DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS, MCGILL UNIVERSITY

MATH-685   STATISTICAL CONSULTING     Sept 2002 - April 2003

updated AUGUST 27, 2002 [see below for revised time/place of organizational meeting]

Instructor	Dr James Hanley (and Guest Lecturers)
	E-mail James.Hanley@McGill.CA www page www.epi.mcgill.ca/hanley/c685/ Telephone 398-6270
Objectives	Acquisition of skills for statistical consultation.
Format/ Content	(1) Presentation of methodology commonly encountered in statistical consulting. Overview of general and generalized linear models with emphasis on the circumstances under which they should be used. Random and mixed models. Model building and assessment of fit. Nonparametric methods. Sample size, statistical precision and power considerations. Overview of survival analysis. The design and analysis of clinical trials, and case control studies Longitudinal data analysis including repeated measures analysis. (2) Practice in statistical consulting, using simulated and real consultations with clients. Instruction and practice on: eliciting the nature of the statistical problem from the client; suggesting an appropriate design (if data have not yet been collected), recommending an analysis commensurate with client's requirements; carrying out an analysis; interpreting the results for the client; writing a coherent report. Mock consulting sessions (in class). Attendance at consulting sessions conducted through the McGill Statistical Consulting Service or by course instructor. (Videotape of some of the sessions may be used in class for open discussion) Instruction on the preparation of the design/statistics sections of grant proposals and manuscripts. Students will be expected to read papers and proposals (already funded) and be prepared to discuss these sections.
Dates/ Time/ Place	To be decided at Organizational Meeting to be held with Instructor at 10:15 am on WEDNESDAY September 4 in BURNSIDE HALL, Room 1028. Instructor will propose that classes (2hr/week) be held weekly on Wednesday mornings 9-11. If you wish, email instructor beforehand to let him know whether this suits you or whether other slot would be better.
Assessment	Based on participation, assignments, projects and reports.
Restrictions	Enrolment limited to 15 students [password controlled]
Prerequisites	MATH-423 (Regression and Analysis of Variance) or EPIB-697 (Applied Linear Models); and MATH-523 (Generalized Linear Models); and MATH-556 and MATH-557 (Mathematical Statistics I and II); [ or permission of instructor ].
No. of Credits	4 [note that course runs over 2 semesters]
	SPACE PERMITTING, SENIOR STUDENTS FROM McGILL EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOSTATISTICS, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS DEPARTMENTS ELSEWHERE IN MONTREAL ARE WELCOME