Linear Regression for Business Statistics (Coursera)

Offered by Rice University,
Linear Regression for Business Statistics (Coursera)

Regression Analysis is perhaps the single most important Business Statistics tool used in the industry. Regression is the engine behind a multitude of data analytics applications used for many forms of forecasting and prediction. This is the fourth course in the specialization, "Business Statistics and Analysis". The course introduces you to the very important tool known as Linear Regression. You will learn to apply various procedures such as dummy variable regressions, transforming variables, and interaction effects. All these are introduced and explained using easy to understand examples in Microsoft Excel.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

The focus of the course is on understanding and application, rather than detailed mathematical derivations.
Note: This course uses the ‘Data Analysis’ tool box which is standard with the Windows version of Microsoft Excel. It is also standard with the 2016 or later Mac version of Excel. However, it is not standard with earlier versions of Excel for Mac.
Course 4 of 5 in the Business Statistics and Analysis Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Module 1: Regression Analysis: An Introduction
In this module you will get introduced to the Linear Regression Model. We will build a regression model and estimate it using Excel. We will use the estimated model to infer relationships between various variables and use the model to make predictions. The module also introduces the notion of errors, residuals and R-square in a regression model.
Topics covered include:
• Introducing the Linear Regression
• Building a Regression Model and estimating it using Excel
• Making inferences using the estimated model
• Using the Regression model to make predictions
• Errors, Residuals and R-square

WEEK 2
Module 2: Regression Analysis: Hypothesis Testing and Goodness of Fit
This module presents different hypothesis tests you could do using the Regression output. These tests are an important part of inference and the module introduces them using Excel based examples. The p-values are introduced along with goodness of fit measures R-square and the adjusted R-square. Towards the end of module we introduce the ‘Dummy variable regression’ which is used to incorporate categorical variables in a regression.
Topics covered include:
• Hypothesis testing in a Linear Regression
• ‘Goodness of Fit’ measures (R-square, adjusted R-square)
• Dummy variable Regression (using Categorical variables in a Regression)

WEEK 3
Module 3: Regression Analysis: Dummy Variables, Multicollinearity
This module continues with the application of Dummy variable Regression. You get to understand the interpretation of Regression output in the presence of categorical variables. Examples are worked out to re-inforce various concepts introduced. The module also explains what is Multicollinearity and how to deal with it.
Topics covered include:
• Dummy variable Regression (using Categorical variables in a Regression)
• Interpretation of coefficients and p-values in the presence of Dummy variables
• Multicollinearity in Regression Models

WEEK 4
Module 4: Regression Analysis: Various Extensions
The module extends your understanding of the Linear Regression, introducing techniques such as mean-centering of variables and building confidence bounds for predictions using the Regression model. A powerful regression extension known as ‘Interaction variables’ is introduced and explained using examples. We also study the transformation of variables in a regression and in that context introduce the log-log and the semi-log regression models.
Topics covered include:
• Mean centering of variables in a Regression model
• Building confidence bounds for predictions using a Regression model
• Interaction effects in a Regression
• Transformation of variables
• The log-log and semi-log regression models

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Leadership Through Marketing (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Leadership Through Marketing (Coursera)

The success of every organization depends on attracting and retaining customers. Although the marketing concepts for doing so are well established, digital technology has empowered customers, while producing massive amounts of data, revolutionizing the processes through which organizations attract and retain customers. In this course, students will learn how to identify new opportunities to create value for empowered consumers, develop strategies that yield an advantage over rivals, and develop the data science skills to lead more effectively, allocate resources, and to confront this very challenging environment with confidence.

Jun 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Interprofessional Healthcare Informatics (Coursera) Coursera
University of Minnesota

Interprofessional Healthcare Informatics (Coursera)

Interprofessional Healthcare Informatics is a graduate-level, hands-on interactive exploration of real informatics tools and techniques offered by the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota's National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. We will be incorporating technology-enabled educational innovations to bring the subject matter to life. Over the 10 modules, we will create a vital online learning community and a working healthcare informatics network.

Jun 22nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Linear Regression and Modeling (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

Linear Regression and Modeling (Coursera)

This course introduces simple and multiple linear regression models. These models allow you to assess the relationship between variables in a data set and a continuous response variable. Is there a relationship between the physical attractiveness of a professor and their student evaluation scores? Can we predict the test score for a child based on certain characteristics of his or her mother? In this course, you will learn the fundamental theory behind linear regression and, through data examples, learn to fit, examine, and utilize regression models to examine relationships between multiple variables, using the free statistical software R and RStudio.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Data Manipulation at Scale: Systems and Algorithms (Coursera) Coursera
University of Washington

Data Manipulation at Scale: Systems and Algorithms (Coursera)

Data analysis has replaced data acquisition as the bottleneck to evidence-based decision making --- we are drowning in it. Extracting knowledge from large, heterogeneous, and noisy datasets requires not only powerful computing resources, but the programming abstractions to use them effectively. The abstractions that emerged in the last decade blend ideas from parallel databases, distributed systems, and programming languages to create a new class of scalable data analytics platforms that form the foundation for data science at realistic scales.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Intelligence Concepts, Tools, and Applications (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado System

Business Intelligence Concepts, Tools, and Applications (Coursera)

This is the fourth course in the Data Warehouse for Business Intelligence specialization. Ideally, the courses should be taken in sequence. In this course, you will gain the knowledge and skills for using data warehouses for business intelligence purposes and for working as a business intelligence developer. You’ll have the opportunity to work with large data sets in a data warehouse environment and will learn the use of MicroStrategy's Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) and Visualization capabilities to create visualizations and dashboards.

Jun 22nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Practical Machine Learning (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Practical Machine Learning (Coursera)

One of the most common tasks performed by data scientists and data analysts are prediction and machine learning. This course will cover the basic components of building and applying prediction functions with an emphasis on practical applications. The course will provide basic grounding in concepts such as training and tests sets, overfitting, and error rates.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
The Data Scientist's Toolbox (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

The Data Scientist's Toolbox (Coursera)

In this course you will get an introduction to the main tools and ideas in the data scientist's toolbox. The course gives an overview of the data, questions, and tools that data analysts and data scientists work with. There are two components to this course. The first is a conceptual introduction to the ideas behind turning data into actionable knowledge. The second is a practical introduction to the tools that will be used in the program like version control, markdown, git, GitHub, R, and RStudio.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Reproducible Research (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Reproducible Research (Coursera)

This course focuses on the concepts and tools behind reporting modern data analyses in a reproducible manner. Reproducible research is the idea that data analyses, and more generally, scientific claims, are published with their data and software code so that others may verify the findings and build upon them. The need for reproducibility is increasing dramatically as data analyses become more complex, involving larger datasets and more sophisticated computations.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Fundamentals of GIS (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Davis

Fundamentals of GIS (Coursera)

Explore the world of spatial analysis and cartography with geographic information systems (GIS). What you will learn: define core geospatial concepts; practice with subset data using selections and feature attributes; create map books using advanced mapping techniques; create layer and map packages.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Principles of fMRI 1 (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Principles of fMRI 1 (Coursera)

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is the most widely used technique for investigating the living, functioning human brain as people perform tasks and experience mental states. It is a convergence point for multidisciplinary work from many disciplines. Psychologists, statisticians, physicists, computer scientists, neuroscientists, medical researchers, behavioral scientists, engineers, public health researchers, biologists, and others are coming together to advance our understanding of the human mind and brain. This course covers the design, acquisition, and analysis of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data, including psychological inference, MR Physics, K Space, experimental design, pre-processing of fMRI data, as well as Generalized Linear Models (GLM’s).

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks