STAT 290: Statistics

Fall 2005 Office Hours:

                    Thurs  1:15 -3:15
Mon/Weds/Fri  9:30-11:30
        Sunday  4:00 -5:00
 

Objectives: By the end of this course, a successful student will:

• Learn the vocabulary and basic rules of statistics and data-based reasoning.

• Acquire a knowledge of the laws of probability, from a Calculus-based perspective.

• Understand tendencies present in common random events.

• Be able to interpret simple real world data and charts of one or two samples.

• Be familiar with issues of data collection, analysis, and drawing conclusions from data.

• Achieve a basic level of statistical proficiency on MS Excel and SPSS.

Prerequisites:  Calculus II (can be taken concurrently). Students who are deficient in this prerequisite may be given permission to enroll, but will have to do some extra catch-up work.

Textbooks and Materials:
   Required:
         Devore, Probability and Statistics, 6th Edition (2003)
   Other Materials:
          You will want a calculator that can compute nCr ($11.96 at Wal-Mart).
          All other materials will be provided, as needed

Evaluation: Course grades are determined by combining all of the points for the semester, which come from homework assignments, projects, midterms, and a comprehensive final exam.

A mediocre student should expect a C, although  I hope that none of you are mediocre students. I plan to use a straight percentage system, 90% needed for an A and 60% needed to pass.

Grades will be based on the following 1000-point system:  

Your ten highest homework grades will be added together; the other four homework assignments will only count for half of their value. If that sounds confusing (it is), think of it this way: Instead of dropping your lowest grades, you drop half of your lowest four grades.

Honor: It is also assumed that everyone will behave in a trustworthy and honest manner throughout this course. I give a great benefit of the doubt as long as possible, but this class has no room for those who won't play fair. If you have a question about the "house rules," ask me. Any cheating, plagiarism, or other trust-breaking will result in failing the course. Period.

Homework: will be assigned weekly. Homework is due by 10:00 AM on the day we choose (probably Wednesday). Homework turned in late will receive a penalty of 10% if it is turned in by the next class, 20% if it is up to a week late, and 10% more each week after that; It will also be graded more harshly, giving less benefit of the doubt. Once assigned, homework will be posted on this Web Page: http://www2.truman.edu/~salberts/290hw.htm

Students are invited to meet with each other, especially those with different backgrounds, to talk about their homework problems and other topics in the class. However, I would like you to write up your own solutions, without copying directly from another person's paper.  Always explicitly list your homework partners on your homework.

Projects: This class has an individual project, tentatively due December 1. For this project, you will read several scientific papers, about which you will probably know very little. Despite this, you will write a brief summary of one of the papers, explaining the statistics and what the researchers are trying to accomplish with the paper.

Exams: Exams are more in-depth than homework, but most of the questions will be similar to homework problems. Several will be more challenging. This course will have three midterm exams. In addition, the course will have a comprehensive final given at the assigned time.

I hate giving make-up exams. If you are going to be away, take the exam early. You will be penalized between 10% and 40% for taking an exam after it is given to the class, even if you have a good reason. At the same time, if you're really sick, stay home. For the final, You can take the final at one of a couple of choices.

Newspapers/Participation: It is assumed that everyone will come to class all of the time, read ahead, think about things, and either speak in class or in the BlackBoard Forum.

One easy way to get participation points is by reading the newspaper, attending Mathematics Colloquia or other events I'll mention in class.  For each, you'll do a one-page write-up explaining the article/event, mention what it had to do (if anything) with statistics, and give your own thoughts about it.

Tentative schedule: (subject to change)