Math 318
Winter 2015
Office:
Office Hours: By Phone: Evening and Weekend, By email any time
Yihong Zhang
215-504-4820
yihong@math.drexel.edu
Mathematical Applications of Statistical Software
1. Prerequisites: This is a heavy computer programming class using SAS. Programming
experience in any other language is highly desired but not strictly required. Student is
required to have your own computer that run Windows Operating System so that the SAS
software can be installed (Sorry that we don’t have Mac version software). This is
because you need to spend a lot of time to run example programs, study course materials
and to do all home works, mostly programming in SAS.
2. Course Coverage: This course will cover SAS Base Programming and many advanced
skills, including: SAS Environment, SAS statement syntax, SAS data step programming
with many advanced topics, frequently used SAS procedures and ODS basics, and basics
of SAS Macro. For details, see Learning Objectives.
3. Course Materials: MS Word documents, home work assignments and related SAS data,
SAS programs will be posted on the class web site for download. No text book is needed.
The advantage of this class document is that once set up, all SAS code can be copy/paste
to SAS Program Editor and run directly without modification. By this, it saves significant
amount of time to type the code, and help better understand the program concept.
4. Course Format: The class will meet every Monday from 6:00 – 8:50. Additionally, there
will be two midterms in the class period.
5. Home Work: The key to success in programming is practices. There will be home work
assignment every week after Monday class. Home work will due by Saturday night
9:00pm of the same week. Because the class moves in fast pace, anyone who cannot
spend enough time to study class materials and complete homework on time will fall
behind very quickly.
6. Exams: Two midterms, in week 4 and week 7 and a final.
7. Course Grades:
Attendance:
Homework:
Midterms:
Final:
10%
20%
20% + 20% = 40%
30%
8. Changes to syllabus: Any changes on the syllabus will be communicated in class and via
email.
9. Useful Resources: SAS Online Document:
Learning Objectives: The objectives of this class include the following items that need to
understand and the ability.
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Familiar with the SAS programming environment; Being able to write, edit, run
SAS program, to review SAS data, log and output and to use all information
debug the SAS program.
Understand the SAS libname, filename, and able to write SAS Program to read
raw data (or Text file, or flat data) in 3 different styles.
Understand SAS dataset structure and how to use proc contents to review the
information about the SAS dataset, and how to review the values of the SAS
dataset.
Understand the structure and properties of SAS data step. Being able to write SAS
data step to read, write SAS data and to generate simple output.
Understand the definition and properties of SAS numeric variables, basic numeric
functions, character variables, and basic character functions.
Understand SAS informat, format and proc format; knowing how to use them in
variable format, conversion and look up. Understand SAS label.
Understand and being able to use basic SAS logical statements (if …then, else …
then, do loop, do while loop, etc.), SAS if and where selection statement.
Understand and being able to use proc sort, first.varname, last.varname, retain
statements.
Being able to use proc sort, merge, set statements to combine SAS dataset
horizontally and vertically.
Understand and being to use other basic SAS procedures, including:
Proc contents, Proc prints, Proc Sort, Proc freq, Proc summary, Proc means,
Proc Univariate, Proc rank, Proc Transpose, Proc compare, Proc Datasets,
Proc gchart, proc gplot, and some very basics of SAS ODS.
Understand basic concept of SAS macro, macro variables, macro variable
reference, indirect reference, macro function; How to use SAS macro to do simple
automation and data driven SAS programs.
University Academic Policies:
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http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/academic_dishonesty.asp
http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/judicial/honesty.html
http://www.drexel.edu/oed/disabilityResources/students/
http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/course_drop.asp