Furness College
Email d.clancy@lancaster.ac.uk

Learning Objectives

Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills (SSLO)

On completion of this module a student should understand:

 The Basic principles of experimental design (with particular reference to biological/biomedical data)
 The different methods of data categorisation
 How to describe data in terms of central tendency; mean, median and mode.
 How to describe data in terms of dispersion; Range and interquartile Range (IQR), Variation and
Standard Deviation.
 The major sources of variability
 How to use and interpret descriptive statistics
 The basic concepts of probability distributions including understanding normal distribution.
 The effects of sampling and how this affects the estimation of population characteristics
 Ways to measure and describe the uncertainty in an estimate
 Hypothesis testing: the meaning, use, and misuse, of p-values.
 Testing for differences between means
 Biological vs statistical significance
 Type I and type II errors
 Association and Correlation
 Regression, and the concept of data modelling

General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills (GLO)

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

 Use software (Microsoft Excel and Jamovi) to manipulate, summarize, present, describe and, where
appropriate, analyse data using statistical methods, including:
o Summarising data through means, standard deviations, medians, quartiles. Detecting outliers.
 o Calculating standard error and confidence intervals for a sample mean
o Making decisions through applying appropriate statistical techniques to data
 Take a rational, methodical, and critical approach to analysing data
 Display data effectively using graphical methods, including error bars and line fitting

Module Delivery and Learning Materials

This module will be delivered using a combination of:

 Online Moodle based Learning Material

 In Person Events

The module Moodle site will be the hub for all learning resources and activities (including pre-recorded
activities) for the module.

Resources for the module are provided in sequential order on the module Moodle page.

Details of recommended texts and learning resources are in the Resource List on the module Moodle
page.

Timetable
You can view details of scheduling of all online live events and in person sessions (with teaching locations), via:

• Student Portal: portal.lancaster.ac.uk/

• iLancaster: ilancasterinfo.lancs.ac.uk
Please make sure that you have viewed any necessary pre-recorded material ahead of associated events.

Lectures
Week Online Live Lecture Topic Date Time Staff
Event Initials
Lecture 1 Monday 9am AL
Week 11 15th Faraday
Data types January, LT
Week 12 Lecture 2 Monday 9am AL
22nd Faraday
January, LT
Measures Of central Tendency
Week 13 Lecture 3 Monday 9am AL
29th Faraday
Measures of Data Dispersion January, LT
Week 14 Lecture 4 Tuesday 5th 9am AL
Distribution and Measuring February Faraday
uncertainty LT
Week 15 Lecture 5 Monday 9am AL
12th Faraday
February LT
How to make decisions with data
Week 16 Lecture 6 Simple modelling Monday 1pm AL
19th Mngt
 Week Online Live Lecture Topic Date Time Staff
Event Initials
February School
LT18
Week 17 Lecture 7 Monday 1pm AL
26th Mngt
Statistical testing test of February School
associations LT18
Week 18 Lecture 8 Monday 4th 1pm AL
March Mngt
School
Statistical testing – goodness of fit LT18
Week 19 Lecture 9 Monday 1pm AL
11th March Mngt
Statistical Testing and School
experimental design LT18
Week 20 Lecture 10 Monday 1pm AL
18th March Mngt
School
Summary and revision LT18

Computer Practical Sessions – please see your timetable/icalendar app for information on
which session you should be attending (+time/locations)
Workshop Timetable

Week 12:
finding and
Long workshop looking at how to appropriately sort and manage messy data. AL/DC
manipulating
data

Week 13:
Means,
Taking a look at just how easy and how useful a simple measure of central
medians and AL/DC
tendency can be and how far this can take you in statistical analysis.
overlapping
error bars

Week 14:
Handling,
summarizing, We will take a look at hoe wo summarise all the statistical outputs we have
AL/DC
and considered so far.
presenting
data
 Week 16:
Blood We will introduce the coursework brief and take a look at managing some
AL/DC
analytes, biomedical relevant data.
CWA

Week 18: We will turn our attention towards hypothesis testing and how to
Reporting appropriately summarise these when communicating science (and what AL/DC
statistics pitfalls and errors to avoid)

Week 19:
Analysis and We will take a look at how to best prepare for your coursework submission
AL/DC
presentation and go through some examples of good/bad statistical presentation.
exercise

Information about alternative sessions for workshops and practical classes

Workshops and practicals for this module may have multiple alternative sessions. You must attend the session
that is detailed in your personal timetable.

Assessment
Summary of the assessment for this module. Details of the assessment are on the module Moodle site.

Item Type Coursework Title Grade Weighting Submission date & time
or % %

1 Coursework Report % 30 TBC

3 End of % 30 TBC
module
Moodle quiz
4 Exam % 40 TBC