STA 490H1Y: Statistical Consultation, Communication, and Collaboration
2012–13
Instructor:
Dr. Alison Gibbs
E-mail:
alison.gibbs@utoronto.ca
Office:
SS 5016A
Telephone:
(416) 946-7589
Office hours:
Mondays 13:00–14:00
Thursdays 10:00–12:00
Appointments for other times can be made by e-mail.
Course
web page:
Available through https://portal.utoronto.ca
T.A. advisors: Zeynep Baskurt, Andriy Derkach, Edwin Lei, Cody Severinski
Course content
The purpose of the course is to develop skills in the collaborative practice of Statistics. This
will be done through class discussion, readings, case studies, and a collaborative project with
a student working on a research project in another discipline. Many course activities will
focus on developing oral and written communication skills.
Project
Most of the course will be structured around the collaborative project. Two or three students
will be assigned to one project and you will be guided in the work on the project by a T.A.
advisor who is a senior Ph.D. student in statistics. Discussion about your project with the
classmate(s) assigned to the same project is encouraged, however you are expected to hand
in independent work. Your T.A. advisor will be monitoring each student’s contribution to
the project.
Class meetings
Class meetings are on Mondays 11:10–13:00 in SS 2129 on the dates indicated on the attached
schedule. Attendance at all meetings is mandatory as there is no substitution for participating
in the discussion that will take place. For most meetings, there will be assigned reading which
must be done in preparation.
Project team meetings
On weeks when there is no class meeting you will have project team meetings with your
T.A. advisor. You will meet either at 11:00 or 12:00, depending on your project assignment.
Rooms, times, and your T.A. advisor will be distributed in class. Meetings with your T.A.
advisor will take place on the dates indicated on the attached schedule. Your collaborator is
scheduled to be at the meetings on four dates.
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Readings and references
Required readings will be be posted on Blackboard.
Anytime you need a reference on a statistics topic (software or methodology) see what you
can find on your own. Then ask your T.A. advisor or me.
Communication
E-mail is best if you are unable to come to campus because of illness or if it is necessary to
make an appointment outside of office hours. I may contact the entire class by e-mail. Any
messages will be sent to your utoronto.ca address, which should be registered on ROSI.
Evaluation (dates are tentative, but unlikely to change)
Weight
Date
Attendance
5%
5%
class meetings
project team meetings
Participation
5%
5%
class meetings
project team meetings
Preparation for project team meetings
5%
project team meetings
Project presentation to class 1
5%
November 26
Project presentation to class 2
5%
February 4
Project presentation to class 3
5%
March 25 or April 1
One page project summary
5%
February 11
10%
November 19
Writing assignment
Draft of final report for collaborator
Draft technical summary
5%
5%
March 18
Results presentation to collaborator
5%
March 18
Final report for collaborator:
Statistical work
Writing
Final technical summary
April 1
15%
10%
5%
No late assignments will be accepted without documentation of a valid reason.
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Accessibility needs
The University of Toronto is committed to accessibility. If you require accommodations for
a disability, or have any accessibility concerns about the course, the classroom, or course
materials, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible:
disability.services@utoronto.ca or http://studentlife.utoronto.ca/accessibility.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is fundamental to learning and scholarship at the University of Toronto.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in this academic community ensures that the University of Toronto degree that you earn will be valued as a true indication of
your individual academic achievement, and will continue to receive the respect and recognition
it deserves.
Familiarize yourself with the University of Torontos Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/behaveac.htm.
Computing
Computing can be done in SAS or R and this will be something you decide with your mentor.
You can access SAS and R on the CQUEST system. CQUEST computer labs are available
in Ramsey Wright. To get an account, go to www.cquest.utoronto.ca. CQUEST can also
be accessed remotely through ssh.
A license for SAS for personal use can be purchased from the Information Commons Licensed
Software Office. Go to http://www.utoronto.ca/ic/software for more information. R can
be downloaded for free from http://cran.r-project.org.
Student research days
If your collaborator is from EEB, he/she will be presenting his/her project at the EEB
Undergraduate Research Fair in early April. If your collaborator is from Psychology, he/she
will be presenting his/her project at the Psychology Poster Day in early April. Plan to drop
by to offer support to your collaborator and see what other work is being done.
The Statistics Student Research Day will be held in late April. You are invited to present the
results of your work as a poster at that meeting. For those presenting, I will pay the costs
of printing your poster and your registration. Some of the posters from last year are on the
walls of the 6th floor hallways.
How to do well in the course
• Be prepared and on time for all classes and meetings.
• Ask good questions.
• Do all of the assigned work on time.
• Demonstrate that you are trying.
• Work on your project every week, even before you get the data.
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