Assessment Task Information

 

Assessment Task Information

Key details:

Assessment title:

Statistical Investigation

Module Name:

Statistics

Module Code:

FC301

Teacher’s Name:

Assessment will be set on:

Beginning of Cycle 3

Feedback opportunities:

Draft Submission -Statistical Investigation report

Tuesday, 13/05/2025 by 9:00 AM GMT

FC301 Statistical investigation Report ATI

Assessment is due on:

Tuesday 27th May 2025 by 9:00 am GMT

Assessment weighting:

50%

Assessment Instructions

What do you need to do for this assessment?

Task:

You are required to complete a written Statistical Investigation, which will involve researching a topic and question of

your choice. You will introduce the topic by providing a historical or theoretical background and you will explain how the

research question will be answered. You will collect data by either primary or secondary methods, or both, and

descriptively analyse the data by use of calculations and graphs. You will complete a written analysis of the data, which

will inform your conclusion. Any sources used will be referenced and examples of raw data will be included in an

Appendices section.

Your tutor will provide ideas for research topics if required and support with feedback during the weeks leading up

to the deadline. You must submit the Statistical Investigation on the VLE and via Turnitin by Tuesday 27 th May

2025 at 9:00 am GMT.

Guidance:

For this assessment, you should make use of the following formative activities that you have already completed. These

activities have been designed to support this summative assessment:

  • Theme 1: MMMR
  • Theme 2: Visual Methods
  • Theme 3: Excel
  • Theme 5: Practicalities
  • Theme 6: Correlation & Regression

Please note:

This is an individual assessment so you should not work with any other student. Also, you should only use the concepts

that you have learned in the module.

For Microsoft Excel, no external concepts should be used such as ANOVA, t-TEST, f-TEST, multiple regression model

etc.

Before you submit this assessment, you will have an opportunity to receive feedback from your Tutors

You need to upload the draft copy of your investigation by 13 th May 2025 at 9:00 AM GMT;

You can act on their feedback and can enhance your final submission.Structure:

The Statistical Investigation will be typed as a Word document, with sections and subheadings. Any graphs created

using software such as Excel will be inserted into the Word document.

Your report should be divided into the following sections.

  1. Title page

When you submit a copy of your Report to Turnitin, you must include a title page with the following information:

  • Module Code (FC301)
  • Class/Group (e.g., GJan1, GJan2, GJan3)
  • Module Title (Statistics)
  • Assessment Type (Statistical Investigation )
  • Module Tutor Name
  • Student ID Number
  • Date of Submission (Tuesday 27th May 2025)
  1. Introduction

The introduction of your report should identify the purpose of your research.

It covers background information, sets the context for your research, and explains to the reader why you

undertook this project, including the questions you hoped to answer.

Add all 3-research questions in this part only.

Also, add the data set on which you are going to work at least 20 data values for each variable.

  1. Methodology

From the data selected, you must highlight any:

possible measurement errors

  • outliers

concepts that you will be using

  • formulas you will be using

You must describe their effect on your conclusions.

You should select and justify what statistical methods you will use to identify any statistical links between the

variables in the data and to link this with the questions you wish to answer.

  1. Calculations and Graphs

You must include:

  • A full numerical summary of the data, which includes the 12-number summary, measures of central tendency,

measures of variation, and skew and shape of the data.

Measure

Value

Minimum

Lowest value

First Quartile (𝑄

1

)

25th percentile

Median(𝑄

2

)

50th percentile (also known as the median)

Third Quartile (𝑄

3

)

75th percentile

Maximum

Highest value

Mean

Average

Mode

Most frequent value

Range

Difference between maximum and minimum

Interquartile Range (IQR)

Range of values within Q1 and Q3

Variance

Measure of data dispersion around the mean

Standard Deviation

Average distance of data points from the mean

Skewness

Measure of asymmetry in the data distribution

  • Appropriate graphical representations (e.g., histograms, box plots, bar graphs, line graph ).

The graphs should be presented and labelled appropriately. At least 2 different graphs should be shown.

  • A critique and explanation of your results including the possible presence of outliers.

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  1. Analysis of data
  2. a) Correlation and Regression Analysis

You must include:

  • scatter plots
  • best-fit regression line
  • full calculation of correlation coefficient and regression line equation.

A critique and explanation of the correlation and regression coefficient, including the possible effects of any

outliers.

Also comment on the validity of the regression model, using the scatterplot, regression line, coefficient of

determination, and correlation coefficient.

  1. b) Time Series Analysis

You must include:

  • time series graph
  • line of best-fit
  • full calculation of moving average or central moving average whichever is applicable.

A critique and explanation of the pattern of time series, including the possible effects of any important fact.

Also, you can try to predict any future value using the line of best fit.

Note: Correlation and Regression Analysis is compulsory part of your report, if your data follows time then you

can also add Time Series Analysis.

  1. Conclusion

You should summaries all the 3 research questions and any findings in the form of supported

recommendations.

  1. References

At least 4 references are required for your report.

  1. Appendices

You should add screenshots of your Excel work (calculations and graphs).

Theory and/or task resources required for the assessment:

You may use your textbook, notes, PowerPoints, etc. You will use a variety of academic sources from which you will

collect data. Your work and ideas must be your own and/or correctly referenced.

  1. You will have to demonstrate skills in finding the measures of location and spread and creating charts. You will

also need to compare scores on different datasets.

  1. You will have to demonstrate skills in creating scatter graphs, finding correlation and regression coefficients and

interpreting these results.

  1. You will have to demonstrate skills in the use of Microsoft Excel for data analysis.

You will have to make a reasoned written recommendation based on your analysis of the data.

Referencing style:

You should refer to a minimum of 4 relevant sources for your report. You must include a Harvard-style reference list at

the end of your report.

Expected word count:

You must include all of the recommended sections but there is no set word count. Ideally, your report should have a

minimum of 2000 words (±10% )

Learning Outcomes Assessed:

  1. Use descriptive statistical methods to analyse data using a relevant software package (Microsoft

Excel) and interpret the outcomes in relation to context

  1. Accurately present data in visual form (tables, graphs and charts), using appropriate software

(Microsoft Excel)

  1. Understand and apply statistical theory to gather, process and present data accurately using a range

of techniques appropriate to their field of study

Critically assess descriptive, predictive, and visual statistics from a range of sources with reference to statistical theory

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Submission Requirements:

You must include the following paragraph on your title page:

I confirm that this assignment is my own work.

Where I have referred to academic sources, I have provided in-text citations and included the sources in

the final reference list.

How to avoid academic misconduct

You should follow academic conventions and regulations when completing your assessed work. If there is evidence that

you have done any of the following, whether intentionally or not, you risk getting a zero mark:

Plagiarism & poor scholarship

  • stealing ideas or work from another person (experts or students)

using quotations from sources without paraphrasing and using citations

Collusion

  • working together with someone else on an individual assessment, e.g., your work is corrected, rephrased or

added to by another (both parties would be guilty)

Buying or commissioning work

  • submitting work as your own that someone else produced (whether you paid for it or not)

Cheating

copying the work of another student

using resources or aids that are not permitted for the assessment.

Fabrication

  • submitting work, e.g., laboratory work, which is partly or completely made up. This includes claiming that

work was done by yourself alone when it was actually done by a group.

Personation

claiming to be another student and taking an assessment instead of them (both parties guilty)

Specific formatting instructions:

You must type your assessment as a single Word document in Arial font 11, with single spacing.

You must submit the assessment electronically via the VLE module page. Please ensure you submit it via Turnitin by

Tuesday 27 th May 2025 at 9:00 am GMT

Assessments submitted after the submission deadline may incur penalties or may not be accepted.

Addition submission information – check you have done the following:

Formatting

Consistent font, spacing, page numbers, formatting and subheadings

Citations

Correct format and location throughout the report

Referencing

Harvard referencing system used correctly in the reference list

Summarising

Summarising the results of research

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing the contents of research findings

Spell check

Spell check the report

Proof-reading

Proof-reading completed

Grammar

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How will this assessment be marked?

The assessment will be marked using the following areas and weightings:

Use of Research methodology

20%

Presentation of data in visual form

20%

Use of Mathematical techniques

20%

Critical interpretation of results

20%

Presentation of written data

15%

Academic Integrity

5%

You will receive a % mark in each of these categories. The overall mark will be a percentage (0-100%).

Note: Marks are awarded/deducted per section. This is a formal report.

How will you get feedback?

Your tutor will mark the assessment and provide you with a written feedback sheet. You can use this feedback to guide

your further learning on the module.