AP Statistics Course Syllabus
Teacher: Mrs. Krissy Morris
School Phone: 478-272-3144
Email Address: krissymorris@lcboe.net
Planning Period: 5th
Tutoring Hours: Mon -Thurs: 7:25- 7:45, 3:10-4:00
Class Rules
Be (1) Attentive, (2) Respectful, and (3) Responsible
Required Materials

2” Notebook, Graphing calculator and extra batteries, Pencils (Pens not allowed), Notebook paper, 12
dividers with tabs, Three-ring pencil pouch, 3” x 5” index cards
Grading
 Exams and Projects.........................
 Quizzes............................................
80% of Final Average
 Daily Grades....................................
 Final Exam............................................... 20% of Final Average
(NOTE: Your final project nor your AP Exam will replace the final exam.)
Course Description
The purpose of the AP course in statistics is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting,
analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes:
1. Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns
2. Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study
3. Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation
4. Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses.
Textbook
Practice of Statistics, Fourth Edition 4/e: Daren S. Starnes, Daniel S. Yates, David S. Moore
Course Objectives
1. Students will explore data. Students will observe statistics graphically using box and whisker plots, stem
plots, and histograms. Students will also observe descriptive statistics using the five-number summary,
median, mean, variance, and standard deviation.
2. Students will explore appropriate sampling techniques. Simple random sampling, stratified random
sampling, cluster sampling, and the appropriate use of each will be considered. Possibilities of bias will
be considered and to the fullest extent possible, eliminated.
3. Using real world examples, students will design and conduct an experiment using random assignment
and blocking techniques. Students will design and conduct an experiment that covers all aspects of the
statistical process.
4. Students will gain knowledge of anticipating patterns using probability models and simulation.
5. Students will use statistical inference to draw conclusions about a population using sample data.
6. Students will communicate using the vocabulary and language of statistics.
7. Students will use the TI-Inspire graphing calculator to enhance the development of statistical
understanding through exploring data, assessing models, and/or analyzing data. Examples of calculator
activities include simulating probability models, displaying graphs, and generating regression lines.
8. Students will use computers and computer output to enhance the development of statistical
understanding through exploring data, analyzing data, and assessing models.
Technology:
You will have assess to a graphing calculator for this course. You will be instructed and assessed on the
use of your graphing calculator through out the course. It is very important that you master the
functions and utilities of the graphing calculator as you will be able to use it on the A P Exam. You will
learn how to: enter data, graph data, compute regression models, simulate probability, compute
binomial and geometric probabilities, find areas under density curves, compute confidence intervals,
and perform the mechanics of test of significance. There are several activities that will be assigned to
help you learn the language of the programs to help better understand the usage of the TI-Inspire to
perform simulations, compute power and Type II Errors, graph stem plots and dot plots, and other
programs that may be helpful to you.
We have assess to the statistical software package Fathom. We will use the program regularly to
generate, analyze and interpret data. We will also use Fathom to simulate data for analysis.
Student Work
 Major Exams (100 points each) will be given approximately every 3 weeks over each unit.
 Quick Quizzes (50 points each) will be given at the end of each chapter.
 Free Response Question Quizzes (FRQQs) (100 points each) from previously released AP exams will be
periodically assigned as a take home quiz. You may work alone or with one partner. Grades will be
assigned as follows: 4 = 100, 3 = 90, 2 = 75, 1 = 60, 0 = 50. Students may correct and resubmit FRQs one
time for the following grades: 4 = 95, 3 = 85, 2 = 70, 1 = 60, 0 = 50.
 Homework and notebook checks (20 points each) will be conducted for a daily grade.
 Experiments and projects (100 points each) will be a required component of this course. Students will
be required to conduct experiments that will evaluate all aspects of the statistical process. The
experiments will consist of several stages, all of which will be evaluated and will count towards a major
exam grade: (1) planning the sampling procedure, (2) clearly defining the measurement strategy, (3)
anticipating confounding variables in the case of experiments and issues of bias in an observational
study, (4) suggesting statistical analysis at the planning stage, (5) conducting the analysis, (6)
interpreting the results in context, and (7) presenting the results. A written report with appropriate
statistical language and vocabulary and a class presentation will be required.
Project:
To insure that you learn how to communicate methods, results, and interpretations using statistical
vocabulary you will do at least 3 projects during this course. One of the projects is to design and carry
out a completely randomized comparative experiment. You will work one other student and together
choose any experiment that:
Uses at least 20 experimental units.
Randomly assigns the experimental units to treatment groups.
Uses a comparative experimental model.
You must write a report that must include:
A presentation of the data in a tabular and graphical format and interprets the data in context of the
experiment.
Discuss the possible sources of error and their effect on the data.
The controls used to limit the sources of error.
The results of the experiment.
The validity of a generalization from the experimental units to a population.
A brief summary of the experiment written so someone with no statistical background could
understand.
The other projects are selected from:
Exploring Normal Distributions
Games of Chance
Important Procedures
1. Golden Rules: When I am talking, you are listening. During individual practice, you are working. During
group practice/labs/experiments, you are engaged in the material.
2. AP Notebook: You will be required to keep a separate notebook or at least a dedicated section in your
class notebook of all AP exam practice questions, both multiple choice and FRQ. Such questions will
occur periodically on notebook checks and homework checks.
3. Turning in work: Assignments should be of professional quality and include your full name, the name of
the assignment clearly labeled, and all necessary work with final solutions circled. Assignments that fail
to meet these guidelines may be penalized or returned ungraded.
4. Makeup work: Students with excused absences will have three days beginning on the date of return to
make up work without penalty. Students who miss no new material and are absent on a review day
before an exam must still take the exam unless a written excuse is provided on the day of the exam.
Exceptions to this policy will only be made in rare circumstances involving serious illness or other
excused emergency.
5. Late Work: Any assignment submitted late without a valid excuse, or after the three-day makeup
window with a valid excuse has expired, will be penalized 25%. THIS INCLUDES EXAMS AND QUIZZES.
Assignments from a previous nine-week period will not be accepted.
6. Leaving the room: Students will not be allowed to leave the first 15 minutes or the last 15 minutes of
class. This allows students to hear all instruction given prior to a new lesson or activity that is given.
Also, it allows us to discuss the outcome of each lesson at the end of class.
Unit Exam Format
Each unit exam will consist of a multiple choice section and a free response section each worth 10 points. The
total points earned will be converted to a curved exam grade according to the table below.
Points
Grade
20
100
18-19 16-17 14-15 12-13 10-11
95
90
85
80
75
8-9
70
6-7
65
4-5
60
2-3
55
1
50
Each unit exam is designed to be completed within the 90-minute class period. Because the AP exam is timed, it
is important that you become accustomed to working against the clock and wisely managing your time.
Therefore, you will not be allowed extra time to complete the exam.
Keys to Success in Statistics
 Practice, practice, practice, and study, study, study. The days of breezing through a Mathematics course
without having to study are officially over. To make an A in this course, you must go beyond the minimum
expectations. This includes working extra problems not assigned, and studying extra resources outside of the
class textbook. Statistics is a field of Mathematics that is very complex and challenging. In order to fully
understand the concepts, you must practice consistently.
 Don’t get behind. (1) Despite any temptations to do otherwise, make every effort come to class every day
and stay in class the entire period. (2) Once in class, pay close attention, ask questions and take thorough,
organized notes that you will understand later when studying. (3) If an emergency arises and you must miss
class, it is vital to make up your missed work as soon as possible.
 Read the book. Class time will be spent discussing and applying the material covered in each chapter. It is
your responsibility to read the material in order to be prepared to apply the concepts covered.
 Be organized. Organization is a vital element to success in any college-level course. You should keep an
organized three-ring notebook large enough to hold all notes from every unit.
 Find a balance between work and play. It is inevitable that extracurricular activities such as athletics and
clubs will consume a large amount of your leisure time. Therefore it will take a concentrated, disciplined
effort on your part to make sure those activities don’t get in the way of your academic success. Find some
time in your busy schedules for studying and practicing.
 Understand what your answers mean. Knowing what an answer means is just as important as the answer
itself. You may know the “steps” to getting an answer right, but if you don’t understand what the answer
means in the context of the problem, you will have difficulty applying those steps to other problems. If you
don’t understand what your answer means, then the answer is just a number. It is important to use statistical
language to explain what your answer means in context.
 See the big picture. First of all, remember that this course, in most cases, is a requirement for high school
graduation. This course is also designed to make your life easier when you enter college. Beyond that,
remember that you can also earn credit at most colleges for earning a 3 or higher on the AP exam. 3 or higher
on the exam = one less college course you have to take = more $$$$$ in your pocket. There are numerous
“non-math” majors in college that will require some type of statistics course. Take full advantage of the
opportunities and resources you have right now because those resources may not be available when you
enter college.
Approximate Course Schedule
AP Statistics Exam: TBA – sometime in May
I. Exploring Data
START OF SECOND SEMESTER
A. Unit 1 – Exploring Data
C. Unit 7 – Sampling Distributions
1) Analyzing Categorical Data
1) What is a Sampling Distribution
2) Displaying Categorical Data with Graphs
2) Sample Proportions
3) Displaying Categorical Data with Numbers
3) Sample means
B. Unit 2 – Modeling Distributions of Data
IV. Statistical Inference
1) Describing Location in a Distribution
A. Unit 8 – Estimating with Confidence
2) Normal Distribution
1) Confidence Intervals: The Basics
C. Unit 3 – Describing Relationships
2) Estimating a Population Proportion
1) Scatterplots and Correlation
3) Estimating a Population Mean
2) Least-Squares Regression
B. Unit 9 – Testing a Claim
II. Sampling and Experimentation
1) Significance Tests: The Basics
A. Unit 4 – Designing Studies
2) Tests about a Population Proportion
1) Sampling and Surveys
3) Tests about a Population Mean
2) Experiments
C. Unit 10 – Comparing Two Populations or
3) Using Studies Wisely
Groups
III. Anticipating Patterns
1) Comparing Two Proportions
A. Unit 5 – Probability: What are the Chances?
2) Comparing Two Means
1) Randomness, Probability and Simulation
D. Unit 11 – Inference for Distributions of
2) Probability Rules
Categorical Data
3) Conditional Probability and Independence
1) Chi-Square Test Goodness-of-Fit Tests
B. Unit 6 – Random Variables
2) Inference for Relationships
1) Discrete and Continuous Random Variables
E. Unit 12 – More About Regression
2) Transforming and Conditioning Random
1) Inference for Linear Regression
Variables
2) Transforming to Achieve Linearity
3) Binomial and Geometric Random Variables
F. AP Exam Review
G. Final Project
END OF FIRST SEMESTER