Office
/ RCW 108Phone / 385-7367 / email:
Office Hours / Mon 9-10, Wed 2-3, Thu 10-11 and by appointment
MSTI 130 Fall 2006: Course Syllabus
What is Mathematical Modeling and Quantitative Analysis?
This course will provide students with the background necessary to study both the quantitative aspects of business and the foundations of multivariable calculus. This is accomplished through various projects, which will provide a contextual framework to study the mathematical content of the course. The course topics include functions of several variables (both their representations and uses) and curve fitting (statistical analysis of data and a study of parameters). These topics will be tied together through the central idea of mathematical modeling. Throughout the course, technology (primarily EXCEL) will be integrated and used as a tool for the solving of problems. This course is designed to satisfy the “Scientific and Quantitative Literacy” component of the college core, Foundations Tier.
Description of the “Scientific and Quantitative Literacy” area of the core
The goal of this core area is to investigate the question: In what ways can quantitative and scientific thinking help me make more informed decisions? Students will explore this question through a scientific and quantitative approach, and the results will be communicated using scientific writing, which is characterized by objectivity and the precise use of language. The scientific approach to learning about the world explored in this core area centers on the idea of asking questions and encompasses the notions that ideas must be testable and falsifiable, conclusions must be based on observations and be objective, and theories must be predictive rather than simply descriptive. This scientific approach to exploring the world is supported by quantitative methods for describing the world. These quantitative methods include the representation of data, the use of numbers and scale, the understanding of perspectives and bias in data, the notion of uncertainty in data, and the knowledge of methods and tools for the analysis of data. Courses in this core area are not about specific scientific facts and mathematical methods, but rather explore the nature of science and mathematics and their role in helping us understand the world. Students completing a major in mathematics or the sciences satisfy this core requirement by completing one of a number of specified clusters of courses in the sciences and are not required to take an additional course under this designation.
Student Learning Goals
- Students will identify components of the scientific method.
- Students will formulate questions/hypotheses and design quantitative approaches that could provide answers to their questions.
- Students will evaluate scientific conclusions and interpretations.
- Students will demonstrate precise, objective communication skills for reporting and interpreting scientific information.
Course Material Requirements
Text:Data Analysis through Modeling: Thinking and Writing in Context, Preliminary Edition, KrisGreen and Allen Emerson; available only through the book store
Email:All St. John Fisher students have email accounts, server space and computer access.
Internet Access:The course will be making extensive use of the BlackBoard Course Info system for storing materials related to the course, communicating information about assignments and class, and submitting work for grading. You expected to check it regularly to stay informed.
Thumb Drive:You will need a flash memory stick for this class and you should bring it to each and every class. You should keep all your work on this storage device, and you should back it up regularly.
Software:Most of your work must be submitted electronically. The accepted file formats are Microsoft WORD for word processing and Microsoft EXCEL for spreadsheets. In order to maintain compatibility with your classmates and the instructor, you must submit files in these formats. Use of other packages (such as Microsoft Works) will make it impossible for your work to be graded.
Tentative Outline
The following outline is a summary of all of the topics which are discussed within the required textbook for this course. To be successful within this course, it is imperative that students have a clear understanding of all of the topics that are covered and their relationship to each other. As we explore these topics throughout the semester, students should keep in mind this outline and attempt to make connections between each of these topics. It is important to realize that this is a tentative outline and topics may be added or removed at the instructor’s discretion.
Unit 1: Quantifying the World
Chapter 1: Problem Solving
Chapter 2: Understanding the Role of Data
Chapter 3: Using Models to Interpret Data
Unit 3: Analyzing Data Through Linear Models
Chapter 7: Correlation
Chapter 8: Simple Regression
Chapter 9: Multiple and Categorical Regression
Unit 4: Analyzing Data Through Nonlinear Models
Chapter 11: Graphical Approaches to Nonlinear Data
Chapter 12: Modeling with Nonlinear Data
Unit 5: Analyzing Data Using Calculus Models
Chapter 14: Optimization and Analysis of Models
Chapter 15: Deeper Exploration of Logs and Exponentials
Definition of “Assessment” in This Course
The instructors of this course make a distinction between evaluating student work and grading student work. Evaluation of student work has the primary goals of (1) providing feedback so that the student can improve and (2) showing the instructor which students need help and which topics need review so that everyone learns. The grading of student work has but one purpose: to provide a grade. In practice, this means that students in MSTI 130 will receive one grade at the end of the semester. This will be the only letter grade (other than a mid-semester grade, possibly) that you will receive during this course.
Objectives of This Course
This course has three main objectives. These will be assessed based on a variety of tools throughout the semester.
OBJECTIVE AREA / DESCRIPTION / POSSIBLE EVIDENCEMechanics & Techniques
(M&T) / Covers definitions, formulas, computational procedures/algorithms and computer procedures. /
- Homework
- Quizzes
- In-class work
- Midterm and Final
Applications & Reasoning
(A&R) / Covers decision making, interpretation, analysis, inferencing, and applications. /
- Homework
- Quizzes
- Midterm and Final
Communication & Professionalism
(C&P) / Covers writing, reading, argumentation, discipline and business-related behaviors, such as attendance and meeting deadlines. /
- Attendance records
- Writing ability/style
- Timeliness of Work
- Homework
- Class Preparation/Participation
Determination of Final Course Letter Grade
Your grade for the first half of the semester is averaged with your grade for the second half of the semester to determine your final course letter grade.
Your grade for the first half of the semester is determined as follows: your homework letter grade (up to the midterm) is averaged with your midterm exam letter grade. Your quiz grade is used to “swing” this average up or down in certain cases. Additional assignments and class activities will also affect your grade.
Your grade for the second half of the semester is determined as follows: your homework letter grade (from the midterm to the end of the semester is averaged with your final exam grade. Your quiz grade is used to “swing” this average up or down in certain cases.Additional assignments and class activities will also affect your grade.
Determination of Your Homework Grade
In many courses, each assignment is graded based on a variety of factors. These factors are then averaged together to produce the grade for that assignment. At the end of the term, all the assignments are further averaged together. We view things differently in this course. We are more interested in providing information to help you develop in the three areas (M&T, A&R, C&P). This means that you will receive three marks on each assignment; these marks will not be averaged together at the assignment level. Instead, we will look at your work across the semester in each of the three areas, and determine your overall performance by averaging within a grade area across all assignments. Then, these marks will be combined to produce your grade. Details of this process are described below.
Each homework assignment is assessed in each of the three objective areas M&T, A&R, and C&P. Each area is assigned either 0 or E or I. The lowest level is “0” for “No Credit. The next level is “E” for “Expected,” and the highest is “I” for “Impressive.” E- means “Not quite up to the expected level,” whereas E+ means “better than expected, but not impressive.” I- means “significant achievement but is a bit deficient in some aspect or other.” There is no I+ level.
You cannot determine your grade at the midterm or second half of the semester from a single letter, such as E. You need three letters, one from M&T, one from A&R, and one from C&P in order to determine your grade from the scale below:
F / D- / D- / D / D+ / C- / C- / C / C+ / C+ / B- / B- / B / B / B+ / A- / A- / A- / A / AEEE / EEI / IIE / III
A plus on any letter will shift your position one step to the right; a minus on any letter will shift your position one step to the left; a zero in place of any letter will result in your receiving an F.
EXAMPLE 1: E+ E+ E Starting at C+ for EEE, we move two steps upward to the right, arriving at the grade B-.
EXAMPLE 2: E+ I- E+ Starting at EEI (B), we right two steps (E+ E+) and then left one step (I-) to arrive at B+.
Your half-semester homework letters in each of the three areas are determined by the following scale
0 E- E E+ I- I
0 1 2 3 4 5
Add up your total number of earned points in each of three areas and use the following scale to assign a letter for the entire group of homework assignments: NOTE: The numerical allocations on the scale below are for illustrative purposes only and may change, depending on the number of assignments.
0: 0 – 4,E-: 5 – 9, E: 10 – 13, E+: 14 – 17, I-: 18 – 21, I: 22 - 25
Class Preparation
This includes, but is not limited to, reading the assigned material ahead of class, taking the read-ahead quizzes, downloading and unzipping all required files, being on time to class, and having your work done ahead of time in order that you may contribute meaningfully to class discussions and activities and to understand class lectures.
Late Work
In the business world, a deadline is a deadline. Penalties accrue if deadlines are not met. And so it must be in this class in all fairness to those who meet their deadlines and to me, the professor. I do not have a rigid schedule for reducing the grades of late submissions because I do not want people to simply give up submitting their late work because the penalty has become so large. Suffice it to say that you will be penalized for late work in the area of Communication & Professionalism because it is unprofessional to not meet your deadlines.
Attendance
It is expected that you will attend each and every class. Attendance is necessary, among other things, in order that a person be able to effectively contribute to his or her team. If it appears that someone is adversely affecting his/her team’s performance because of absences or tardiness, I will try to let that person know that he/she is causing problems for the team’s progress and I will try to help that person become a valued member of the team. If the situation does not significantly change for the better, that person has failed to achieve one of the major goals of the course (see above). Attendance is identified under Communication & Professionalism as one of the criteria for passing this course.In a similar vein, if a person does not fulfill his/her agreed-upon obligations to the team’s work outside of class (e.g. does not show up, is unreasonably late, does not perform his/her share of agreed-upon work), I will penalize that person for that particular project.
In short, it should be understood that I will not allow other peoples’ grades to suffer because of a particular person’s irresponsibility.
Submission of Work
All of your work (except possibly for in-class worksheets or quizzes) will be submitted electronically using the BlackBoard Course Info system. We will go over the process the first week of class. Since all work will be submitted electronically, I have established guidelines for your work in order to make the process easier for all of us.
- All work must be word processed in Microsoft Word (available on campus) and/or completed using Microsoft Excel (also available). This requirement will ensure that your files are compatible with the instructor and your fellow students.
- Your files should be named according to the following naming convention. Last name followed by initial of first name followed by the assignment number as a two-digit number: 01, 02, …, 99. Thus, if Joe Bob Briggs submits assignment 3 as a Microsoft Word file, the name of this file should be BriggsJ 03.doc. Excel files have the file extension xls rather than doc. Failure to comply with these naming conventions will result in penalties. Note: The computer will automatically add the appropriate file extension (either doc or xls) so that you do not need to type either of these when naming your files.
Read Ahead Quizzes
Every chapter of the course will include some “read ahead” material. This material will define some basic terms and give some introductory examples to prepare you for the next chapter. After reading this material, you should go online to the course site and take the reading quiz for that section. These quizzes will be part of your grade and are designed to make sure that you come to class prepared.
Getting Help
We will have tutors in the MathCenter this semester for about 25 hours during the week in order to assist you with homework. However, the math center and the tutors are not there to do the work for you. You should make every attempt to complete your work before going to the MathCenter. This will give the tutors a better chance of helping you with the material.
A Note about Cheating and Plagiarism
While I do hope that the subject never comes up, if cheating or plagiarism becomes a problem, I will follow the college procedures as stated in the Student Handbook for the college.
Statement Concerning Students with Disabilities
In compliance with St. JohnFisherCollege policy and applicable laws, appropriate academic accommodations are available to you if you are a student with a disability. All requests for accommodations must be supported by appropriate documentation/diagnosis and determined reasonable by St. JohnFisherCollege. Students with documented disabilities (physical. Learning, psychological) and who may need academic accommodations are advised to make an appointment with the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in the StudentDevelopmentCenter, K211. Late notification will delay requested accommodations.
Disclaimers
- Please be aware that I am free to retain photocopies or electronic copies of any work you complete for this course. I am then free to distribute these copies to future students as sample work. I will remove the names from such sample work.
- The course schedule provided here is a rough outline for the semester. Due to the nature of inquiry-based learning, lessons may run over and this may require an adjustment of the schedule as we go.
Planned Schedule
Day / Date / Class(T, TH 11-12:20, K054) / Quiz Due
(due BEFORE class) / Homework Due
(memos due on Saturday by 8AM)
Thu / 7-Sep / Section 1A
Tue / 12-Sep / Section 1B / Quiz Ch01 Due
Thu / 14-Sep / Section 2A / Quiz Ch02 Due / Memo 01 Due
Tue / 19-Sep / Section 2B/Project
Thu / 21-Sep / Section 3A / Quiz Ch03 Due / Memo 02 Due; Memo 01R
Tue / 26-Sep / Section 3B
Thu / 28-Sep / Section 7A / Quiz Ch07 Due / Memo 03 Due; Memo 02R
Tue / 3-Oct / Section 7B
Thu / 5-Oct / Section 8A / Quiz Ch08 Due / Memo 07 Due; Memo 03R
Tue / 10-Oct / Section 8B
Thu / 12-Oct / Section 9A / Quiz Ch09 Due / Memo 08 Due; Memo 07R
Tue / 17-Oct / Review
Thu / 19-Oct / Midterm exam / Memo 08R Due
Tue / 24-Oct / Section 9B
Thu / 26-Oct / Section 11A / Quiz Ch11 Due / Memo 09 Due
Tue / 31-Oct / Section 11B
Thu / 2-Nov / Section 12A / Quiz Ch12 Due / Memo 11 Due; Memo 09R
Tue / 7-Nov / Section 12A
Thu / 9-Nov / Section 12B
Tue / 14-Nov / Section 12B
Thu / 16-Nov / Section 14A / Quiz Ch14 Due / Memo 12 Due; Memo 11R
Tue / 21-Nov / Section 14B
Thu / 23-Nov / No class
Tue / 28-Nov / Chapter 14 (cont)
Thu / 30-Nov / Section 15A / Quiz Ch15 Due / Memo 14 Due; Memo 12R
Tue / 5-Dec / Section 15B / Memo 14Rand 15 due before final
Thu / 7-Dec / Review / Memo 15R due at final