Probability & Statistics introduces students to the basic concepts and logic of statistical reasoning and gives the students introductory-level practical ability to choose, generate, and properly interpret appropriate descriptive and inferential methods. In addition, the course helps students gain an appreciation for the diverse applications of statistics and its relevance to their lives and fields of study. The course does not assume any prior knowledge in statistics and its only prerequisite is basic algebra.

We offer two versions of statistics, each with a different emphasis: Probability and Statistics and Statistical Reasoning. The Open & Free versions of the courses includes all expository text, simulations, case studies, interactive learning exercises, and the StatTutor labs, but they omit the scored tests and instructor tools. Both Probability & Statistics and Statistical Reasoning contain all of the instructions for the five statistics packages options we support. To do the activities, students will need their own copy of Microsoft Excel, Minitab, the open source R software, TI calculator, or StatCrunch.

One of the main differences between the courses is the path through probability. Probability and Statistics includes the classical treatment of probability as it is in the earlier versions of the OLI Statistics course, while Statistical Reasoning gives a more abbreviated treatment of probability, using it primarily to set up the inference unit that follows it.