Syllabus: STAT 200 Elementary Statistics (Summer 2009)
Section 105
• CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Jianping Sun,
E-mail: jxs1021@psu.edu
Office: 423/422C Thomas Bldg.
Office Hours: W F 01:15P – 02:15P or by appointment
Teaching Assistant:
Mengtao Dai, E-mail: mxd393@psu.edu
Office: 321 Thomas Office Hours: Th 01:00P – 02:00P
Meeting Time:
M W F 02:20P - 03:35P , Thomas 217
T R
02:20P – 03:35P, Forest Recourses 001
• COURSE DESCRIPTION
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Statistics is the art and science of using sample data to make generalizations about
populations. The topics covered in this course include:
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methods for collecting and summarizing data
methods for evaluating the accuracy of sample estimates
techniques for making statistical inferences
Users of statistics -- researchers, government agencies like the Census Bureau and the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, companies like the automakers and drug industry, etc. -- make
extensive use of the computer in applying statistical methods to their problems. You will
have a great deal of practice in analyzing data from a variety of areas and should be well
prepared for problem-solving involving statistics in the rest of your college courses, as
well as gaining an understanding of the role of statistics in your daily life.
• COURSE WEBSITE: https://cms.psu.edu
We will use ANGEL in this course. Important course materials will be posted, so you
should plan to access the site regularly.
• REQUIRED RESOURCES
1. A textbook, Mind on Statistics, 3rd Edition, by Utts and Heckard. It can be
purchased at the usual bookstores.
2. A scientific calculator.
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• COURSE FORMAT
1. There are five class meetings per week: three large group meetings (LGM) and
two computer lab meetings.
• Lectures will be given in the LGM. These are located in 217 Thomas on M,
W,F 02:20P-03:35P.
• The lab meetings are located in 001 Forest Recourse on T,R 02:20P-03:35P.
2. In the LGMs, I will cover the reading material outlined on the respective dates. I
strongly encourage you to read the material before class and then the lecture
material should make more sense. Quizzes and exams will also be administered
during the LGMs!
3. In the computer labs, you will work through an activity that supplements the
lecture/reading from that week. You are encouraged to work with group
members. Time in labs can be used on the project, though additional time outside
the lab may be required.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Item
Homework
RAQs
Project
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Description
Best 5 of 6
Best 3 of 4
Due June 25, 2009
June 5, 2009 in LGM
June 29, 2009 in LGM
BONUS questions
TBA in class
Total
Points
300
150
150
150
250
Percentage
30.00%
15.00%
15.00%
15.00%
25.00%
1000
100.00%
• SOME DETAILS ABOUT COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Homework
Homework will consist of lab activities and exercises from the text. The due dates for the
homework are noted on the calendar. There will be a total of six homework assignments
due, with the lowest score being dropped. Each assignment is worth 60 points.
Readiness Assessment Quizzes (RAQs)
There will be four Readiness Assessment Quizzes (RAQs) throughout the semester. The
dates of the RAQs are noted on the course calendar. Each RAQ will be worth 50 points.
The RAQs will be closed book and contain only multiple-choice and true-false questions.
The questions will be on material that you have been asked to read previously and on
material discussed in LGMs and labs. You are expected to read and review topics before
each quiz so that you will understand the basic concepts, and the RAQs will determine
how well you understand those concepts.
REMEMBER TO BRING A PENCIL AND A CALCULATOR FOR ALL RAQs!!!
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Group Project
Near the end of the summer session, the last two lab meetings in the course will also be
used for group project work involving the integration of course content, such as
evaluating scientific articles, analyzing experimental data, and discussing case studies.
You should expect to commit some time outside of the lab meetings to completing the
project. For the project, each group will submit one written report and all group
members will receive the same grade. The project will be worth 150 points.
Exams
One midterm and one final exam will be administered. The midterm exam will have both
written and multiple choice sections and will be worth 150 points. The final exam
(comprehensive) will be strictly multiple choice questions and will be worth 250 points.
The dates for both of these exams are noted on the course calendar.
For midterm, you can bring one page two-sided fact sheet no larger than 8.5x11 inches;
for final, two pages two-sided fact sheet no larger than 8.5x11 inches is allowed.
REMEMBER TO BRING A PENCIL AND A CALCULATOR FOR BOTH
EXAMS!!!
• COURSE GOALS
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
1. Understand the reasoning by which findings from sample data can be extended to
larger, more general populations.
2. Critically evaluate the results of scientific studies.
3. Design, conduct, and analyze a scientific research study.
4. Read statistical summaries.
5. Analyze data using statistical software (MINITAB).
6. Study and understand examples and applications from a variety of fields.
7. Learn independently and work cooperatively.
You will be graded based on the total score obtained from all of your course work.
Course grades in each of the nine categories will be tentatively awarded based on
the following bounds:
Final Grade
Points
Percent
A
930-1000
93.0-100.0%
A900-929
90.0-92.9%
B+
870-899
87.0-89.9%
B
830-869
83.0-86.9%
B800-829
80.0-82.9%
C+
770-799
77.0-79.9%
C
700-769
70.0-76.9%
D
600-699
60.0-69.9%
3
F
0-599
0.0-59.9%
PLEASE NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to adjust the final grade of any
student based on student’s class performance and attitude besides the grading items
above.
• COURSE RULES
We will adhere to the following:
1. Make-up policy: You must supply documentation of reasons for missing an
exam. NO make-up RAQs are allowed under any circumstances. Unless the
situation is a rare, last-minute emergency, you must contact me BEFORE the
date of the exam to set up a conflict exam time. Otherwise you will receive a zero
for the missed exam.
2. Homework will be collected at the beginning of class period on the assigned due
date. Project will be collect at the end of the last lab class (June 25th). Discussion
on homework is encouraged. However, each student must turn in his/her own
written work that reflects his/her own understanding of the material. It is a
violation of course policy to copy solutions from others, textbooks, Websites, or
previous instances of this course.
3. Assignments will not be accepted past the time they are due unless you make
other arrangements with me BEFORE the due date, since the solutions will
generally be posted within 24 hours after the due date. (but feel free to scan it and
send it to me through email)
4. If you are ill on a day that a HW is due or an exam is scheduled, make sure you
let me know via email PRIOR to that class period. If you do not have access to
email, call the statistics department office at 865-1348 (8am-5pm) and leave a
message with Jenn Parkes.
5. You will not be able to negotiate missed exams and quizzes at the end of the
semester.
6. Students are responsible for all announcements and supplements given within any
lecture.
7. Cheating will be punished in accordance with University guidelines.
Academic Integrity: All Penn State and Eberly College of Science policies regarding
academic integrity apply to this course. See
http://www.science.psu.edu/academic/Integrity/index.html for details.
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