Carleton University
Department of Economics
Economics 2201 Section B
Statistical Methods in Economics and Business I
Fall 2009
Instructor: Valerie Rochester
Class: Wednesday and Friday, 8:35 am-9:55 pm
Office: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Email: vrochest@connect.carleton.ca
Place: TBA
Phone: 520-2600
Economics Department Drop Box: Loeb C876
TA: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Calendar Description:
Statistical Methods in Economics and Business I is an introduction to statistical inference.
Topics covered include descriptive statistics, probability theory, sampling distributions,
estimation and hypothesis testing with a single population.
Precludes additional credit for ECON 2200, GEOG 2006, STAT 2507, STAT 2606, PSYC 3000,
SOCI 3700.
Prerequisites: Prerequisite: ECON 1402 (or equivalent), which may be taken concurrently
with ECON 2201.
*A grade of C- is required to continue to ECON 2202; a grade of C+ is required for ECON
4706.
Required Textbook: Available at the Carleton Bookstore
Groebner, D.,Shannon P., Fry, P., and Smith, K.. Business Statistics, Custom Edition for Carleton
University Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall
OR
Groebner, D.,Shannon P., Fry, P., and Smith, K.. Business Statistics, A Decision-Making
Approach, Seventh Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall
Course Outline
Topic I: Introduction and Descriptive Statistics
Chapter 1: The Where, Why, and How of Data Collection
Chapter 2: Graphs, Charts, and Tables - Describing Your Data and part 1 of Chapter 4 –
see class slides.
Chapter 3: Describing Data Using Numerical Measures
Topic II: Basic Probability and Important Distributions
Chapter 4: Using Probability and Probability Distributions
Chapter 5: Discrete 6 Probability Distributions
Chapter 6: Continuous Probability Distributions
Topic III: Statistical Inferences Based on Samples
Chapter 7: Introduction to Sampling Distributions
Chapter 8: Estimating Population Values
Chapter 9: Introduction to Hypothesis Testing
NOTE:
For verification and security purposes, I will not reply to emails originating from non-Carleton email accounts, and which are not signed with a student’s name and student number. Assignments
and changes to schedules will be made available on WebCT only. Please ensure that you have a
Carleton Connect account.
Course Evaluation
Three, 80 minute midterms worth 15% each (October 7, October 28, November
18).
One assignment (due December 8, 4:00 PM) – Department Drop Box Loeb C876
Final Examination – 3 hours (to be set by the Registrar’s office)
45%
10%
45%
100%
****IMPORTANT EVALUATION CRITERION****
•
Midterm examinations will be held in class and will last 80 minutes. There are no
deferred midterms. If you miss a midterm exam and provide a valid medical
certificate or a verifiable compassionate reason within one week of the missed exam,
the assigned weight (of 15%) will be added to your final exam; otherwise a mark of
zero is assigned.
In addition, please note the following:
ƒ A maximum of one missed midterm only will be permitted.
ƒ A maximum weight of 60% will be given to the final examination in the event
that a midterm is missed.
ƒ You will receive a grade of FND in the course (Failure with No Deferred
Final Examination Allowed) in any the following situations:
o You fail to receive a passing grade on your final assignment; or
o You do not receive a passing grade on the average of your midterm
exams;
or
o You fail to write at least two midterm exams.
The final date to add this course is September 23. The final date to withdraw from this course
with a full fee adjustment is September 30. The final date to withdraw from this course without
academic penalty is November 16.
Three Midterm Examinations (45%)
MIDTERM 1: Tuesday, September 30 – Chapters 1-3 and 4 part 1
MIDTERM 2: Tuesday, October 28 – Chapters 4 part 2, 5-6
MIDTERM 3: Thursday, November 13 – Chapters 7-8
Practice questions and solutions are posted on WebCT at least one week before each
test/midterm, and reflect the type of questions you can expect. Study groups are useful to discuss
solutions.
Assignment (10%) – due December 8, 2009 – 4:00 PM - Department Drop Box Loeb C876
**NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED**
The assignment will be posted on WebCT and is due by December 8, no later than 4:00 PM. The
assignment will be submitted at the time of the final class or to the Economics Department Drop
Box at Loeb C876. Failure to submit this assignment results in an F in the course. Please keep a
copy of your assignment, as your graded assignment may not be available for pick-up prior to the
final examination. Students may wish to work together on assignments, but each student must
write up his/her assignments independently.
Final Examination (45%)
The final exam covers the entire course material, lasts 3 hours and is scheduled by the
Registrar’s Office to take place during the official final examination period. Failure to
write the final examination results in a grade of ABS (provided you have met the conditions
described in the EVALUATION CRITERION above). In order to write a deferred final exam,
students must contact the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible after the missed exam.
Course Standing
Standing in a course is determined by the course instructor subject to the approval of the Faculty
Dean. This means that grades submitted by the instructor may be subject to revision. No grades are
final until they have been approved by the Dean.
Plagiarism
Please be aware that plagiarism is a serious offense and one that should be recognized and avoided.
For further information regarding this subject, please see the Economics website or pick up a handout
from the Department.
For Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations
are encouraged to contact a coordinator at the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities
(ext 6608) to complete the necessary letters of accommodation. After registering with the
Centre, please set up an appointment with me to discuss your needs at least two weeks prior to a
test or in-class mid-term exam. This is necessary in order to ensure sufficient time to make the
necessary arrangements. Please note the deadline for submitting completed forms to the PMC for
final examinations is November 16, 2009.
For Religious Observance:
Students requesting academic accommodation on the basis of religious observance should make a
formal, written request to their instructors for alternate dates and/or means of satisfying academic
requirements. Such requests should be made during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible
after the need for accommodation is known to exist, but no later than two weeks before the
compulsory academic event. Accommodation is to be worked out directly and on an individual basis
between the student and the instructor(s) involved. Instructors will make accommodations in a way
that avoids academic disadvantage to the student.
Students or instructors who have questions or want to confirm accommodation eligibility of a
religious event or practice may refer to the Equity Services website for a list of holy days and
Carleton’s Academic Accommodation policies, or may contact an Equity Services Advisor in the
Equity Services Department for assistance.
For Pregnancy:
Pregnant students requiring academic accommodations are encouraged to contact an Equity Advisor
in Equity Services to complete a letter of accommodation. The student must then make an
appointment to discuss her needs with the instructor at least two weeks prior to the first academic
event in which it is anticipated the accommodation will be required.