Th-02: Incorporating Data Management into Statistics Courses

Abstract

Statistics courses often introduce concepts using small, tidy, example datasets. As such, students’ often learn data management skills such as merging datasets through individual trial and error. Data management errors can easily lead to violations of construct or statistical conclusion validity (as evidenced in the published literature). Therefore, data management is a teachable, principled skill, and should be included within introductory statistics courses. Dedicating course time to data management concepts is multiply rewarding. Integration of data management principles and practices into statistics courses provides reinforcement of key statistical concepts, and it grounds those concepts in the real world of data analysis. Students with data management skills are able to leave statistics courses better prepared to apply their knowledge to new datasets. In this poster, we will describe the ways that statistical and data management concepts interconnected, make the case for integrating them within existing introductory courses, and provide a demonstration.