What is statistical inference?

Statistical inference is the process whereby you can draw conclusions about a population based on random samples of that population and the statistics that you draw from those samples. When you rely on statistical inference, you take what you've observed about your samples of that population and apply them to the group as a whole. Applying statistical inference allows you to take what you know about the population as well as what's uncertain to make statements about the entire population based on your analysis.

Why is it important to learn about statistical inference?

If you want to learn about a certain population—whether they're customers or fellow employees—you can use statistical inference to draw conclusions about that population based on your analysis of data about them. You can't always survey or test an entire population to gain insight, but you can sample the population and make educated assumptions based on the data. Understanding statistical inference allows you to take that data and use it to draw conclusions that make sense and prove true.

How can I apply statistical inference in my career?

Statistical inference has plenty of benefits for different business sectors. Statisticians and data analysts use this method often to draw conclusions based on samples of populations. If you're in sales or product development, you can use statistical inference to determine which brands or products are popular with your customers or clients. Scientists use statistical inference to test hypotheses and draw conclusions when it's impossible for them to test or sample an entire population. You can apply statistical inference to analyze the data from surveys of any population that you sample.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn about statistical inference?

Online courses on Coursera give you both a grasp of the concepts of statistical inference and practical applications. You'll learn from the best instructors in the academic world, and you can learn at a pace and schedule that best suits your schedule and lifestyle. When you finish our courses, you'll know how to use statistical inference in your career, which will give you an advantage whether you're trying to get better at your current job or whether you're looking to make a career change.

What are the benefits of taking an online Statistical Inference course?

Online Statistical Inference courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Statistical Inference skills. Choose from a wide range of Statistical Inference courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Statistical Inference courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Statistical Inference, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Statistical Inference Courses - Learn Statistical Inference Online

Explore the Statistical Inference Course Catalog

Status: Free
University of Cape Town
Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
Skills you'll gain: Biostatistics, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Clinical Research, Medical Science and Research, Quantitative Research, Statistics, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Inference, Probability
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Amsterdam
Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences
Skills you'll gain: Qualitative Research, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Scientific Methods, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Inference, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Software, Probability Distribution, Research, Correlation Analysis, Research Design, Sampling (Statistics), Research Reports, Science and Research, Probability, Interviewing Skills, Data Analysis, Sample Size Determination, Statistical Methods, Social Sciences
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
7.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Arizona State University
Experimental Design Basics
Skills you'll gain: Experimentation, Sample Size Determination, Research Design, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Methods, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Software, A/B Testing, Data Analysis, Estimation, Descriptive Statistics, Quality Control, Variance Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
291 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Basic Statistics in Python (Correlations and T-tests)
Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Box Plots, Correlation Analysis, Data Visualization, Scatter Plots, Data Cleansing, Statistical Visualization, Data Manipulation, Pandas (Python Package), Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Probability & Statistics, Python Programming
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
32 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
SAS
Statistical Thinking for Industrial Problem Solving, presented by JMP
Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Compilation, Correlation Analysis, Data Collection, Statistical Inference, Statistical Process Controls, Statistical Methods, Predictive Modeling, Data Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Regression Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Experimentation, Probability & Statistics, Descriptive Statistics, Interactive Data Visualization
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
90 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
University of London
Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Methods, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Statistical Modeling, Data Analysis, Probability, Statistical Visualization, Probability Distribution, Statistical Analysis, Data Presentation, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Inference, Mathematical Modeling, Decision Tree Learning, Applied Mathematics
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Michigan
Fitting Statistical Models to Data with Python
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Modeling, Statistical Methods, Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Inference, Statistical Software, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Programming, Regression Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Data Analysis, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Manipulation
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
696 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: [object Object]
IBM
IBM Data Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Dashboard, Data Visualization Software, Plotly, Data Presentation, Data Wrangling, Data Visualization, SQL, Generative AI, Interactive Data Visualization, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Cleansing, Big Data, Jupyter, Matplotlib, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Pandas (Python Package), Excel Formulas, Professional Networking
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
89K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Statistical Inference and Hypothesis Testing in Data Science Applications
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Probability & Statistics, Data Ethics, Statistical Analysis, Quantitative Research, Statistical Inference, Sample Size Determination, Sampling (Statistics), Probability Distribution
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
48 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Johns Hopkins University
Mathematical Biostatistics Boot Camp 1
Skills you'll gain: Sampling (Statistics), Bayesian Statistics, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Inference, Statistical Methods, Probability, Probability Distribution, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Biostatistics
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
509 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Johns Hopkins University
Data – What It Is, What We Can Do With It
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Analysis, Research Design, Data Presentation, Descriptive Statistics, Analytics, Statistical Analysis, Quantitative Research, Statistical Methods, Probability & Statistics
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
172 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Illinois Tech
Bayesian Computational Statistics
Skills you'll gain: Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Programming, Statistical Methods, Regression Analysis, Statistical Inference, R Programming, Numerical Analysis, Markov Model, Probability, Simulations, Probability Distribution
Build toward a degree
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months