Mount Saint Mary College
Newburgh, NY 12550
Division of Mathematics and Computer Science
MTH 207 – Elementary Statistics
Summer 2008
Instructor: Lee Fothergill
Office: Aquinas 50 569-3347
e-mail:
Course Description:
This course introduces the student to the fundamental concepts of Elementary Statistics, including mean, variance and standard deviation, graphical representation of data, distributions, correlation and regression, contingency tables, and hypothesis testing. Students will also be using SPSS, a statistical software package for the social sciences, and will have access to the software in the computer lab.
Pre-requisites: Algebra
Required text: Kendrick, J. R., Social Statistics: An Introduction Using SPSS for Windows 2nd Ed, Pearson Publishing, 2005.
Additional requirements: any scientific calculator (graphing calculator OK).
Course Objectives: At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
v Understand the uses and abuses of statistics
v Understand methods of descriptive statistics, apply them appropriately for data analysis, and interpret results
v Use appropriate methods of hypothesis testing and interpret results
v Use SPSS to create and analyze data sets developed during the semester
Course requirements, penalties for late submissions, and absences:
Homework: 10% (one HW grade will be dropped)
Quizzes (3): 40%
Tests (3): 50%
Students are expected to READ each chapter. This textbook has three types of problems: Skills Practices, General Exercises, and SPSS Exercises. The answers to the Skills Practices are at the end of each chapter. These problems will not be assigned for HW, but students are recommended to use these problems for additional practice. All SPSS exercises use the GSS subset data set; it is on the CD with the text but it is also saved on the H-drive for you to access at any time. To do these HW problems you must be in a computer lab that has SPSS.
Some homework problems will be collected at the beginning of class and graded from the General and SPSS Exercises. Occasional late homework will be accepted, but it must be handed in BEFORE the next class that it is due or it will not be accepted.
Attendance will be taken daily. Excessive absences (and lateness) can be detrimental to the final grade. Make-ups will only be given for excused absences; please plan accordingly.
Grading Scale:
A 93-100 C+ 75-77 F Below 60
A- 88-92 C 72-74
B+ 85-87 C - 68-71
B 82-84 D+ 65-67
B- 78-81 D 60-64
Week / Tues / Thursday1 / Chapter 1 - GE 1, 3, 5, 6
Chapter 2 - GE 1, 2, 5;
2 / Chapter 3
Chapter 4 – GE 1,3; SPSS(A) 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 15
Quiz 1 / Chapter 5 - GE 3, 5, 9, 11, 15; SPSS(A) 1, 4, 5
3 / Review
Test 1 / Chapter 6 (skip IQV) - GE 5, 11,12, 13 SPSS(A) 1, 5
4 / Chapter 7 - GE 1, 3 & handout / Quiz 2
Chapter 8 - GE 5, 7; SPSS(B) 1, 3 & handout
5 / Chapters 6-8
Review
Test 2 / Chapter 9 - GE 2, 3, 4; SPSS(C) 1, 2, 6
6 / Chapter 12 - GE 3, 5, 8,11,14 ;
SPSS(B) 5, 9,
Quiz 3 / Chapter 13
Review
Test 3