Statistical Methods in Physics and Engineering

5 credits

Syllabus, Master's level, 1FA018

Code
1FA018
Education cycle
Second cycle
Main field(s) of study and in-depth level
Physics A1N
Grading system
Fail (U), Pass (3), Pass with credit (4), Pass with distinction (5)
Finalised by
The Faculty Board of Science and Technology, 29 February 2024
Responsible department
Department of Physics and Astronomy

Entry requirements

120 credits with basic statistics and 60 credits in physics. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • account for the difference between Bayesian and frequentistic statistics
  • compare different data,judge the degree of compatibility and correctly treat uncertainties
  • carry out function minimisation, both analytically and numerically
  • establish confidence intervals
  • estimate parameters using established methods
  • perform hypothesis testing and relate the result to probability
  • utilize common software tools, including Monte Carlo generators, for statistical analysis
  • perform an unfolding of a function from data

Content

Practical skills with statistical methods that are used in physics. Bayesian vs. frequentistic statistics, Uncertainties, Probability distributions, Expectation value and variance. Parameter estimation: Method of Moments, Maximum-Likelihood, Least Squares. Hypothesis testing: Chi Square, Signal vs. Background, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Function minimisation with constraints. Basic orientation on common software tools, numerical minimizing procedures, simple Monte Carlo generators and unfolding of functions from data.

Instruction

Online lectures, IRL lectures with focus on problem solving. Workshops.

Assessment

Hand-in exercises with oral presentations at the workshop. 

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.

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