Winter 2008 Short Courses


The 2008 Winter Courses have concluded.

Courses will be offered again in Spring 2008.

Please check this website for course information.



Courses

Pre-registration and payment of fees is required for all Short Courses.


Please follow these links for details on:

Course Registration
Course Fees
Certificate of Completion
Statistical Consulting Service



An Introduction to SAS for Windows

Instructor: 
Nikolai Slobodianik
Dates: 
February 5, 19, 26 and March 4, 2008
(Tuesdays)
Time: 
9am-Noon
Location: 
Steacie Instructional Lab,
Room 021, Steacie Science Library
Enrolment Limit: 
35

This short course provides a basic introduction to the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). Sessions One and Two provide: an overview of SAS and its underlying logic; an explanation of the use of the Display Manager System to run a SAS job; an introduction to the SAS Data step for reading, importing, transforming and storing numeric and character data; and, a demonstration of how output can be changed with different options. In addition, some basic procedures in SAS will be introduced.

Sessions Three and Four will concentrate on SAS programming techniques to modify data, create charts and plots, and transform temporary datasets to permanent datasets. A demonstration of how to use SAS/INSIGHT and SAS/ANALYST will be presented, as well as a basic description of the general linear model. The course is designed for participants with some introductory level statistical knowledge, but no previous experience in using SAS.



Introduction to SPSS for Windows

Instructor: 
Lisa Fiksenbaum
Dates: 
February 7, 21, 28 and March 6, 2008
(Thursdays)
Time: 
1-4:30pm
Location: 
Steacie Instructional Lab,
Room 021, Steacie Science Library
Enrolment Limit: 
35

This course presents the basics of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Session One will introduce the computing concepts of SPSS, the different facilities for reading data into an SPSS spreadsheet, and saving SPSS data files for future use. At the end of the first session, participants should be able to run simple programs, including some statistical procedures.

Sessions Two and Three will cover basic data modifications, transformations and other functions, including the uses of SPSS system files. More statistical procedures will also be introduced, with an emphasis on the use of graphical methods for examining univariate and bivariate relationships. Session Four will cover Analysis of Variance and Least Squares Regression. As with previous sessions, graphical techniques will be demonstrated. Participants will benefit if they have a basic level of statistical knowledge up to general linear models, but the course is designed as an introduction to data analysis using the SPSS program and not as a statistics course.



Latent Trajectory Modeling Using SEM

Instructor: 
Professor David Flora
Dates: 
February 20, 27, March 5 and 12, 2008
(Wednesdays)
Time: 
9-11:30am
Location: 
Room 002, Accolade West Bldg
Enrolment Limit: 
30

This short course will introduce the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to analyzing longitudinal data. This type of analysis is often called "latent trajectory",or "latent growth curve" modeling. After introducing the concepts of individual and average trajectories, the course will give a detailed description of the model for linear change. Next, extensions of the model will be described, such as the incorporation of covariates (i.e., predictors of change) and models for non linear change. The use of various software packages (e.g., SAS, LISREL) will also be presented. Some prior exposure to SEM is beneficial but not essential, nor is familiarity with the software.



Getting Started with R

Instructors: 
Professor Robert Cribbie
Professor Georges Monette
Professor John Fox
Hugh McCague
Dates: 
February 22, 29, March 7, 14, 2008
(Fridays)
Time: 
Noon-2:30pm
Location: 
Room 2118,
Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Bldg
Enrolment Limit: 
30

R is the most common programming language for statistics. It is an independent open source (i.e., free) statistical software package. R is of great value for its wide-ranging pre-programmed statistical procedures and capacity for programming tailored statistical analyses. Also, R is invaluable for generating informative high-quality 2-D graphics and interactive 3-D graphics.

This short course is a gentle step-by-step hands-on introduction to R. No familiarity with R is assumed, but participants will need a basic working knowledge of statistics. Participants will learn how to 1) install R on their computers, 2) enter, import, and manipulate data, and 3) do basic mathematical, statistical and graphical operations and procedures in R. Upon completion of this course, participants will be comfortable with, and able to do, basic statistical work in R. Additionally, they will be familiar with resources for follow-up help and learning about R.



Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Instructor: 
Professor Michael Friendly
Dates: 
February 25, March 3, 10, 2008
(Mondays)
Time: 
1-4pm
Location: 
Room 3006, Vari Hall
Enrolment Limit: 
30

This course provides an overview of the theory and practice of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Topics to be covered include:

a. the use of principal components analysis as a data reduction technique;

b. the basic ideas of factor analysis and the common factor model;

c. factor rotation methods;

d. the development of confirmatory factor models; and

e. applications of CFA models, including test-theory models of "equivalence" of measures, multitrait-multimethod data, and multi-sample analysis.

The level of the course will be largely conceptual and applied. Some familiarity with elementary matrix algebra will be useful, though not essential. Extensive examples, primarily using SAS and LISREL, will be presented.

Course Fees

  • For York students, staff, and faculty, the fee is $40 per course.


  • Full-time students at other post-secondary institutions may enroll for a fee of $60 per course.


  • For external participants, the fees per course are:
    • Introduction to SAS for Windows.............................$240
    • Introduction to SPSS for Windows...........................$240
    • Latent Trajectory Modeling Using SEM..................$240
    • Getting Started with R..............................................$240
    • Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis......$180


  • All participants, Certificate of Completion ......................$5.00 each


    Course fees must be paid at the time of registration.
    See the registration form for payment options.


    Refunds are available upon three business days' notice
    prior to the course start date and are subject to an administrative fee.

    Please review our policy regarding refunds here.

Registration


  • To register in person (weekdays, from 9:00am to 12:00pm or
    2:00pm to 4:00pm), please see:

Anita Valencia
Room 5075
Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building


Anita Valencia
Institute for Social Research
Room 5075
Technology Enhanced Learning Building
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON   M3J 1P3
Canada



  • For further information, please telephone 416-736-5061, weekdays, from 9:00am to 12:00pm or 2:00pm to 4:00pm


  • Directions to York University (Keele Campus), information on parking and building locations click here.


  • For those coming to York from off campus, please allow plenty of time to find parking and the building and room where your course is taking place.

Certificate of Completion

  • Available on request, full attendance is required.


  • A $5.00 administrative fee applies, for each certificate requested.

Statistical Consulting Service (SCS)

The Institute for Social Research's Statistical Consulting Service provides consultation on a broad range of statistical problems and on the use of computers for statistical analysis. Its services extend beyond the social sciences to other disciplines that make use of statistics. Consultation is available to assist in research design, data collection, data analysis, statistical computing and the presentation of statistical material.

Consultation is provided by a group of faculty drawn from York University's Departments of Sociology, Psychology, Geography, and Mathematics and Statistics, in conjunction with full-time professional staff at ISR. The faculty and staff have extensive experience with all forms of statistical analysis. Topics for which assistance is available include regression analysis, multivariate analysis, stochastic processes, probability theory, exploratory data analysis, scaling and cluster analysis, analysis of categorical data, structural equation modeling, survey data and longitudinal data, experimental design, survey sampling, and statistical computing.

Three times a year, the Statistical Consulting Service offers short courses on various aspects of statistics and statistical computing, including regular introductions to the SPSS and SAS statistical packages. Recent course offerings have included regression diagnostics, boot-strapping techniques, an introduction to the AMOS module in SPSS, graphical methods for categorical data, confirmatory factor analysis, model-based approaches to cluster analysis, introduction to the R programming language, and visual methods for statistical data analysis. The Statistical Consulting Service staff also assist in teaching these topics by giving presentations in regular university classes.

The Statistical Consulting Service maintains a regular schedule of office hours during the academic year. The Service primarily serves the York University community; for others, consultation is available on a fee-for-service basis. Appointments can be made at http://www.isr.yorku.ca/scs with the on-line Appointment Scheduler.

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