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

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mergers and Acquisitions
Skills you'll gain: Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Investment Banking, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Valuation, Financial Forecasting, Financial Analysis, Capital Markets, Financial Modeling, Corporate Accounting, Specialized Accounting, Price Negotiation, Financial Accounting, Corporate Tax, Accounting, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Investments, Corporate Strategy, Financial Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
527 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Statistical Analysis Fundamentals using Excel
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Regression Analysis, Forecasting, Probability Distribution, Business Analytics, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Methods, Microsoft Excel, Statistics, Spreadsheet Software, Predictive Analytics, Probability
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
90 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Johns Hopkins University
A Crash Course in Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Data Science, Data Management, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Project Design, Performance Metric, Software Engineering, Machine Learning, Predictive Modeling, Statistical Inference
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
8.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Duke University
Linear Regression and Modeling
Skills you'll gain: Regression Analysis, Data Analysis Software, Statistical Analysis, R Programming, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Inference, Correlation Analysis, Statistical Methods, Exploratory Data Analysis, Mathematical Modeling, Predictive Modeling
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Johns Hopkins University
Exploratory Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Plot (Graphics), Ggplot2, Dimensionality Reduction, Data Visualization Software, R Programming, Scatter Plots, Graphing, Box Plots, Data Analysis, Histogram, Statistical Analysis, Unsupervised Learning, Color Theory
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
NoSQL, Big Data, and Spark Foundations
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, MongoDB, PySpark, Apache Hive, Databases, Apache Cassandra, Big Data, Machine Learning, Generative AI, IBM Cloud, Applied Machine Learning, Kubernetes, Supervised Learning, Distributed Computing, Docker (Software), Database Management, Data Pipelines, Scalability
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
760 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of California, Davis
Market Research
Skills you'll gain: Surveys, Survey Creation, Focus Group, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, Data Synthesis, Market Research, Proposal Writing, Data Storytelling, Statistical Analysis, Presentations, Discussion Facilitation, Marketing Analytics, Statistical Methods, Marketing, Research Methodologies, Data Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Market Analysis, Business Research
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.5K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
University of Colorado Boulder
Statistics and Applied Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Visualization, Data Transformation, Data Cleansing, Statistical Analysis, Regression Analysis, Statistical Programming, Probability, Probability Distribution, Sampling (Statistics), Box Plots, Histogram, R Programming, Statistical Methods, Scatter Plots, Microsoft Excel, Probability & Statistics, Statistics, Data Import/Export
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
32 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Johns Hopkins University
Simple Regression Analysis in Public Health
Skills you'll gain: Biostatistics, Regression Analysis, Statistical Methods, Statistical Analysis, Epidemiology, Quantitative Research, Public Health, Data Analysis, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Inference
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
382 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Johns Hopkins University
Developing Data Products
Skills you'll gain: Shiny (R Package), Rmarkdown, Leaflet (Software), Plotly, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Visualization, Data Presentation, Data Visualization Software, R Programming, Statistical Reporting, User Interface (UI), Web Applications, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), GitHub, Package and Software Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
2.3K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Lund University
AI, Business & the Future of Work
Skills you'll gain: Organizational Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Thinking, Business Risk Management, Business Leadership, Business Strategy, Digital Transformation, Organizational Change, Business Ethics, Automation, Thought Leadership, Data Ethics, Machine Learning, Interviewing Skills, Human Machine Interfaces
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Rice University
Finance for Non-Finance Professionals
Skills you'll gain: Capital Budgeting, Cash Flows, Financial Analysis, Finance, Business Valuation, Return On Investment, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Financial Modeling, Investments, Financial Statements, Risk Analysis, Equities
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months