Social Statistics: Soci 202--SPRING 2014
Patrick McKay, Instructor
Email: Patrick.Mckay@umontana.edu
(Must use student Email when contacting me or preceptors)
OFFICE: SS306 OFFICE HOURS: Mon and Wed 10:00 – 11:00 & by Appointment
PRECEPTORS: Daniela Razo: Daniela.Razo@umontana.edu
Office: TBA Office Hours: Wed 10:00-11:00
Mitch Legato: Mitch.Legato@umontana.edu Office: TBA Office Hours: Mon 9:00-10:00
The goal of this course is to introduce you to basic statistical concepts and techniques. The information gained will provide you with a foundation to understand the statistics often visible in our daily lives, in the newspaper and other popular media (i.e. television and radio). It will also give you the tools needed to enroll in more advanced statistics courses, if you choose to do so. There are a variety of topics covered in this course. These will range from basic organization of data, graphic presentation of data, probability, sampling distributions and statistical inference.
I encourage everyone to take an interest in this course. By doing so, your grade and understanding of the material will go up. Effort is rewarded in this class. If I can see that a student is doing their best I have a tendency to be more lenient when grading
Moodle: Please get your profile on Moodle. I will use it to learn your names and post updates and messages.
Textbooks:
Levin, Jack and James Alan fox. 2011. Elementary Statistics in Social Research: The Essentials , 10 th -12 th Edition.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon. (L & F) Leven and Fox text is available as an eBook.
Calculator: Please bring your calculator to class. You will need it to work problems. Any calculator will work for this course. Calculators on your phone will not be permissible during tests
Grade Calculation: Points
Tests (100)……………………………………….
Participation……………..……………………....
Assignments (40 Points)..……………………….
Chapter Exercises (20 Points)..………………….
Total ……………………………………
500
50
200
100
850
TESTS:
Six exams are scheduled. Please note the exam dates and compare the dates to your other schedules. If you have any conflicts with university approved absences see me this week so a date can be set for you to take that exam. No makeup exams will be allowed if you have not made arrangements in advance.
NOTE THIS POLICY
APPLIES TO ALL UNIVERISTY APPROVED ABSENCES—INCLUDING ATHLETIC EVENT. Of course if you are very ill we can make other arrangements. You might want to note that make up exams will NOT be the same as the exams given in class. The lowest non-zero test will be dropped from everyone’s grade.
You may use 1 page (front and back) as a cheat sheet for the exams.

CLASS PARTICIPATION:
Participation points are earned by making quality contributions to the class discussions and working on the in class problems. Working on in class problems will be one of the best ways to understand the material for the tests and chapter exercises. Attendance will also be taken randomly throughout the semester.
ASSIGNMENTS:
All assignments will require you to use SPSS to perform statistical techniques and interpret the results. The data for these assignments will come from 2010 Montana Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) Data. The assignments may be group work (2 to 3 people max). Everyone must participate in the assignment to get full credit. All assignments are due in class the day they are specified on the calendar.
DROP ONE ASSIGNMENT: You may choose to only do 5 of the 6 assignments or you may choose to drop your lowest score of the six assignments. If you choose not to do an assignment please hand in a blank paper with your name expressing to me that you are not doing the current project.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS: The penalty for each 24 hour period is 10 points. This penalty will be applied without exception.
CHAPTER EXCERCISES:
There are a total of six chapter exercises. Chapter exercises come from Levin and Fox’s (L&F) textbook. Each chapter exercise will include problems that I have picked as the most relevant questions from the back of each chapter. To ensure students are not just copying the answers all work must be shown to receive all 20 points.
Points may be taken away for poorly completed exercises.
DROP ONE CHAPTER EXCERCISE: You may choose to only do 5 of the 6 chapter exercises or you may choose to drop your lowest score of the six exercises.
LATE CHAPTER EXCERCISE: The penalty for each 24 hour period is 10 points. This penalty will be applied without exception.
COURSE OUTLINE: The schedule is TENTATIVE and SUBJECT TO CHANGE. If there are any changes they will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to be in class to hear about the changes.
Monday
1/27/2014:
Wednesday
1/29/2014:
Friday
1/31/2014
2/3/2014- No Class
Distributions, Proportions and
Rates L&F Ch. 2
HW Questions
2/10/2014:
Graphic Presentations
L&F Ch. 2
L&F Chapter 1
2/5/2014:
Distributions, Proportions
2/7/2014:
Intro to Lab for Assignment
L&F: Ch. 2
2/12/2014: 2/14/2014:
Graphic Presentation Review for Test
Lab: Finish Assignment 1 Assignment 1 Due:
L&F Ch. 1&2 HW Due
2/17/2014:
2/24/2014:
Central Tendency
L&F Ch. 3
2/26/2014:
L&F Ch. 4
Unit 2: Descriptive Statistics
L&F Ch. 3 &
L&F Ch. 3 &4 HW Questions
2/28/2014:
Assignment 2
L&F Ch. 3,4 HW due

3/3/2014:
L&F Ch. 4
3/10/2014:
3/5/2014: 3/7/2014:
Unit 3: To Draw Inferences:
The Normal Distribution
L&F Ch. 5
Assignment 2 Due
L&F Ch. 5 HW Questions
3/12/2014:
Distribution
3/14/2014: Lab Day for
Assignment 3
L&F Ch. 5 HW Due L&F Ch. 5
3/17/2014:
Sampling and Sampling
3/19/2014:
Review for Test
Distribution
L&F Ch. 6
3/21/2014:
Test 3
Assignment 3 due
3/24/2014: 3/26/2014: 3/28/2014:
L&F Ch. 7 L&F Ch. 7
L&F Ch. 7 HW Questions
3/31/2014:
SPRING BREAK
4/2/2014: day for Assignment 4
L&F Ch. 7 HW Due
4/4/2014:
4/7/2014 4/9/2014 4/11/2014
Cross Tabs and Association:
L&F Ch. 9
Assignment 4 due
L&F Ch. 9 HW Questions:
4/14/2014 4/18/2014
Cross Tabs and Associations Associations: Partial Lab
L&F Ch. 9
4/16/2014
L&F Ch. 9 Day for Assignment 5
L&F Ch. 9 HW Due:
4/21/2014:
Assignment 5 due
4/23/2014
4/28/2014:
Regression and Correlation L&F
Ch. 10 & 11
4/30/2014:
Lab day For assignment 6
4/25/2014
Regression and Correlation
L&F Ch. 10 & 11
L&F Ch. 10 &11 HW
Questions
5/2/2014:
Regression and Correlation
L&F Ch. 10 & 11

5/5/2014:
Regression and Correlation
L&F Ch. 10 & 11 & NS Ch. 15
5/7/2014:
Review for Final:
5/9/ 2014
Last Class: Catch up
L&F Ch. 10 & 11 HW Due
Assignment 6 Due
5/12/2014 Final Week 5/14/2014 Final Week 5/16/2014 Final Week
Advice on Understanding Statistics and Hints for Passing the Course:

Read all of the assigned chapters. Some students may find it easier to understand the chapters after we have gone over the material in class. Other students may find it beneficial to read the chapter before class to understand the material in class.

Do all chapter exercises. Although you will not be assigned all of the chapter exercises the questions in the back of each chapter will be very similar to what you will see on the tests.

Make an organized and detailed study sheet for the test. On the cheat sheet include formulas because these will be the hardest to memorize. Include examples of the formulas being used correctly. Also include any vocabulary that you may be having problems with.

Study with another classmate. Having a study partner in class can make the assignments and chapter exercises easier to understand.

Come and talk to me or the preceptors during our office hours for anything. We are here for you.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Students with disabilities may request reasonable modifications by contacting me. The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and
Disability Services for Students (DSS). “Reasonable” means the University permits no fundamental alteration of academic standards or retroactive modification. (For more information see http://www.umt.edu/disability). All reasonable accommodations are available to all students in this statistics course.
CHEATING: Please do not
The penalty for cheating in this class is an F. If you do cheat and I catch you, you will find it a very unpleasant experience. I assure you that everyone in this class can pass without cheating.
ACADEMIC ETIQUETTE:
Academic etiquette includes, but is not limited to, arriving on time, not leaving or packing up to leave until class is over, treating all class members with respect, and not carrying on private conversations with the people sitting near you. Even whispering is distracting to others. It is especially distracting to me. Please talk to me if you will be leaving early or arriving late. Everyone is late from time to time, please try your best to be to class before the lecture starts.
Cell Phones: Cell phones are not allowed during tests. If I see a student texting during a test I have to assume they are cheating. If you are using your cell phone for a calculator during regular class times please find a different calculator for the test.