REGISTRATION CLOSED: Online ISSR Summer Methodology Workshops | Getting Started with Bayesian Statistics | Andrew Cohen and Jeff Starns

Monday, July 10, 2023 - 9:00am to 3:30pm
Tuesday, July 11, 2023 - 9:00am to 3:30pm
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 - 9:00am to 3:30pm
Online Event - Login credentials via email for registered participants

Registration for this workshop is closed. 


Description: This 3-day (15-hour) workshop is designed for researchers who would like to have a better understanding of Bayesian statistics and who need some help taking the first steps toward incorporating Bayesian statistics into their research practices. We will cover (1) the basic logic of Bayesian inference; (2) how this logic applies to estimating parameter values and testing hypotheses; (3) available software for performing Bayesian analyses across a wide range of statistical applications such as group comparison and regression; and (4) differences between the Bayesian approach and traditional statistics (e.g., p values).

We will work through examples using the Bayes Factor package and JAGS, both of which are open-source packages that run in R, which is an open-source statistical program. Basic familiarity with R will be very helpful, but attendees do not need to be R experts. The instructors can provide resources for learning R basics before the seminar upon request.

Instructors: Andrew Cohen and Jeff Starns

Andrew Cohen is a Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has a PhD in Psychology and a MSc in Computer Science. His research integrates behavioral experiments and computational modelling to uncover the psychological mechanisms underlying reasoning, judgment, and decision-making. He is also a Co-PI on an NSF grant testing different visualization techniques for teaching Bayesian reasoning to undergraduates. He teaches the introductory graduate statistics series to students from a wide range of disciplines.

Jeff Starns is a Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research explores basic processes of memory and decision making by testing mathematical models, with a particular focus on modeling response times. His hobbies include birding, playing guitar, and finding ways to bring up Bayesian inference in everyday conversation.

Questions? For more information about this or any of the ISSR Summer Methodology Workshops, please contact ISSR Director of Research Methods Programs Jessica Pearlman (jpearlman@issr.umass.edu).

REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP IS CLOSED.


Registration Information | 15-hour Workshop

Important: If you are registering for more than one workshop, please verify that all workshops are in your cart with the correct institutional and career status selected, for accurate pricing.

Five College Students and Faculty

  • Five College Undergraduate and Graduate Students:  $190/person
  • Five College Faculty and Staff:  $315/person

Non-Five College Students and Faculty

  • Non-Five College Undergraduate and Graduate Students:  $345/person
  • Non-Five College Faculty, Staff and Other Professional:  $500/person

Registration note: The Five Colleges include: UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College. Registration closes for each workshop 2 full business days prior to the start date. If paying with departmental funds or personal checks, contact Sue Falcetti (sfalcetti@umass.edu).

Cancellation note: In cases where enrollment is 5 or less, we reserve the right to cancel the workshop.  In cases where the registrant cancels prior to the workshop, a full refund will be given with two weeks notice, and 50% refund will be given with one week notice.  We will not be able to refund in cases where registrant does not notify us of cancellation at least one week prior to the beginning date of the workshop.