Syllabus:

Math 113 – Statistical Methods for the Social and Behavioral Sciences (Fall 2007)

Instructor: Kevin Woods, King 220B, Kevin.Woods@oberlin.edu

Lectures: MWF 1:30-2:20pm, King 237.

Laboratory: Tuesday 1:30-2:20pm, King 137.

Office Hours:
Monday 4:30-5:30pm, Tuesday 2:30-4pm, Wednesday 10:30am-12pm, Friday 12-1:30pm, and by appointment. Also, feel free to stop by any time my door is open (but be understanding if I say I am too busy).

Required Textbook:
Moore & McCabe, Introduction to the Practice of Statistics, 5th Edition. We will cover most of Chapters 1-12.

Consent to Register:
In order to register for this course, you must first see Cathy Murillo (the Math AA) in King 205 and take a short Statistics Readiness Test.  If you perform well enough on that, she will give you consent to enroll. There will probably be a wait-list for this class, and everyone may not make it in. If you’re on the wait-list, you must come to every class until I can let you know whether you will make it into the course.

Computer Software:
We will use Data Desk, a statistical program available in King 137. You will use it in the labs each week, and may also want to use it on homework.  If you would like to use King 137 after hours, you must see Cathy Murillo (the Math AA) in King 205 to get the punch code and fill out a security sheet. Note that most graphing calculators can do some statistical work, as can Excel and other spreadsheet programs, and you are free to use these on homework.

Blackboard:
Under “Quick Links” on college website. I will post homework, reading, other announcements, and grades on Blackboard.

Grading:
Homework (10%).
Exploratory Homework (10%).
Computer Labs (10%),
Project (15%),
2 Take-home Midterm Exams (15% each),
Final Exam (25%).

Homework (10%).
The best way to learn the tools and concepts in this course is practice!  Homework will be assigned each day, some odd problems and some even problems. Each Wednesday (generally), you will turn in all of the even problems that have accumulated since the last time I collected. I strongly suggest that you do the odd problems as well: their answers are generally in the back of the book and I will post full solutions on Blackboard.  Part of your grade for this portion will be that you have reasonably attempted each problem. In addition, some or all of the problems will be checked for correctness. Use full sentences to explain what you are doing. Your lowest homework grade will be dropped at the end of the semester.
Honor Code: You may (should!) work together on these problems, but your written solutions must be your own. You may use the book and your notes, and of course come talk to me!  You may use calculators and software also.
Late Work Policy:  If they are handed in by the time the grader collects them from my office (no guarantees when that is), you get full credit.  If they are not, you get a 0 (but your lowest grade will be dropped at the end of the semester).

Exploratory homework assignments (10%).
The purpose of this type of assignment is to give you an opportunity to work on more involved and open-ended problems and to write things up in a careful manner.  To give you time to do this, there will be fewer of these problems, and they will be due less often (approximately every 2 weeks, generally on Friday).  These problems will be graded very strictly for how coherently written they are. Explain things carefully and in complete sentences. Imagine that another student in the class who hasn’t done this problem yet will read your solution: they should be able to understand it without having to ask you questions.  I strongly encourage you to work in groups, and may require that for the first one or two, but your written solutions should be your own..
Honor Code: You may (should!) work together on these problems, but your written solutions must be your own. You may use the book and your notes, and of course come talk to me!  You may use calculators and software also.
Late Work Policy: If they are handed in before I start grading them (no guarantee when that is), you get full credit.  If they are not, you get a 0.

Computer Labs (10%).
Each Tuesday, I will give you a sheet to work on. You may work singly or in pairs (I encourage you to work in pairs) at a computer and discuss your answers. Many of you will finish by the end of the period, but they will be due at the beginning of class each Wednesday. Your lowest lab grade will be dropped at the end of the semester.
Honor Code: You may (should!) work together on these, but fill out your own sheet in your own words.
Late Work Policy:  If they are handed in by the time the grader collects them from my office (no guarantees when that is), you get full credit.  If they are not, you get a 0 (but your lowest grade will be dropped at the end of the semester).

Project (15%).
During the second half of the semester, you will conduct a small-scale research study or experiment.  It will involve planning, data collection, and data analysis.  The written report will be due on Monday, December 3.  I’ll give you more information later.
Honor Code: I will suggest you work in groups, and you may submit one report for the team.  You may talk with other students in the course.
Late Work Policy: This will not be accepted late, except in unusual circumstances (please talk to me in advance of the due date).

2 Take-home Midterm Exams (15% each).
Due approximately October 8 and November 16. These will concentrate on topics covered in that segment of the course, but the course material is very cumulative, so you will have to know everything from the course so far.  Within these time periods, you will choose a single block of 2 hours in which to work on this exam.
Honor Code: You must finish the exam within 2 hours of first opening it.  You may use notes on one side of one 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, but you may not use your textbook. You may use a scientific calculator for addition, exponentiation, etc., but you may not use statistical functions.
   
Final Exam (25%).
Wednesday, Dec 19, 7-9pm. The final exam will cover the entire course.
Honor Code: The final will be open book, open notes. You may use a scientific calculator for addition, exponentiation, etc., but you may not use statistical functions.