BILD 5 — Data Analysis and Design for Biologists
Co-developed with Liam O’Connor Mueller. BILD 5 is a required course for all UC San Diego biology majors.
A four-credit introduction to information literacy, experimental design, and quantitative analysis. Students learn to ask testable biological questions, design experiments to address them, analyze data in R, interpret statistical results, and communicate findings clearly.
Course structure
The course moves through the full investigative cycle: question, design, analysis, interpretation, and communication. Its ten learning outcomes span creating hypotheses, evaluating scientific evidence, performing and interpreting quantitative analyses, and considering the ethical responsibilities of communicating scientific data.
Coding is done in R using RStudio on the UC San Diego DataHub, a browser-based environment that runs on any device, including Chromebooks. There is no textbook and no software to install.
Design choices
- No prerequisites. No math, coding, or lab experience required. The course is designed as an on-ramp for students from a wide range of backgrounds and preparations.
- A different framing of statistics. Hypothesis testing is taught as a way of reasoning about uncertainty rather than a catalog of tests. Power, effect size, p-values, and sample size are introduced together so students see how they interact.
- Scaffolded term project. Students design their own biological question and work through an investigative cycle with simulated data, receiving instructor feedback at each stage. The final product is intended to be portfolio-ready.
- Accessible infrastructure. Free course materials, a browser-based coding environment, and policies that drop the lowest quiz, assignment, and discussion scores.
- Generative AI policy. Students may use AI on assignments if they disclose the tool and how it was used. AI is not permitted during closed-note, in-person quizzes and exams. The policy is revised based on classroom experience and research.
- Co-developed curriculum. Designed in collaboration with Liam O’Connor Mueller.