ECON 221: Introduction to Probability and Statistics I, Spring 2021
All sections: Eray Yücel, eray@bilkent.edu.tr, A-108
Online syllabus: https://stars.bilkent.edu.tr/syllabus/view/ECON/221/
Lecture notes and demo files: https://sites.google.com/view/erayyucel/probability-theory-and-statistics
Instructor’s expectations: https://sites.google.com/view/erayyucel/conduct
Other information: via e-mail and/or Moodle
Important Notice
Regarding several actual and potential issues related to “online conduct of courses”, students are advised to follow the
announcements by the Rectorate, Dean’s Office and Department Chair’s Office. It is the students’ responsibility to P | 1
remain informed and to act accordingly.
Aim
This course aims at introducing the fundamental concepts of descriptive statistics and probability theory. In that,
descriptive statistics, basics of probability, combinatorial methods, conditional probability, random variables, univariate
and bivariate distributions, expectation, variance, covariance, and correlation will be covered first. Then the participants
will be exposed to commonly used discrete and continuous probability distributions.
Textbook and Lecture Notes
Each student is provided with a full set of lecture notes. Additional resources will also be provided via Moodle or email.
Course Contents
In your distributed lecture notes, you will see a complete list of topics that fall under the following four major
headings:
1. Understanding and describing data (2-3 weeks)
2. Introduction to probability theory (3-4 weeks)
3. Random variables and distributions (5-6 weeks)
4. Random vectors (2-3 weeks)
Teaching Methods
The students are required to follow two interrelated sequences of sessions throughout the semester:
1. Lectures: Delivered by lecturer in designated auditoriums or in Zoom three to four hours a week.
2. Recitation/practice sessions: Conducted by Teaching Assistants (TAs) in Zoom two hours a week. Each student
should attend the recitation/practice section that he or she is registered to, to earn a valid quiz or discussion
grade.
Assessment
#
Type
Label
Count
Total Contribution (%)
1 Midterm: Essay/written
Midterm
1
40
2 Final: Essay/written
Final
1
40
3 Homework
Homework and cases
5
12.5
4 Recitation
Discussion hours
6
7.5
● All exams will be comprehensive, i.e. they are to include all topics covered before. ● There will be no makeup
for missed discussion hours. ● Makeups will be given only for Midterm and Final exams and upon officiallydocumented medical excuses. ●No special requirements to take the final exam, i.e. no FZ grades.
Software
In the “online-only” or “hybrid” mode, students’ access to computational software (like spreadsheet applications)
or text processors (like Microsoft Word) may turn out to be limited, as these are commercially-licensed. Under such
circumstances, students are to use the available BCC facilities (labs) on-campus in their free study times. A safer
choice is to substitute freeware applications for commercially licensed ones on their personal computers, with very
limited loss in functionality, i.e. they are to consider LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office. Additional information
on other freeware will be provided as the course progresses.
A similar limitation may apply in the case of access to statistical data sources served/ bridged via Bilkent Library.
Under such circumstances, students are to setup and use VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection provided by
Bilkent Computer Center (https://w3.bilkent.edu.tr/bilkent/information-technology/), so they will be able to
remotely utilize the on-campus resources.