STATISTICS FOR LANGUAGE SCIENCES

This is an integrative course of the second-level degree course in Language Sciences. It contributes to the development of in-depth knowledge of quantitative methods and their application in the field of Language Sciences, as well as to the strengthening of the ability to analyse language data in a methodologically correct manner with reference to the objectives and the theoretical framework of reference.

- General outcome
The student will be introduced to the basic elements of statistics, as a tool for describing and understanding reality expressed in number form. The relation between the
information enclosed in numbers and the words employed to explain it and make it comprehensible will be explored. The student will guided on the path going from the basic
definitions and concepts behind the need for knowledge, through data collection and analysis, to the reading and understanding of information expressed in statistical form.
The course, therefore, aims to provide the tools allowing the student to proceed autonomously in the use of statistics, both to understand and correctly interpret results provided by others and to produce new results when conducting empirical research.

- Knowledge and understanding
The student will acquire in-depth knowledge concerning the main concepts and foundations of statistics, research methods and data collection, statistical indicators and measures and, more in general, the tools to understand the numerical synthesis of reality. At the same time, the ability to understand better ways to formulate research questions and to carefully define the phenomenon under investigation so as to be able to use the quantitative statistical instruments that are available appropriately will be developed.

- Applying knowledge and comprehension
The student will be able to: reflect on, and take decisions about the main methodological issues relative to statistical data; know the main sources and modes of data search; read and understand statistical data extracting from it correct information and avoiding errors of interpretation; translate the areas of interest and the knowledge objectives into research questions and hypotheses; translate simple concepts into simple indicators and complex concepts into sets of indicators; plan the different stages of statistical data collection; identify the different modes of data collection in the light of objectives; carry out descriptive quantitative analysis; use the main inferential statistical instruments; write up a report to properly present the results.

- Making judgements
The student will develop the ability to elaborate complex information through the scientific approaches of the discipline; to discuss and reflect on the statistical methodology and on its results; to make autonomous and informed judgements and evaluations about the validity and feasibility of research proposals and research results (instruments, modes of analysis, and produced indicators).

- Communication skills
The student will master the basic specialized lexis of statistics in order to communicate clearly with specialists and non-specialists and to discuss methods and results of analyses with clarity and precision.

- Lifelong learning
The student will acquire the learning skills and strategies that will allow them to further the knowledge and competence or to further explore the main thematic areas of the discipline autonomously.

None.
The course is designed for students with the standard mathematical and statistical knowledge and competencies acquired at the high school level.

The course aims to provide the students with some basic statistical tools.
The main topics that will be treated are: descriptive and inferential statistics with a particular focus on frequency distribution, central tendency, variability, estimation, tests and linear regression.

Alan Agresti, Christine Franklin, Bernhard Klingenberg. Statistics: The Art and Science of Learning From Data, 5th Edition, Pearson Education Limited, 2022.

Written exam with multiple-choice questions, problem-solving exercises, and assessment of the understanding of basic theoretical concepts in descriptive and inferential statistics

Lectures, evaluated homework, and in-class discussion of exercises.

English

written