Professor: Steve Abbott, x2256, 310 Warner Hall
Office hours: M/W/F 1:00-2:30, Tu 2:00-3:00, Th 9:00-10:00, or by appointment
Text: Stats: Data and Models. De Veaux, Velleman & Bock, 2nd Edition
Unlike some other math textbooks, this book is quite readable. My best advice
is to read the sections before the relevant class periods. Lectures will be
designed to complement the text, focusing on the major points and harder concepts,
but in no way covering everything from the chapters you will need to know to
complete the…
Regular Assignments. Largely problems from the book, these will be posted on the web and are due in class on the assigned date. These problems are not pledged and you are encouraged to work together, but I will expect individually written papers from each of you. In addition to these daily assignments, we will meet once a week in the
Computer Labs to explore DataDesk. Labs will involve experimentation
and statistical analysis, together with some short essay questions you can answer
directly on your computer printouts. In most cases, these will be due the following
class period (Friday).
The majority of statistical calculations are best handled by computer and your
book comes with a student copy of DataDesk that you can install on your own
computer and use for your regular assignments. As you develop some proficiency
with DataDesk, I will ask you to complete…
Two Extended Projects. The first will cover exploratory data analysis and the second will involve doing some formal statistical inference. These will be customized projects that will allow you to use your new-found statistical expertise to investigate topics of your own choosing. There will also be…
Three Exams on the following dates:
Exam 1: Thursday, March 12
Exam 2: Thursday, April 23
Final Exam, the time to be set by the scheduling office.
The two mid-term exams are scheduled during our usual lab period. The date for the final exam date comes from the scheduling office, so please do not make any plans to leave campus that might conflict with the date of the final.
Your grade will be completed from the following recipe:
Regular assignments/labs: 10%
Exam 1: 20%
Exam 2: 20%
Extended Projects: 30%
Final exam 20%