Causal inference in practice

Module Aims: This module aims to give students an appreciation of the principles of causal inference, understand why this matters, and consider ways of assessing causal inferences in practice.

Module Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

1. Understand the principles of causal inference: why correlation is not causation, what causation is, and how one can demonstrate it in practice
2. Apply the principles of causal inference to the design and analysis of data, as well as to critically appraise approaches for causal inference.

Pre-requisites: Principles of Biostatistics or Statistics for HDS

Teaching Strategy: Lectures, small-group discussion, group project work, computer practicals.

Assessment: Group project (see Session 8 below) and written assignment, taking no more than 4 hours, in which students answer questions on designing a study to address a causal hypothesis. To be submitted one week after the end of the module.

 

Module Length: 4 days