Last updated 09/01/2008
Office: Dana 10
5Office Hours: posted here and the course web page
Course Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 10:20-11:20
Location: Dana111
Email: jclark@hollins.edu
Web Site: http://www1.hollins.edu/faculty/clarkjm/Stat251/STAT251.htm
Office Phone: x6524
Statistics is both an exciting intellectual discipline and a powerful scientific tool. It is a mathematical science in the sense that it makes use of mathematics extensively, but it is not a branch of mathematics. Since statistical thinking abounds in everyday life and statistical methods are used in most academic disciplines; the ability to reason with data is essential to a liberal education. Since statistics involves a variety of interesting applications of mathematics, it is particularly appropriate for mathematics majors to study. Moreover, statistics is an especially important field of study for those planning to undertake graduate study or to pursue careers in education, computer science, economics, business, law, science, and medicine.
Statistics may be defined as the science of reasoning from data; it is therefore concerned with all aspects of data analysis, from the collection of data to the summary and display of data to the construction of models that represent the data to the drawing of conclusions from data. This course will introduce you to all of these facets by exposing you to practical applications involving genuine data. Since the practice of statistics demands the use of computers for analyzing data, you will use the computer fairly extensively in this course. You will also be expected to effectively communicate your understanding and interpretation of these aspects of data analysis. Some of the key ideas to be studied in this course include data collection strategies and their scopes of conclusion, the role of randomness in collecting data and drawing conclusions, graphical and numerical summaries of data, assessing statistical significance, and estimating with confidence.
My overarching goal for this course is to help you to develop basic strategies and skills for analyzing quantitative data. My hope is that you will then be able to adapt and apply these intellectual habits to a variety of circumstances in your academic, professional, and even personal lives. By the conclusion of the course I hope that you have improved your ability to:
apply and interpret the results of a variety of statistical techniques, including both descriptive and inferential methods;
understand many of the fundamental ideas of statistics, such as variability, distribution, association, causation, sampling ,experimentation, confidence, and significance;
analyze and asses statistical arguments such as those found in the popular press as well as in scholarly publications;
use computer software to both analyze data and to explore statistical ideas;
communicate your knowledge of statistical ideas effectively.
Classroom Culture:
I believe that understanding results from investigation and discovery, not from passive observation. So, as opposed to merely passively taking notes while I lecture, you will spend most of your class time actively engaged with the material. Each day you will work through activities carefully designed to lead you to discover and explore statistical ideas and techniques. Please come to class prepared through whatever readings and problems that I assign, and please be willing (eager?!) to work during class time and to collaborate with your classmates and to ask questions of me. This will not only help you learn the material and perform well in the course, but will also produce a much more enjoyable learning environment for all of us. Class attendance is VERY strongly encouraged, as the in-class activities should prove to be valuable learning experiences. Needless to say, you are responsible for everything presented in class.
I also expect you to devote substantial outside-of-class time to your work for this course, typically 8-12 hours per week. I anticipate that this work will be divided among:
finishing in-class activities
reviewing your class notes
working on assignments
preparing for tests
The required text is Investigating Statistical Concepts, Applications & Methods, first edition, by Beth L. Chance and Allan J. Rossman. You will also need an email address, a three-ring binder, and will most likely want a scientific calculator. You will need access to the Minitab and Excel software packages, and to the internet, outside of class. Handouts will be occasionally be provided (often through the course website) and you are responsible for receiving and keeping these materials. You will also be expected to read the text!
Computer use:
We will make fairly extensive use of computers in this course. They will prove useful in at least three ways:
for performing calculations and creating graphics necessary for analyzing data;
for conducting simulations to approximate long-run behavior of random phenomena, and
for addressing "what if" questions that allow you to explore statistical concepts.
We will make frequent use of the statistical analysis package Minitab, which is very widely used in business and industry as well as in educational settings. We will also occasionally use the spreadsheet package Excel. No prior knowledge of these software tools is assumed; you will receive detailed instructions regarding their use when the need arises. Both Minitab and Excel are available through the Hollins networked computers. You are also encouraged to use a scientific calculator as necessary.
Data files and Java applets will be available on the web at http://www.rossmanchance.com/iscam/files.html .
In order to give you a variety of opportunities to demonstrate your learning, your course grade will be determined by the following components, with relative weights as indicated:
| Practice Problems/In-class activities/participation.... | 10% |
|
Homework Assignments......... |
24% |
|
Midterm........................................ |
22% |
|
2 QR Projects .................................... |
22% |
|
Comprehensive Final Exam ................. |
22% |
Practice Problems:
There will be practice problems to be completed between each class. These will be informal checks on your understanding of that day's material. You are encouraged to submit any questions you have on these items to the course discussion board. We will review these in class the next day. Occasionally we I will assign practice problems during class.
Homework Assignments
You will have frequent homework assignments - typically once a week. Such assignments are due by 5:00 on the indicated day. Late assignments will be given feedback but will not be graded. You may elect to either not submit one homework assignment during the semester, or drop the lowest of your homework grades if you have submitted all the assignments.
You are encouraged to work together and discuss homework assignments, but must hand in your own work. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions (ahead of time!) both inside and outside of class. If you receive a large amount of information from another source (e.g. me, another student, another book, etc.), you must state the reference in your write-up. If I determine that assignments are too similar, the one score will be divided among the papers.
The main requirement for all problems is that you EXPLAIN your answers. Often, questions may have more than one correct answer so several answers will be accepted as long as they are JUSTIFIED. You should also state any ASSUMPTIONS that you make for each problem. Soon you will be explaining your results to managers and people outside of mathematics, so you need to get used to explaining and backing up the numbers in English! You will be given partial credit for your work, so it is important to at least attempt each problem.
Tests
You will have a mid-term test and
a comprehensive final exam. Each of these is likely to have both an in-class portion and a take-home part. The mid-term test is tentatively scheduled for October 15th.
QR Projects and Portfolio Assignments
Stat 251 is a Q course - meaning that once you have successfully completed the course, you will have satisfied the Q component of Hollins' general education requirements. There will be two Quantitative Reasoning (QR) projects completed by each student. The QR projects will involve your analyzing and drawing conclusions from data that you find or collect yourself. You must complete one of the projects alone, but may work with 1 or 2 classmates for the other project if you like. Specific instructions for the projects can be found at links QP1 and QP2.
All mathematics majors and minors are required to accumulate a mathematics portfolio throughout their careers at Hollins. The portfolio should demonstrate a student's mathematical growth and experiences at Hollins. Students must keep copies of all assignments that are designated "portfolio assignments" in any given mathematics/statistics course. Students are strongly encouraged to keep copies of all their work in Stat 251 for possible inclusion in the portfolio. The QR projects will be the portfolio assignments in Stat 251.
You should recognize that the ability to understand concepts, interpret results, explain reasoning, and communicate findings are at least as important as computational skills in all of these areas of assessment.
Please feel free to come by my office, send me an email, catch me on-line, or call me at home anytime. In addition to my office hours, you may also call ahead for an appointment.
I am not really anywhere near as organized as this lengthy syllabus might suggest. All of these details are subject to change as the course develops. I welcome and value your input.
