Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca MGSC 2207; Introductory Statistics Spring 2024 Day and Time Section Location Instructor Information: Dr. Davod Hosseini (link to my profile) 1 MW 5:30pm-8:30pm Remote (Zoom) Office Location: SB 116 Join Zoom Meeting: https://smu-ca.zoom.us/j/85008563826?pwd=1Bq9mVW8AMOETFctpcnfYTBH4oc911.1 Email: Davod.Hosseini@smu.ca Meeting ID: 850 0856 3826 Office Hours: by Appointment Passcode: 902044 Course Description This course is designed to introduce some common decision aids for coping with uncertainty. Topics include: data collection, summarization and presentation, reporting and interpreting the accuracy of results, evaluating the effectiveness of a decision and determining relationships among factors for the purpose of prediction. Examples will be drawn from a variety of fields and disciplines. Since the analysis of data will involve the use of a computer, it is strongly recommended that a course such as CISY 1225 be completed beforehand. Credit Hours: 3 Course Prerequisite(s): • MGSC 1206 or MGSC 1207 BCOM Program Learning Goals A. Business Knowledge and Competency – Graduates both acquire and use business knowledge and professional skills successfully. B. Communication – Graduates communicate effectively and professionally using a variety of communication modes appropriate to various business contexts. C. Critical Thinking – Graduates use an evidence-based approach to critically assess situations and make business decisions. D. Digital Literacy and Fluency – Graduates leverage current technologies to achieve organizational objectives. E. Entrepreneurial Mindset – Graduates identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks, and succeed in a variety of settings. F. Global Perspective – Graduates have an expanded and inclusive worldview and intercultural competency. G. Social Responsibility and Sustainability – Graduates have the knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on people, organizations, and the planet. This PDF document outlines a more detailed version of the Program Learning Goals (PDF). MGSC 2207 Course Outline 1 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Course Overview and Approach The course has been organized into four modules, each presenting similar material. Module I introduces the study of business statistics. Students will first be familiarized with what statistics are, the concepts of descriptive and inferential statistics, and levels of data measurement. You will then be introduced to some essential and basic statistics that will be used to both summarize data and as tools for techniques taught later in the course. There will also be a discussion of distribution shapes. At the end of this module, the basic laws of probability are presented. The notion of probability underlies virtually every business statistics topic and technique, thereby making it important to acquire an appreciation and understanding of probability. Module II of the course introduces students to the concept of statistical distribution. In lay terms, a statistical distribution is a numerical or graphical depiction of frequency counts or probabilities for various values of a variable that can occur. Distributions are important because most of the analyses done in business statistics are based on the characteristics of a particular distribution. Information about sampling is also discussed in this module, along with sampling distributions. With the background from the first two modules in place, the course moves to Module III, which discusses inference about population parameters (such as means, proportions, and variances). The ability to estimate population parameters or to test hypotheses about population parameters using sample statistics is one of the main applications of statistics in improving decision-making in business. Whether estimating parameters or testing hypotheses about parameters, the inferential process consists of taking a random sample from a group or body (the population), analyzing data from the sample, and reaching conclusions about the population using the sample data. The confidence interval is one widely used technique for estimating population measures (parameters) from a sample using statistics. Confidence interval estimation is generally reserved for instances where a business researcher does not know what the population value is or does not have a very clear idea of it. Sometimes, a business analyst already knows the value of a population parameter or has a good idea but would like to test to determine if the value has changed, if the value applies in other situations, or if the value is what other researchers say is. In such cases, business researchers use hypothesis tests. In the first three modules of the course, students are introduced to basic statistics, distributions, and how to make inferences through confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing. In Module IV, we explore relationships between variables through regression analysis and learn how to develop models that can be used to predict one variable by another variable or even multiple variables. Course Objectives By the end of this course, students should be able to: • Summarize and present statistical data using tools in descriptive statistics • Analyze statistical data using tools from inferential statistics • Identify the appropriate statistical models to be used in analyzing data • Draw inferences and use the results of statistical analyses to make decisions Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials Black, Bayley, Castillo: Business Statistics for Contemporary Decision Making, 4th Canadian Edition, Wiley, 2023. MGSC 2207 Course Outline 2 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Each text is bundled with an access package for the course resources and support, WileyPLUS. There is no separate paper-copy study guide; that is, study aids, summaries, practice questions, exercises, and self-tests are all online within WileyPLUS. As an alternative to purchasing the text/WileyPLUS package, students may choose to purchase only a WileyPLUS access code. This provides access to the full textbook online, as well as to the practice problems and solution manuals, tests, and all other WileyPLUS resources and support. The text and WileyPLUS are available through wileyplus.com directly. Note that the e-text and all its materials can only be accessed through WileyPLUS and NOT through Brightspace. You can obtain a free trial for them before the purchase. More details will be sent out before the beginning of the classes. Instructional Approach Course Website Announcements, lecture slides and videos (if available), instructor’s notes, supplementary materials (other than WileyPLUS resources), and exam information will be posted on SMU Brightspace. Lectures Attendance is encouraged, but not required. Tests and exams will only include material that is in the textbook. In the lectures, this material may be explored in more detail or communicated in other ways that might facilitate learning. Non-graded Quizzes To engage students during class, “Concept Check” questions (multiple choice, discussion, numeric answer) will be presented, which can be answered through your computer or smartphone. Students are encouraged to participate to check if they have understood the concept and/or to practice the methodology. However, since attendance is not mandatory, these questions do not factor into your course grade. Practice Questions and Problems The textbook and WileyPLUS provide many study questions and problems with solutions in every chapter. Students are highly encouraged to go through them for each subsection of each lesson and solve them on their own. This will give students extra examples in addition to those discussed in class, which will help them better understand the concepts and further practice the methodologies taught. Excel Ability Students must have a preliminary level of ability with Excel. This level of Excel ability will serve you extremely well in the business world, providing a personal competitive advantage. • Excel video training provided by Microsoft (available for free) o Minimum requirement knowledge for this course: Intro to Excel, Rows & Columns, Cells, Formatting, Formulas and Functions, Tables, and Charts. Getting Extra Help - Office Hours and Email Office hours and appointments may be in-person or via Zoom, depending upon current health restrictions and the instructor’s preference. You may seek extra help through emails. Normally, instructors will respond to email inquiries within 24 hours, except on weekends. MGSC 2207 Course Outline 3 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Evaluation Student evaluation consists of 11 online tests, one midterm exam (on Class 6), and a final exam (during the formal examination period) as weighted below. Online Tests (WileyPLUS) 30% Midterm Exam 30% Final Exam (non-cumulative) 40% Bonus for class participation 5% Tests will be posted on WileyPLUS. Each test will consist of several multiple-choice and/or shortanswer questions. A maximum of two attempts will be allowed for each question. Students are to complete each test by the due date and time (as explained in the “Weekly Schedule” section below). Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline for any reason. Note that the lowest test mark will be dropped, and the remaining 10 test marks will be used in the calculation of the final grade. NOTE: • Students who do not take the midterm or final exam will fail the course. • In order for students to pass this course, it is NOT enough to just achieve an overall weighted average of at least 50%; students are required to obtain a minimum average of 50% from the midterm and final exams. For example, if you get 85% on the online tests, 45% on the midterm exam, and 45% on the final exam, your overall weighted average will be 0.3 85% + 0.345% + 0.445% = 57%, which is greater than 50%, but the average of the midterm and final exams will be 45% + 45% 2 = 45%, which is less than 50%, and therefore you will NOT pass the course. Note that the midterm and final exams are closed book; however, a formula sheet will be provided. It will contain the formulas given at the end of each textbook chapter (under “End-of-Chapter Review”). The pertinent tables given under “Appendix A” of the textbook will also be provided during the exams. Grading System The numeric grades students earn in this course convert to a letter grade as follows: Grade A+ A AB+ B BC+ C CD F IP Grade Points 4.30 4.00 3.70 3.30 3.00 2.70 2.30 2.00 1.70 1.00 .00 --- Percentage Points 90-100 85-89 80-84 77-79 73-76 70-72 67-69 63-66 60-62 50-59 0-49 --- Rating Excellent Good Satisfactory Marginal Failure or withdrawal after deadline In Progress Students should note they may choose to select a Pass (P) or No Credit (NC) grade. Students can contact Academic Advising for more information and review the information on the following website: www.smu.ca/academics/pass-no-credit-grading-option.html MGSC 2207 Course Outline 4 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Refer to Academic Regulations 4 and Academic Regulation 5 in the Undergraduate Academic Calendar to learn more about the grading system and regulations governing grades for undergraduate students. Late or Missed Assignments, Tests, Mid-term Exams, or other Due Dates In the case of extenuating circumstances that will or have resulted in a missed test or examination during the teaching period (prior to the start of the formal final examination period), students should complete and submit to their instructor a Declaration of Extenuating Circumstances form (along with supporting documentation), available from the student’s Academic Advising Office. Review Academic Regulation 8 in the Undergraduate Academic Calendar for more information on Tests, Examinations and Evaluations. NOTE: • Travel plans or other elective arrangements are not acceptable grounds for requesting a deferred midterm examination. • Since there will be enough time frame for completing the tests, late submissions will not be accepted after the deadlines for any reason. Deferred Final Examinations If, due to extraordinary circumstances, you are unable to write a required final examination on the assigned date/time, you may be eligible for a deferred examination. Students who wish to have a request considered must submit an electronic request for a deferred examination. This request must be accompanied by an explanation of the circumstances which made it impossible for the student to write the regular examination or complete a final assignment. Supporting documentation is typically required for a deferred examination request. Students should submit their deferred exam request within seven (7) calendar days of the date of the exam or deadline of a final assignment. Students should understand that deferred exam requests are not automatically approved. Your request will be reviewed, and a decision communicated, within one (1) calendar week. Review Academic Regulation 10 for more information on Deferred Examinations. Other Course Policies • Activities that disrupt the class, or disturb others, will not be tolerated. Students are expected to behave in a courteous, professional, business-like manner during classes. You are not required to attend classes, but if you attend, then appropriate behavior is mandatory. Inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors include using insulting language or tone of voice, MGSC 2207 Course Outline 5 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca disrespecting or ridiculing opinions of classmates, disruptive behavior, and failure to participate actively in classroom activities assigned during class by the instructor. Please demonstrate respect for others in the class. • There are ample opportunities to cheat on online tests/exams. Please don’t. The vast majority of students are honest and hard-working. If you cheat and your actions go undetected, it is your loss. The material in this course is basic, but essential for success in organizations today. It will give you an advantage in the marketplace. It should also prove useful in doing projects in future courses. Instructor Copyright The materials provided to students in this course are subject to Canadian copyright law. Further reproduction, dissemination, downloading, or sharing may not be allowed unless permitted by an exception in the Copyright Act or with permission from the copyright holder. Instructors own the rights to the content they create, and it is intended for personal student use in this class. Posting this content on external sites or sharing it with people outside of the class without permission may be an infringement of copyright. Third party copyrighted materials have been licensed for use for this class or are covered under an exception in the Canadian Copyright Act. Any further use is subject to the terms of the Act unless with express permission from the copyright holder. Learn more about copyright at SMU for faculty, staff, and students. Important Academic Policies, Regulations, and Information Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility To maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the Saint Mary’s University community are expected to promote trust, honesty, fairness, and respect. Saint Mary’s University expects that students will conduct themselves in compliance with Academic Regulation 18 on Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility. Important Academic Dates Students should review important academic dates and specific drop and withdrawal dates for this course on the University Academic Calendar of Events website. Students who are on financial aid should consult with the Financial Services before dropping a class. International students should consult with Academic Advising and the International Student Centre before dropping a course. All students are also encouraged to speak with an academic advisor about how dropping a course may impact their degree progress and goals. Learn more about course withdrawal dates and deadlines and the tuition refund schedule. MGSC 2207 Course Outline 6 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca May 9 | Last day to drop a course with a full refund This is the last day a student can drop a class from their academic record without having to pay for the class and without the class showing on their permanent student record. June 5 | Last day to withdrawal from a course, with a “W” This is the last day you can remove yourself (withdraw) from a class and receive a “W” as a final grade in the course. Students are responsible for payment of the course. A “W” grade does not impact your earned credits or grade point average. Code of Student Conduct The SMU Code of Student Conduct is focused on non-academic standards of behavior and seeks to define the rights and responsibilities of students as members of the University community. Students are responsible for their conduct and need to be prepared to accept the consequences of choices made. Learn more about the Code of Student Conduct. Support for Student Accessibility Saint Mary’s University strives to make all classroom and virtual content accessible to all students. If you are a student with a disability and would like to discuss academic accommodations, please be sure to register with the Fred Smithers Centre for Student Accessibility, located on the 3rd floor of the Student Centre. Students are encouraged to register as early in the semester as possible to ensure adequate time to arrange for approved academic accommodations, and/or assistance with accessibility needs such as assistive technology and support during tests and exams. Please note that student information at the Fred Smithers Centre is kept confidential and only shared with other members of the university community on a need-to-know basis. Online Learning Resources Students can learn more about how to be an online student using the resources provided by the Software and Application Support (SAS) Centre. Students can get information on how to adjust their academic life with information on how to approach time management, study spaces, and tips for maintaining healthy study and work habits. To ensure students are prepared to use the Brightspace Learning Management System (LMS) for their courses, the University provides various supports, including online videos and reference material explaining different features. Students wanting to have a successful online course experience can visit the SAS Centre web pages to learn more about Brightspace support for students. MGSC 2207 Course Outline 7 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Early Assist Program This course participates in the Early Assist program. Early Assist is a university-wide program that is designed to proactively assist students with their study skills, class attendance, academic/personal support, and ensure you are on the right track in your course. Throughout the academic term, alerts may be submitted by your professor for students in the course that identify factors that may be impacting your academic progress or wellbeing. A member of the Early Assist Care Team may reach out to you through your preferred email during the term to check in, offer support, or to connect you to other campus resources. Your participation in Early Assist is voluntary. Early Assist is not connected to your academic record and all of your information is protected under Nova Scotia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP). The only people able to review information submitted through Early Assist are the relevant Early Assist team members who will reach out to you. Professors are only able to see information they have submitted. They can not view an alert submitted by another Professor. For more information, visit www.smu.ca/earlyassist/welcome or email earlyassist@smu.ca. Important Resources for Students Learn more about other resources and services available to support students: BComm Academic Success & Advising Centre • Email Contact: bcomm.advising@smu.ca BComm Academic Success Program • Email Contact: bcomm.advising@smu.ca Black Student Advisor • Email Contact: blackstudentlife@smu.ca Career and Experiential Learning • Email Contact: cel@smu.ca The Counselling Centre • Email Contact: counselling@smu.ca Fred Smither’s Centre of Support for Student Accessibility • Email Contact: fredsmithers.centre@smu.ca Indigenous Student Advisor • Email Contact: indigenous.advisor@smu.ca International Student Centre • Email Contact: international.centre@smu.ca Learning Skills Strategist – Student Success Centre • Email Contact: studentsuccess@smu.ca Patrick Power Library • Email Contact: access@smu.ca MGSC 2207 Course Outline 8 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association • Email Contact: info@smusa.ca Software and Application Support (SAS) Centre • Email Contact: sas@smu.ca Writing Centre • Email Contact: writing@smu.ca MGSC 2207 Course Outline 9 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Weekly Schedule Class MW Topics Textbook Module I: Introduction 1 2 May 6 May 8 Course Organization & Introduction Descriptive Statistics • Basic Statistical Concepts o Sample vs Population o Variables, Data, and Data Measurement o Descriptive and Inferential Statistics • Frequency Distributions & Histograms • Measures of Central Tendency & Variability 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.4 Probability • Structure of Probability • Union and Intersection • Addition and Multiplication Laws • Conditional Probability • Bayes’ Rule 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Test #1 (Class 1) & Test #2 (Class 2) due date: Sunday, May 12, 11:59pm Module II: Distributions and Sampling 3 May 13 Discrete Distributions • Describing Discrete Distribution • Mean and Standard Deviation of a Distribution • Binomial Distribution • Poisson Distribution 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 4 May 15 Continuous Distributions • Describing Continuous Distribution • Uniform Distribution • Exponential Distribution • Normal Distribution 6.1 6.2 6.4 Test #3 (Class 3) & Test #4 (Class 4) due date: Sunday, May 19, 11:59pm No class May 20 Administrative Offices closed. No classes - Victoria Day. 5 May 22 Sampling & Sampling Distributions • Sampling Types and Errors • Central Limit Theorem o Sampling Distribution of 𝑥̅ (Sample Mean) o Sampling Distribution of 𝑝̂ (Sample Proportion) 7.1 7.2 7.3 Test #5 (Class 5) due date: Sunday, May 26, 11:59pm 6 May 27 MGSC 2207 Course Outline MIDTERM EXAM (Classes 1-5) 10 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Class MW Topics Textbook Module III: Inferences about Population Parameters 7 May 29 Confidence Intervals • Estimating Population Mean • Estimating Population Proportion • Minimum Required Sample Size 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.5 Test #6 (Class 7) due date: Sunday, Jun 2, 11:59pm 8 Jun 3 Hypothesis Testing • Introduction to Hypothesis Testing • Test of Hypotheses for Population Mean • Test of Hypotheses for Population Proportion 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9 Jun 5 Statistical Inferences about Two Populations • Confidence Intervals and Hypothesis Tests for Two Population Means • Confidence Intervals and Hypothesis Tests for Two Population Proportions 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Test #7 (Class 8) & Test #8 (Class 9) due date: Sunday, Jun 9, 11:59pm 10 Jun 10 Analysis of Variance • Introduction to Design of Experiments • One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Chi-Square Test • 𝜒 2 Goodness-of-Fit Test • 𝜒 2 Test of Independence 11.1 11.2 16.1 16.2 Module IV: Regression Analysis 11 Jun 12 Simple Regression • Correlation • Determining the Equation of the Regression Line • Residual Analysis • Standard Error of the Estimates • Coefficient of Determination • Hypothesis Tests of Slope of the Regression Model and Testing the Overall Model 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.10 Test #9 (Class 10) & Test #10 (Class 11) due date: Sunday, Jun 16, 11:59pm 12 Jun 17 Multiple Regression • The Multiple Regression Model • Significance Tests of the Regression Model and its Coefficients • Residuals, Standard Error of the Estimate, and R2 • Indicator (Dummy) Variables 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 14.2 Test #11 (Class 12) due date: Wednesday, Jun 19, 11:59pm MGSC 2207 Course Outline 11 Bachelor of Commerce | bcomm.advising@smu.ca Class MW Topics Textbook FINAL EXAM (Classes 7-12): during formal examination period *** Note that the above schedule is tentative and may need revision. Schedule revisions will be posted. MGSC 2207 Course Outline 12
