Basic Statistics using R (BlueSky Statistics)

By Prof. Harsh Pradhan | Banaras Hindu University

Learners enrolled: 210

ABOUT THE COURSE:

This course is designed to teach the fundamentals of statistics using RKWard, a graphical user interface built on the R (Posit) platform. It introduces essential concepts in statistics and the necessary mathematical foundations through intuitive, hands-on learning. No prior knowledge of mathematics or statistics is required—making it ideal for absolute beginners. By leveraging the GUI of RKWard, the course facilitates practical statistical analysis in domains such as market research and public health, helping learners build critical skills for data-driven decision-making.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Under-graduates, Post-graduates and PhD

PREREQUISITES: Preferably, the students should have completed Higher Secondary School Certificate

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: For Business Analyst, Market Analyst, Financial Analyst, Survey Data Analyst, Academic Research Support, etc

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	8 weeks
Category :	Multidisciplinary
Credit Points :	2
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	18 Aug 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	18 Aug 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	29 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	24 Oct 2025 IST
NCrF Level	4.5, 8.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Introduction to Statistics & RKWard

Introduction to Statistics: Nature, Uses, Limitations, Misuse, Fallacies
Variables and Basic Math for Statistics
Introduction to RKWard: GUI and Command Line
Introduction to Spreadsheet – Tabular Form of Data
Importing Data, Workspace, Command Log in RKWard
Data Types and Plot Demonstration

Week 2: Descriptive Statistics & Probability

Measures of Central Tendency (Mean, Median, Mode)
Measures of Variability (Range, Variance, Standard Deviation)
Introduction to Probability and Statistical Models
Binomial Distribution
Basic Statistical Terms

Week 3: Distributions & Inferential Foundations

Z-Score and Standardization
Sample vs. Population
Inferential Statistics and Hypothesis Introduction
Normal Distribution

Week 4: Hypothesis Testing

Central Limit Theorem
Confidence Intervals
Test of Means: Student’s t-test
One-way ANOVA

Week 5: Bivariate Relationships

Correlation
Simple and Multiple Regression
Continued: ANOVA and Interpretation

Week 6: Advanced Tests

Chi-Square Test
Logistic Regression
Parametric and Non-Parametric Tests
Overview of Distributions

Week 7: Time Series Analysis

Time Series Concepts
Forecasting Methods
Additional Statistical Concepts

Week 8: Application & Reporting

Demonstration of Complete Data Analysis
Introduction to Rstudio
Preparation and Presentation of Statistical Reports

Books and references

B1. Mohanty, B., & Misra, S. (2016). Statistics for behavioural and social sciences. PH SAGE Publications I Learning.
B2. Pandya, K., Joshi, P., Bulsari, S., & Nachane, D. M. (2018). Statistical analysis in simple steps using R. SAGE Publications.
B3. Field, A. P., Miles, J., & Field, Z. (2012). Discovering statistics using R. SAGE Publications.
B4. Harris, J. K. (2019). Statistics with R: Solving problems using real-world data. SAGE Publications.
R Markdown. (n.d.). Lesson 2: Text and code. RStudio. Retrieved from https://rmarkdown.rstudio.com/lesson-2.html

Instructor bio

Prof. Harsh Pradhan

Banaras Hindu University

Prof. Harsh Pradhan has taught in IIM Bodhgaya, Delhi Technological Univeristy and Jindal Global University. He has completed PhD. from Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay in the area of organization behaviour. His research interests include concept like motivation, self-management, job performance. He has taught courses like organization development, human resource management, psychology for managers. He has acted as reviewer of international conferences and journal. He has many research papers in international journals and conferences to his credit

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: 24 October 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 6 assignments out of the total 8 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It will have the logos of INI and BHU.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI team

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