简明的说统计是处理数据的工具。本课程学习内容是：关于数据资料的收集、整理、分析和推断的原理、方法。数据是有说服力的, 一个观点有了数据支持会增强其合理性、一个结论用数据说明会提高其可信度；另外在科学研究中，用统计方法从数据中获得信息和发现初步规律往往成为重大科学发现的先导；统计思维是一种创新思维。学生了解一些统计知识有助于提高对社会、自然现象的认识, 拓宽知识面；学习统计方法有助于提高分析问题和解决实际问题的能力;学生掌握一些数据处理的方法将有助于提高写作毕业论文的质量。选修本课程无需有先修课程，数学只要有初等数学基础就可选修，欢迎文科学生选修。

Briefly speaking, statistics is a tool to deal with data. The course covers collecting, collating and analyzing data, as well as the theory and methods of the deduction of data. Data is persuasive in that an opinion in support with data enhances its rationality, and a conclusion illustrated by data increases in degree of confidence. Besides, in scientific researches, obtaining information and discovering preliminary laws from data by means of statistical methods. Statistical thinking is a kind of creative thinking. For students, knowing about some statistical knowledge will help to raise awareness of social and natural phenomenon and broaden their scope of knowledge; acquiring statistical methods will do good to their abilities of analyzing and solving practical problems; mastering some methods of dealing with data will benefit the quality of their graduation theses. Taking this course does not require prerequisite courses; foundation of primary mathematics will do. Welcome students of liberal art to elect this course.