DATA REDUCTION AND ERROR ANALYSIS FOR THE PHYSICAL

A first course in data reduction and error analysis with emphasis placed more upon hands-on experience than upon theory. Topics covered will include: sample statistics; the Binomial, Poisson, Gaussian and Lorentzian distributions; analysis of the propagation of errors; linear and nonlinear least squares; multiple regression and data manipulation techniques. Students will be expected to perform analyses using commercially available software and software of their own composition.