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Social Sciences Research Methods Programme | SSRMP

 

2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR


What is the Skill Check and why do I have to take it?

The SSRMP Skill Check is an online multiple-choice test, which will assess your competence in basic statistics. The results are used for one purpose only: to make sure you take modules suited to your skill level.

The results of the SSRMP Skill Check will not count towards your degree. Ever.

 

How does it work?

The test is taken via an online link. You should allow around one hour for the test, though if your statistical knowledge is extremely basic, it will take less time to complete.

It is an "open-book" test - you are welcome to refer to any textbooks, lecture notes or other source materials. But please don't Google excessively in an attempt to find the answer to questions you don't understand - it will only mean that you end up in a class that's too advanced for you.

When you have submitted your answers, the test will be marked automatically and you will receive a message telling you which module is most suitable for you in our basic statistics stream along with further instructions on what to do next. Please read these carefully.
 

Who should take the Skill Check?

Students wishing to take any of the modules below will need to take the Skill Check.

  • Foundations in Applied Statistics (FiAS)
  • Basic Quantitative Analysis (BQA)
  • Doing Multivariate Analysis (DMA)
  • Further Topics in Multivariate Analysis (FTMA)
     

Why do you have the Skill Check?

Students arrive at Cambridge with different levels of prior knowledge; the Skill Check helps you and your supervisor decide which Basic Statistics Stream (BSS) modules would suit you best. This may mean that you take a different set of modules from other students on your degree course: some students may need to take extra modules to catch up, while others may take more advanced modules than most of their classmates.

Take the Skill Check