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Example of a Fall/Spring Syllabus
Your Exam Days/Times May Be Different
Statistics 303

Stat Dept:Office: Blocker 447, 8-5pm, 845-3141, answering machine after hours

Important Websites: You will use the following websites throughout the course:
Homeworks and Course Information can be found on the STAT 30X website: http://www.stat.tamu.edu/stat30x
Homeworks and Grades will be posted in WebAssign https://webassign.net

Help Hours: Sun 2-7, M 4-8, Tu 5:10-8, W 4-8 and Th 5:10-8pm in BLOC 161. There will be at least two Statistics graduate students available to assist you with homework problems OR general questions. Take advantage of this FREE service. It really does help.

Goals: To become statistically literate, to develop a conceptual understanding of basic statistical principles, to learn to use technology (Excel in particular) to analyze data and aid in conceptual understanding, and to learn to use statistics to help understand and solve real-world problems.

Topics: numerical and graphical methods of describing one and two variables, basic probability , means and variances of discrete random variables, continuous random variables, sampling distributions for samples means and proportions, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing for means and proportions, regression analysis, χ² test for independence, and One-way ANOVA.

Requirements: Introduction to the Practice of Statistics, 5th edition, by Moore & McCabe
Also, a way to save your work in the lab (you cannot print from there) and a calculator will be needed. We will be using an Excel add-in. See http://www.stat.tamu.edu/stat30x/stattools.html for instructions on how to get a copy.

It should be emphasized that this course will cover a great deal of material at a RAPID pace. As a rule of thumb, you should expect to spend a minimum of three hours for every hour spent in class reviewing material covered in lecture and homework. This means I expect you to work a minimum of nine hours outside of class. Students who have had diffculty in previous courses, or who have not had a quantitative course in several semesters, may find that this course requires a considerable amount of preparation and extra study time, and should plan accordingly. A course in finite mathematics which includes some probability, i.e. MATH 141 or 166 and a basic understanding of Windows and MSExcel will be helpful.

Grading: Labs 10%
Quizzes 10%
Homework 10%
Examinations 15% each - 3
Final exam 20%
Best exam 5%

You will NOT be allowed any extra credit projects, etc. to compensate for a poor average. Everyone must be given the same opportunity to do well in this class. Individual exams WILL NOT be curved; however, I may use attendance and class participation to make adjustments at the end of the semester. The final grade is based on a scale no stricter than 90 - 100 = A, 80 - 89 = B, 70 - 79 = C, 60 - 69 = D, below 60 = F.

Exams: There will be three one hour long 20 question multiple choice exams (see the Class Notes page for dates) plus the final. You will need an 8.5 × 11 GRAY scantron for EACH exam!!!

Incompletes: A temporary grade of I (Incomplete) at the end of the semester indicates that the student has completed the course with the exception of a major quiz, final exam, or minimal other work. The instructor shall give this grade only when the deficiency is due to an authorized absence or other cause beyond the control of the student. This means you can NOT get an I if you have not done MOST of the coursework.

Homework: Homework is required so that you get a better understanding of the material covered, plus it will help you to keep up. It will be available each week by Wednesday and will be due by midnight the following Tuesday. Each homework is worth 100 points. It is strongly encouraged that you work with your lab partner or another student. You will get a better understanding of the material if you discuss it with someone. You must submit your own work, however (see the section on Scholastic Dishonesty below).

NO LATE HOMEWORK WILL BE ACCEPTED NOR WILL YOU BE ALLOWED TO MAKE UP MISSED HOMEWORK! To compensate for university excused absenses, TWO homework assignments will be dropped. You should only use these for valid absenses and not waste them. If you start the course late, it will be a missed homework. If your computer doesn’t work, it will be a missed homework. If you miss more than 2 homeworks and have university excuses* for all of them, please contact Julie Hagen Carroll, email: julie@stat.tamu.edu, to arrange a makeup. Plan accordingly! It is better to submit something, even if it is incomplete.

Labs: Each week you will turn in a lab covering the concepts of the week. Since it is very important that you grasp these concepts, we will discuss all of the questions and the lab will just be part of your attendance grade.

University Excused Absences: The following is from the Student Rules guidelines (see http://student-rules.tamu.edu/, under Part I: Academic Rules).

The university views class attendance as an individual student responsibility. Students are expected to attend class and to complete all assignments. Instructors are expected to give adequate notice of the dates on which major tests will be given (see dates of exams above) and assignments will be due. This information should be provided on the course syllabus, which should be distributed at the first class meeting. Graduate students are expected to attend all examinations required by departments or advisory committees as scheduled formally.

7.1 The student is responsible for providing satisfactory evidence to the instructor to substantiate the reason for absence. Among the reasons absences are considered excused by the university are the following:

7.1.1 Participation in an activity appearing on the university authorized activity list. (see List of Authorized and Sponsored Activities)

7.1.2 Death or major illness in a students immediate family.

7.1.3 Illness of a dependent family member.

7.1.4 Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a students presence.

7.1.5 Religious holy day. (See Appendix IV.)

7.1.6 Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class (to be determined by Health Center or on-campus physician).

7.1.7 Required participation in military duties.

7.1.8 Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.

7.2 If the student is found to be too ill to attend class by a Health Center physician, the director of the Health Center or his/her representative will, on request of the student, confirm this fact.

7.3 If an on-campus physician provides evidence of a students illness, the excuse documentation must contain the date and time of the illness and doctors opinion that the student was too ill to attend class. If a physician determines that the student is not ill, he or she will not receive an excuse. If no evidence is available, the instructor will decide whether makeup work will be allowed.

7.4 The associate dean for undergraduate programs, or the deans designee, of the students college may provide a letter for the student to take to the instructor stating that the dean has verified the students absence as excused.

7.5 If the student is seeking an excused absence, the student must notify the instructor as soon as possible after the absence, but no later than the end of the second working day after the last date of absence. If the absence occurs the same day as a scheduled exam or other graded procedure, the student must notify his/her instructor or department by the end of the next working day after the absence in order to ensure full rights. The student is responsible for providing satisfactory evidence to the instructor within one week of his or her absence return to substantiate the reason for absence. If the absence was excused, the instructor must either provide the student an opportunity to make up the exam or other work missed or provide a satisfactory alternative completed within 30 calendar days from the last date of absence.

7.6 The instructor is under no obligation to provide an opportunity for the student to make up work missed because of an unexcused absence.

STATEMENT ON DISABILITIES: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation for their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Office of Support Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Student Services Building. The phone number is 845-1637.

STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM: The handouts used in this course are copyrighted. By ”handouts,” I mean all materials generated for this class, which include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in-class materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets. Because these materials are copyrighted, you do not have the right to copy the handouts, unless I expressly grant permission. As commonly defined, plagiarism 2 consists of passing off as one’s own ideas, words, writing, etc., which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M University Student Rules, under the Section ”Scholastic Dishonesty.” Reference http://student-rules.tamu.edu if you have questions or concerns.

STATEMENT ON SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: It is the responsibility of both Students and Instructors to help maintain scholastic integrity at the university by refusing to participate in or tolerate scholastic dishonesty. In a case of scholastic dishonesty, it is imperative that written documentation be kept at each level of the procedures. Examples of scholastic dishonest are given here:

Improper Acquiring of Information:
Acquiring answers for any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized source. Working with another person or persons on any assignment or examinations when not specifically permitted by the instructor. Observing the work of other students during any examination both in class exams and take home exams.

Providing Information:
Providing answers for any work or examination when not specifically authorized to do so. Informing any person or persons of the contents of any examination prior to the time the examination is given.

Plagiarism:
Failing to credit sources used in a work product (homework, take home examination, paper, dissertation) in an attempt to take credit for the work of someone else. Attempting to receive credit for work performed by another person, including papers obtained in whole or in part from individuals or other sources.

Conspiracy:
Agreeing with one or more persons to commit any act of scholastic dishonesty

Fabrication of Information:
The falsification of the results obtained from a research or laboratory experiment. The written or oral presentation of results of research or laboratory experiments without the research or laboratory experiment having been performed.

“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.”

Please see http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor for the complete Honor Council Rules and Procedures.

Violation of Computer Use:
Violation of any announced departmental or college rule relating to academic matters, including but not limited to abuse or misuse of computer access or information.