K. Scott Alberts Professor of Statistics Truman State University salberts@truman.edu Violette Hall 2132 660.785.7649	Spring 2012 Office Hours:   Wkdays 9:45-11:15 AM add'l times by appt.

Cell Phone: (660) 349-4894
I give this number to you under the condition that you never call me on it.
Knowing that, if you still need to talk to me, knock yourself out.

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

• Achieve a working knowledge of how to analyze data where traditional assumptions may not be true.
• Know the strengths and weaknesses present in various sampling strategies.
• Demonstrate a moderate level of proficiency using both Microsoft Excel, SPSS, and MINITAB.
• Understand difficulties inherent in real world data collection.
• Use the techniques learned on a major project involving a real world phenomenon of interest to the campus community
• Work successfully in an unstructured team setting solving unforeseen problems as they arise.

Materials:
Especially Recommended: (you'll at least want to be able to share this)
Corder and Foreman, 2009. Nonparametric Statistics for Non-Statisticians: A Step-by-Step Approach. Wiley:978-0470454619
Recommended:
Fowler, Floyd, 2002. Survey Research Methods, 4th Edition, Sage:1412958415.
Henry, Gary, 1990. Practical Sampling, Sage: 0803929595
Other materials will be provided, as needed, although frequent access to a computer will be needed for homework.
You will have to use a campus computer lab for your homework.

Evaluation: Course grades are determined by combining all of the points for the semester, which comes from the project, homework, exams, attendance/ participation/optional "Deep Assignments." A mediocre student should expect a low C, although  I hope that none of you are mediocre students. I plan to use a straight percentage system, with the possibility of a small curve applied at the end.

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

Project: The class centers around a semester-long project. The project will focus on a phenomenon on campus. This project is worth 35% of your course grade. Everyone in your group will receive the exact same grade for the group project grade, but receive an individual grade based on their group grade and their own effort on the project. The presentations for the class will be on the evening of Tuesday, April 17th, from 6:00-9:00 PM, in Violette 1010, unless we can all agree to do it another time and get space. Your course grade will be lowered one letter grade if you do not attend or stay the entire time. Exceptions and changes require much advance planning and notice. The project requires a publicly released report and presentation as well as a submitted data set and analysis. See the separate handout for more information.

Exams: Exams are less in-depth than homework, but many of the questions will be similar to homework problems. Several might be challenging. This course will have three exams during the course of the semester. They are tentatively scheduled around the 17th of each month, but will have some play, based on how the semester goes. Some might be take-home exams, and some might involve group work beyond the individual exam.

Exams aren't worth too many points, but involve both higher order reasoning and computer use. Most of the points will involve word problems that you will be required to describe and set up. Then, using a computer, you will solve them. There will also usually be essays or other open-ended questions, as well as multiple-choice or true-false questions. In-Class exams are closed book, but you are allowed to bring a single sheet of standard paper, with any notes or formulae you'd like.

I hate giving make-up exams. If you are going to be away, take the exam early. You will be penalized 10-40% for taking an exam after it is given to the class. If you are sick, contact me right away.

Final Exam: The final exam is worth less than a midterm exam, but missing the final will lower your course grade by two full letter grades. It will be almost all essay questions. The exam will happen in a computer lab, and you will submit your responses to me electronically. Very high-tech. Your final is scheduled for Monday, April 30th, at 11:30 AM. Requests to change the final exam time must be made before midterm break.

Computer Labs: will sometimes involve a trip to the computer lab as a class, but will sometimes just require you to work on a short worksheet outside of class. They are normally pretty straightforward.

Homework: will be assigned and collected weekly. Homework is due to the envelope outside of my office (VH 2132) by Noon on Fridays (unless we and the grader agree to another time). At the top of your homework, please include the name or names of the people who worked on the assignment. Write the assignment number, so we can track of things more easily. Staple your homework, please.

Once assigned, homework is listed on the homework paged (linked from this one). 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. You may even turn in assignments as a pair, provided that I am convinced that no slacking has occurred and that you are working with someone who does not have the same major. If you work with others, even if you turn in separate assignments, be sure to mention with whom you worked.

Homework is graded out of 15 points, with more emphasis on learning the concept than about giving a point here or there.

Late Homework Policy: Late homework loses 10% if it is turned in late, 25% if it is more than a week late.
 
Deep Assignments: These are optional, larger assignments that you can choose from a list I will provide or propose one of your own. They involve doing something to make the class better, and are often done with a partner or team. They may include improving an assignment or lab, developing a new data set for class use, or something else. You can do additional Deep Assignments to make up for deficiencies in other parts of your grade, up to a total of 100 points.

Individual Project Grade and Class Participation: You will be asked to reflect on your project several times through the semester. In addition, you will be asked to comment on your own and group members work on the project. I will also use my own notes, talk to your client, and watch how your group interacts at the presentation and conferences with me.
 
The average of your members' participation grades will be equal your project grade. If the work is shared evenly (which isn't likely) on a C+ project, each person should expect a C+ on the project participation grade. Obviously good teams will have more goodwill to share. I have no problem dropping you multiple letter grades because of your project participation, and have no problems giving a jillion "A" grades, either.  

It is assumed that everyone will come to class all of the time, read ahead, think about things, and occasionally speak in class. At the end of the semester, class members may (should?) complete a "Self-Serving Statement," detailing their participation and attendance record, documenting effort, and commenting on other students' performance, especially those in their project and homework groups.  

This class assumes that each week's reading and homework assignments will take you 3-5 hours of work, and your project will take at least 20 hours per person. I try to spread this out over the entire semester, but some weeks will be a lot of work for you. If you find that you are doing substantially more than what I suspect, keep a good log, and you will be rewarded in your participation grade. If you come to class most of the time, seldom speak in class, and do homework by yourself, you will receive a C+ for your class participation grade. Classroom Participation counts as one fifteen-point Deep Assignment, but it is also what I use for people on the margins as a tiebreaker.

Special Needs: If you have a disability or special need during this class, you should contact me and the Disability Services office (x4478) early in the semester. To ensure specific accommodations, that office must document and verify your needs. While reasonable accommodations will be provided for any special needs, excellence is required of all students in the class.

Flu: If you have a fever, e-mail me and stay home from class until you do not have a fever for 24 hours. If you get sick around an exam day, we can work something out, but you need to contact me ASAP. Helpful information can be found at http://studenthealth.truman.edu/self-care_for_influenza.asp

Honor Code and Academic Integrity: This course uses an honor code. What this means is that I treat you and your colleagues as grown-ups. You are responsible for your own behavior and for what you see. You are the principal beneficiary of an honest university, and the principal victim of a university without integrity. I definitively think that cheating is not a victimless crime.

I trust you to police yourself, both individually and collectively. If you see something dishonest, I expect that you will try to intervene to stop it. In addition, I assume that you will inform me if something dishonest has happened. A person who has seen dishonest behavior and doesn't tell me about it deserves the same penalty as the person who cheats.

I occasionally ask you to affirm your honor by signing an honor pledge, similar to the one I give you on the first day of class.  It is 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.