Problem Solving and Communication in Applied Statistics
Stat 470 W
Instructor
Kirsten Eilertson, PhD
323C Thomas Building
eilertson@psu.edu (best way to reach me)
Course Objectives
1. Be able to apply statistical knowledge to real world problems
2. Be able to recognize experimental design
3. Be proficient in ANOVA, and GLMs including understanding the modeling
assumptions
4. Be able to identify concerns about the use or interpretation of statistical models in
context
5. Be able to communicate statistical findings through written and verbal
communication
Class Meeting Times:
Office Hours:
MWF 9:05 – 9:55 a.m. 118 Thomas
*Lab Classroom 105 Ferguson (by announcement)
Mondays 10:00 – 11:30am
323C Thomas
By appointment (email me with 3 hours of suggested available times)
Required Materials:
 Broadening Your Statistical Horizons: Generalized Linear Models and Multilevel
Models
Julie Legler and Paul Roback, St. Olaf College
http://pages.stolaf.edu/bysh/
 iClicker+ (available from the bookstore, see registration instructions on ANGEL)
 Assigned journal articles and selected chapter (available through ANGEL)
Grading (tentative)
HW
Design Project
Consulting Project
Exam
Final Report
Professionalism
25%
20%
15%
15%
15%
10%
Homework
There will be 6-9 homework assignments throughout the semester. Some assignments will be
on content from BYSH (class text), but other assignments will be based on assigned readings
posted on ANGEL. Details and a hw dropbox will be posted on ANGEL for each assignment.
Design Project
Students work in small groups to carry out a designed experiment or observational study from
beginning to end. Each group writes a proposal for a project of their own devising; plans and
implements the collection of data; analyzes the data in an appropriate manner; and finally writes
Problem Solving and Communication in Applied Statistics
Stat 470 W
a formal report of their findings. Groups will have at least 6 weeks to complete the study. The
project must require the use of analyses more advanced than those seen in Stat 200.
Consulting Project
Students will work in a small group to address the questions of a “client”. Each group will be
responsible for conducting an initial meeting with the client, analyzing the data, writing a report
appropriate for a non-statistician, and presenting the results in a final meeting with the client.
This project will emphasize explaining methods and results without relying on jargon. These
projects are also designed to challenge the students statistically. Professional conduct of each
student in the meetings and in the final report will be evaluated and graded.
Exam
The “exam” is an in class exam about half way through the semester. It will be based on BYSH
material, and focus on material found in homework assignments and labs.
Final Report
The “Final Report” is your final exam. It is a take home exam, where each student is expected
to do 100% of the work by his/herself. Each student will be responsible for analyzing a provided
data set to address a specific research question, and summarize the findings in a formal report.
All questions should be directed to the teacher.
Professionalism
Professionalism includes attending class; arriving on time to class and meetings; being engaged
while in class; and being respectful of the teacher and other students’ questions/comments and
time. In presentations and meetings each student is expected to be prepared; to actively
participate; and should be able to answer questions about all content presented even if it is not
specifically something he/she contributed to the project. Three or more unexcused absences
will affect the professionalism grade. Unexcused absences on a the day of a presentation or
meeting will also affect the project grade.
Possible Topics Covered
Professional Ethics
Common Statistical Pitfalls
Generalized Linear Models
Multilevel Modeling
Design (CR, LS, RB)
Survey
Consulting Procedures/Strategies
Scientific Writing
Multiple Testing
Equivalence Testing
Power/Sample Size
Bayesian Data Analysis
Principle Component Analysis
This is a writing intensive course so all written work will be graded in terms of grammatical
correctness, clarity of writing, organization, and accuracy of content.
Problem Solving and Communication in Applied Statistics
Stat 470 W
Class will occasionally be canceled to allow scheduling of small group meetings with Dr.
Eilertson for the consulting projects and design projects. These dates will be announced on
ANGEL and in class.
ABSOLUTELY NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED! If you have a UNIVERSITY approved
excuse and communicate your excuse no later than one week before your absence then, as per
Faculty Senate guidelines, I will accommodate the assignment. Please note that any extended
travel for personal reasons is NOT an excuse for missing class and any assignments missed
will be graded as zeros. THIS POLICY IS STRONGLY ENFORCED. I WILL NOT MAKE
EXCEPTIONS!
“Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If
you have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments in this course, contact
the Office for Disability Services (ODS) at 814-863-1807 (V/TTY). For further information
regarding ODS, please visit the Office for Disability Services Web site at
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/ . In order to receive consideration for course accommodations, you
must contact ODS and provide documentation (see the documentation guidelines at
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines/documentation-guidelines ). If the documentation supports
the need for academic adjustments, ODS will provide a letter identifying appropriate academic
adjustments. Please share this letter and discuss the adjustments with your instructor as early in
the course as possible. You must contact ODS and request academic adjustment letters at the
beginning of each semester.”
All Penn State policies regarding ethics and honorable behavior apply to this course. Academic
integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception and is an educational
objective of this institution. All University policies regarding academic integrity apply to this
course.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating of
information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having
unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work
previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of
other students. For any material or ideas obtained from other sources, such as the text or
things you see on the web, in the library, etc., a source reference must be given. Direct quotes
from any source must be identified as such. All exam answers must be your own, and you must
not provide any assistance to other students during exams. Any instances of academic
dishonesty WILL be pursued under the University and Eberly College of Science regulations
concerning academic integrity.