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

Rice University
Basic Data Descriptors, Statistical Distributions, and Application to Business Decisions
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Probability & Statistics, Probability Distribution, Business Analytics, Microsoft Excel, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Box Plots, Sampling (Statistics), Correlation Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.6K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
Statistics for Data Science with Python
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Probability Distribution, Statistics, Data Visualization, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Regression Analysis, Data Science, Matplotlib, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Inference, Probability, Correlation Analysis, Pandas (Python Package), Jupyter
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
428 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
IBM
Statistical Analysis Fundamentals using Excel
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Regression Analysis, Forecasting, Business Analytics, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Statistics, Spreadsheet Software, Predictive Analytics, Probability
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
82 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
DeepLearning.AI
Neural Networks and Deep Learning
Skills you'll gain: Deep Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Tensorflow, Supervised Learning, Keras (Neural Network Library), Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Python Programming, NumPy, Performance Tuning
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
123K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Johns Hopkins University
Data Science: Statistics and Machine Learning
Skills you'll gain: Shiny (R Package), Rmarkdown, Regression Analysis, Leaflet (Software), Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Inference, Predictive Modeling, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Plotly, Machine Learning Algorithms, Interactive Data Visualization, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Machine Learning, Feature Engineering, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Modeling, Probability, Correlation Analysis, Data Science, Data Analysis
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
7.2K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 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
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
Status: [object Object]
IBM
IBM Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Data Visualization Software, Data Wrangling, Data Visualization, SQL, Supervised Learning, Feature Engineering, Plotly, Interactive Data Visualization, Jupyter, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Mining, Data Cleansing, Matplotlib, Data Analysis, Unsupervised Learning, Generative AI, Pandas (Python Package), Data Manipulation, Professional Networking
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
140K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 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
Johns Hopkins University
Data Science: Foundations using R
Skills you'll gain: Rmarkdown, Exploratory Data Analysis, Version Control, Statistical Analysis, R Programming, Data Manipulation, Data Cleansing, Data Science, Data Visualization, Statistical Programming, Ggplot2, Dimensionality Reduction, Data Visualization Software, Data Integration, Knitr, Data Analysis, Data Import/Export, General Science and Research, Data Sharing, Statistical Reporting
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
48K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
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
IIMA - IIM Ahmedabad
Pre-MBA Statistics
Skills you'll gain: Sampling (Statistics), Probability, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Statistics, Probability Distribution, Statistical Methods, Statistical Inference, Estimation, Statistical Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Sample Size Determination, Data Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
263 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months