STAT 110—Fundamentals of Statistics
Course Syllabus – Summer 2014
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Brant Deppa
OFFICE: 311 Gildemeister Hall
PHONE: 507-457-5457
E-MAIL:
OFFICE HOURS: An hour before and after class
COURSE WEBSITE: http://course1.winona.edu/bdeppa/. All announcements, notes, homework assignments, and other important documents will be posted at this site.
Grades and Tegrity recordings (recorded lectures and software demonstrations) will be posted on D2L (https://winona.ims.mnscu.edu/).
REQUIRED SOFTWARE:
· JMP 11 – available from WSU network for free
OPTIONAL TEXT: There is no text required for this course. However, if you would like to refer to a textbook, a good reference is Mind on Statistics (3rd edition) by Utts and Heckard.
PREREQUISITES: Qualifying score on the mathematics placement exam or MATH 050.
BASIC SKILLS LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course can be used to satisfy the University Studies requirements for Basic Skills in Mathematics or Goal Area 4 under new General Education Program. This course includes requirements and learning activities that promote your abilities to…
§ use logical reasoning by studying mathematical patterns and relationships;
One of the major goals of statistics is to find patterns and relationships in datasets. Hence almost all lectures, homework problems, and test questions in the course have the study of patterns for variables and relationships between variables as their basis.
§ use mathematical models to describe real-world phenomena and to solve real-world problems - as well as understand the limitations of models in making predictions and drawing conclusions;
In all of the textbooks and course notes used in STAT 110 the majority of the problems are real-world based and are “word” problems. Further, all instructors require the students when doing such problems to write conclusions and discuss limitations.
§ organize data, communicate the essential features of the data, and interpret the data in a meaningful way;
This is the heart of STAT 110. The topics covered are chosen so that students who complete the course can organize data, communicate essential features of the data both numerically and graphically and provide interpretations/conclusions.
§ do a critical analysis of scientific and other research;
The scientific method is discussed early in the course. The logic of hypothesis testing is discussed in detail. Further, on tests and written assignments the students are expected to go beyond a simple analysis and provide implications, interpretations, and conclusions.
§ extract correct information from tables and common graphical displays, such as line graphs, scatter plots, histograms, and frequency tables;
All of these topics are explicitly taught in STAT 110 and are on the course outline. Please note that “line graphs” is subsumed under “Frequency distributions and histograms”. Also, please note that “scatter plots” are more formally called “Bivariate displays” by statisticians.
§ express the relationships illustrated in graphical displays and tables clearly and correctly in words;
As can be seen from the course outline, graphical displays and tables cover a significant portion of the course content. As discussed above, interpretation in words is expected by all instructors on homework and tests.
§ use appropriate technology to describe and solve quantitative problems.
As stated on the course outline, “It is required that at least one assignment using an appropriate computer package be included in the course.” In this section of STAT 110, we will primarily use a statistical software package called JMP.
ASSESSMENT TASKS: You will be asked to demonstrate the above learning outcomes through the following tasks. Moreover, your grade will be based on these items.
1. Assignments/Projects These assessments will be done in groups, with nearly 100% of this work being carried out in class. All assignments must be word processed, free of grammatical/spelling errors, and formatted nicely. I have a sample assignment posted on my website, your group should strive to meet that standard. For more details on how the groups should work, see the separate heading below.
General Assignment Policies:
v All group member names and roles must be prominently display at the top of each assignment. Also on non-group assignments make sure name is at the top of the document.
v All assignments must be submitted via D2L dropbox. Your group’s report writer must be the one submitting the assignment via D2L into their dropbox.
v Late homework assignments will be assessed a 20% penalty for being late and WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED after graded assignments are returned to other students.
2. Two Session Exams:
These exams will require you to demonstrate your understanding of the material as opposed to your ability to memorize certain concepts. The format will primarily be a combination of short answer, multiple choice, and T/F.
EXAM POLICY: Exam dates will be announced later but I imagine they will be on Fridays. Rescheduling of an exam will be permitted only if there is a family/medical emergency. Also, you must contact me before the exam is to be taken. Arrangements will be made for the exam to be taken at an earlier time, if at all possible.
3. Final Exam
Again, you will be asked to demonstrate your achievement of the learning outcomes.
Grading: Your course grade will be based on the following
Homework, Projects, & Quizzes / 45 %Session Exams (2) / 30 %
Final Exam / 25 %
Final grades will be fairly close to straight percentages and will be no higher, i.e.
(90+ % = A, 80 – 89 % = B, 70 - 79% = C, 60 – 69% = D, F = less than 60%)
Assignments:
Nearly all of the homework assignments will require the use the statistical software package
JMP 11 which you can download and install off the WSU network. It is imperative that at least one group member bring their laptop to class each day! It would probably be best if everyone had their laptops, especially on days when we will spend time in class working on assignments (this will generally be every day). On assignments where JMP is required, all relevant tables and graphs should be incorporated into your solutions. Homework/projects must be turned in on the due date in the D2L dropbox of your groups report writer. Late homework will be penalized as outlined above.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: Class time will consist of a mix of lecture, discussion, and in-class tasks for active discovery. You should be sure to always check for new lecture notes on the course website before class begins. I will probably be printing notes and bringing them to class, if that needs to change I will let you know.
You will also be responsible for viewing any on-line content (Tegrity on D2L, Narrated Powerpoints & Software Demos on http://course1.winona.edu/bdeppa/.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: I expect you to attend class every day. However, in the event that you have to miss a class, YOU are responsible for the material covered as well as any in-class group work and homework assigned during that period. This means if you miss a group work day, you will need to complete the assignment yourself, your group members will not be putting your name on the assignment. Turning in a duplicate of your groups work will result in a 0!
LAPTOP POLICY: I encourage you to bring your laptop to class every day so that our classroom can function as a computer lab. At least one group member must bring their laptop to class!
I expect you to use your laptop in class for ACADEMIC PURPOSES ONLY! Also having a FULL BATTERY (or nearly full) is really beneficial! During lectures there is no reason to have your laptop open, unless I instruct you to.
SOFTWARE: We will be using JMP 11 exclusively for data analysis this semester. If you do not have a WSU laptop, JMP is available on several computers in the Library or you can buy a 6-month license by going to the following website: http://www.onthehub.com/jmp/
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY: The WSU Undergraduate Catalog contains a full listing of policies and procedures pertaining to this issue: http://www.winona.edu/sld/6316.asp. Note that both copying another student’s work and allowing someone to copy your work are clear violations of WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy. If there is reasonable evidence of copying another individual’s or group’s work, it will be construed as an act of plagiarism. The first occurrence of cheating will result in a score of zero on that specific assessment; the second occurrence will result in failure of the course.
EXPECTATIONS:
In this course, I expect each of you:
v to genuinely try your hardest and to demand the best of yourself.
v to seek help if you are confused or if you are starting to fall behind. Please make use of my office hours or the tutoring available in the library.
v to be an active learner. This involves ATTENDING and PARTICIPATING in class.
In return, you can expect the following from me:
v a sincere desire for you to learn and an effort to support you in your learning.
v an honest attempt to be fair to everyone in the class.
v an effort to make the learning atmosphere productive and enjoyable.
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE:
WSU recognizes that our individual differences can deepen our understanding of one another and the world around us, rather than divide us. In this class, people of all ethnicities, genders, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and nationalities are strongly encouraged to share their rich array of perspectives and experiences. If you feel your differences may in some way isolate you from WSU’s community or if you have a need of any specific accommodations, please speak with the instructor early in the semester about your concerns and what we can do together to help you become an active and engaged member of our class and community.
Campus Resources
· Student Support Services, Krueger Library 219, 457-5465 (www.winona.edu/studentsupportservices/)
· Inclusion and Diversity Office, Kryzsko Commons Room 122, 457-5595 (www.winona.edu/culturaldiversity/)
· Disability Services, Maxwell 314, 457-5878 (www.winona.edu/disabilityservices/)
· Counseling Center, Wabasha Hall 220, 457-5330 (www.winona.edu/counselingcenter/)
· Writing Center, Minné Hall 348, 457-5505 (www.winona.edu/writingcenter/)
· GLBTA Advocate, Wabasha Hall 220, 457-5330 (www.winona.edu/counselingcenter/)
· Advising and Retention, Maxwell 314, 457-5878 (www.winona.edu/advising/)
Details about Campus Resources
· Two good places to help you find resources of all kinds on campus are Student Support Services and the Inclusion and Diversity Office. Both offices are dedicated to helping students of all races, ethnicities, economic backgrounds, nationalities, and sexual orientations. They can facilitate tutoring and point you to a wide range of resources. Student Support Services is in Krueger Library 219, and they can be reached at 457-5465. The Inclusion and Diversity Office is in Kryzsko Commons Room 122, and they can be reached at 457-5595.
· If you have a disability, Disability Services can document it for your professors and facilitate accommodation. Their office is in Maxwell Hall, 3rd floor, and they can be reached at 457-5878. If you have a documented disability that requires accommodation, please let me know as soon as possible. If you suspect you may have a disability, you are encouraged to visit the DRC as soon as possible.
· College can be very stressful. The Counseling Center is there to help you with a wide range of difficulties, ranging from sexual assault, depression, and grief after the loss of a loved one to stress management, anxiety, general adjustment to college, and many others. Their office is located in Wabasha Hall 220, and they can be reached at 457-5330.
· The Math Achievement Center (MAC) is located on the 3rd floor of Tau Center 313 & 314. When classes are not begin held the center is open if you’re looking for a place to study, and free tutoring for this and other courses is available from Mon. – Thurs. 1 – 10 pm, Fri. 1 – 5 pm, and Sunday 4 – 8 pm.
· For help with writing and the development of papers, the English department has a Writing Center available to students and staffed by trained graduate students pursuing their Master’s degree in English. The Writing Center is located in Minné Hall 348. You can make an appointment on the sign-up sheet on the door or call 457-5505.
· The GLBTA Advocate is responsible for documenting homophobic incidents on campus and working with the appropriate channels to get these incidents resolved. In addition, the advocate can direct people to GLBT resources on campus and in Winona. Contact the Counseling Center for the name and number of the current GLBTA Advocate. (Wabasha Hall 220, 457-5330)
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE:
1. Introduction to Statistics
a. Some Definitions
b. The Importance of Random Sampling
c. Types of Studies and Basic Experimental Design
d. Data Types
e. Introduction to JMP
2. Preliminary Look at Descriptive Statistics
– describing data numerically and visually
a. Single categorical variable
b. Single numerical variable
c. Examining relationships between two variables
o Two categorical/ordinal variables
o One numeric and one categorical
o Two numeric variables
3. Methods for a Single Categorical Variable
a. Descriptive Methods
b. Discussion of Sample-to-Sample Variation
c. Using the Binomial Probability Model to Make Decisions
d. Structure of Statistical Inference (Hypothesis Tests and Confidence Intervals)
e. Inferences for a Single Proportion
4. Methods for Two or More Categorical Variables
a. Descriptive Methods
b. More Descriptive Methods: Relative Risk and Odds Ratios
c. Inferences for Comparing Two Proportions
d. Inferences for Comparing Several Proportions for a Single Variable
e. Inferences for Comparing Several Proportions Across Another Variable
5. Methods for a Single Numerical Variable
a. Descriptive Methods
b. Inferences for a Single Mean
c. Inferences for Comparing Two Means with Dependent Groups
d. Inferences for Comparing Two Means with Independent Groups
e. Methods to Compare Several (more than two) Group Means
6. Methods for Two or More Numerical Variables
a. Descriptive Methods
b. Correlation
c. Introduction to Simple Linear Regression
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