STA 240 Probability for Statistical Inference

Duke University Fall 2025

Below is a prospective outline for the course. Due dates are firm, but topics may change with advanced notice.

WEEK DATE PREPARE TOPIC MATERIALS DUE
1 Wed, Jan 7




Thu, Jan 8
Lab 0 (calculus review)
Lab 0 @11:59 PM
2 Mon, Jan 12
Set theory


Wed, Jan 14
Probability spaces


Thu, Jan 15
Lab 1 (hello R)
Lab 1 @11:59 PM
3 Mon, Jan 19
MLK Day - No classes


Wed, Jan 21
Counting


Thu, Jan 22


Lab 2 @11:59 PM
4 Mon, Jan 26
Counting


Wed, Jan 28
Conditional probability


Thu, Jan 29


Lab 3 @11:59 PM
5 Mon, Feb 2
Conditional probability


Wed, Feb 4
Random variables intro


Thu, Feb 5


Lab 4 @11:59 PM
6 Mon, Feb 9
Discrete families


Wed, Feb 11
Expected value


Thu, Feb 12
Midterm 1 review
Pset 3
7 Mon, Feb 16
Variance


Wed, Feb 18
Midterm 1


Thu, Feb 19


Lab 5 @11:59 PM
8 Mon, Feb 23
Cdfs, continuous random vars


Wed, Feb 25
Absolute continuity


Thu, Feb 26


Lab 6 @11:59 PM
9 Mon, Mar 2
Normal, gamma


Wed, Mar 4
Moments and quantiles


Thu, Mar 5
Lab 7 (transformations)
Lab 7 @11:59 PM
10 Mon, Mar 9
Spring Break - No classes

11 Mon, Mar 16
MGF


Wed, Mar 18
Joint discrete r.v.’s


Thu, Mar 19


Lab 8 @11:59 PM
12 Mon, Mar 23
Joint continuous r.v.’s


Wed, Mar 25
Sums and averages
Pset 5

Thu, Mar 26
Midterm 2 review

13 Mon, Mar 30
Midterm 2


Wed, Apr 1
Limit theorems


Thu, Apr 2


Lab 9 @11:59 PM
14 Mon, Apr 6
What is statistics?


Wed, Apr 8
What is statistics?


Thu, Apr 9


Lab 10 @11:59 PM
15 Mon, Apr 13
Maximum likelihood


Wed, Apr 15
Maximum likelihood
Pset 6

Thu, Apr 16


Lab 11 @11:59 PM
16 Mon, Apr 20
Bayesian inference


Wed, Apr 22
Bayesian inference

17 Mon, Apr 27
Final exam (9am-12pm)

Extra notes

You’re not responsible for any of this, but it’s extra stuff I had lying around that you might find interesting: