STAT 202A
Introductory Statistics
Details: Spring 2007, MW Block 7A (2:20-3:50 pm), Trexler 374
Professor: Dr. Patches L. Johnson Office Hours: MW 9:40 – 11:40 am
Email: F 9:40 – 10:40 am
Office: Trexler 270F or by appointment
Phone: 375-4906
Text: Probability & Statistics for Engineers & Scientists (7th edition) by Walpole, Myers, Myers & Ye (published by Prentice Hall)
Course Description: Material in Chapters 1 – 6 in the textbook will be covered. Topics of focus include: descriptive statistics, probability and rules of probability, discrete and continuous random variables and their distributions, joint probability distributions, expectation and variance of random variables. In particular, we will study Binomial, Multinomial, Hypergeometric, Negative Binomial and Poisson discrete random variables. Specific types of continuous random variables studied will be Normal, Gamma and Exponential.
Assignments/Exams: 12 Mini quizzes 5 points each
7 Quizzes 15 points each
Research Paper 40 points total
2 MCSP Talks 10 points each
3 Exams 100 points each
Final Exam 150 points
Grading Scale:
Your final grade in the course will be based on a total of 675 points and assigned in the following manner:
608 - 675 = A
540 – 607 = B
473 – 539 = C
405 – 472 = D
0 - 404 = F
Grade Related Policies:
1. There will be a total of 9 Quizzes. Your 2 lowest quiz grades will be dropped. Quizzes will be given every Monday, beginning January 22, 2007 (except on Exam days and the week of Good Friday (when the quiz will be given on Wednesday)). Please use your dropped quiz grades wisely.
2. There will be 12 unannounced Mini quizzes based on the reading and homework assignments. No Mini quiz grades will be dropped.
3. You are expected to attend class and be prompt. Class attendance will be recorded each class period. If you are not present (for ANY reason—tardiness and leaving early are NOT exceptions) when attendance is taken, you will be marked as absent. After 3 absences from class, you will be sent a warning email stating that you have missed 3 class periods. After the NEXT absence (4 absences total), you will be DROPPED FROM THE COURSE WITH A GRADE OF DF.
4. Cell phones and pagers should be turned OFF before entering class. Hence, no electronic communication devices are to be used in the classroom. Violation of this class policy (using your phone during class in ANY WAY, including your phone INADVERTENTLY RINGING) will result in the following disciplinary action: 1st offense – 10 point penalty, 2nd offense – 25 point penalty, 3rd offense – dismissal from the course with a grade of DF. (You will be sent a warning email after your 2nd offense). Cell phone point penalties may possibly be recouped under certain circumstances and will involve an extra assignment. This will be discussed as necessary, and should also involve doughnuts for the entire class, since this is a disruption of learning for the entire class! J
Please also note that, by Student Conduct Codes (numbers 1, 9, 13 and 24, pages 7-8 of the Roanoke College Student Handbook), cell phones can, under certain circumstances, be considered violations of those Codes and receive disciplinary action by college administration officials.
5. Homework will be assigned every class period, but will not be graded. However, completion of the homework is crucial to your success on the mini quizzes and in this course.
6. The requirements for the research paper will be addressed in a separate handout.
7. You are required to attend one of the MCSP Conversations given throughout the semester and turn in a brief write up of the talk you attend. These requirements will be addressed and a schedule provided in a separate handout.
General Quiz and Exam Policies:
1. All quizzes and exams require closed notes and closed books.
2. NO EARLY QUIZZES or MAKE-UP QUIZZES WILL BE GIVEN under any circumstances. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY. Please do not ask for exceptions. Again, use the dropped quiz grade option wisely.
3. Under truly exceptional and extreme circumstances (examples: hospitalization, family death, jail sentence), one of the regularly scheduled EXAMS may be taken AFTER the scheduled date IF appropriate notice is given to me. (Examples: contact me weeks ahead of time if you have a scheduled surgery, call me as soon as possible when your grandma dies (not when you return to campus after the funeral, use your one phone call to call me from the City of Salem jail)). No early exams are given under any circumstances.
4. The Final Exam will not be rescheduled on an individual basis under any circumstance.
5. The Final Exam is cumulative and covers material from the entire semester.
Exam Dates: Exam 1: Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Exam 2: Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Exam 3: Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Final Exam: Monday, April 30, 2 –5 pm
Other Important Dates:
Monday, January 22 – Quiz 1
Saturday, March 3 through Sunday, March 11 – Spring Break
Monday, April 2 – Research paper due
Monday, April 23 – Last day of classes
General Class Policies:
1. Please feel free to come by during posted office hours. These hours are specified for your convenience. If these hours are not convenient, please make an appointment for another time.
2. If you are having trouble with a concept in class and you come to office hours, try to come with fairly specific questions that address the problems/ideas that are causing difficulties.
3. All aspects of the Roanoke College Academic Integrity Policy will be strictly enforced. You should familiarize yourself with this policy.
4. This course will require the use of a calculator, purchased at your expense. There is not a specific type of calculator required. However, a scientific calculator w/ a STAT mode is highly recommended. A graphing calculator is optional.
5. CALCULUS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR THIS COURSE. Thus, you are expected to have full knowledge of the materials covered in Calculus courses here at Roanoke College. You are expected to know how to do many integration techniques and applications WITHOUT the use of your calculator. Hence, I reserve the right to REQUIRE you, as part of this course, to perform integration WITHOUT the use of your calculator and WITHOUT supplemental warning to this syllabus statement.
6. Reading assignments and practice homework problems will be assigned before we cover the associated material. Thus, you are fully expected to have read the material and completed assigned homework before coming to class. A significant part of your learning process is to gain knowledge and experience in reading statistical material. Thus, to fully gain the most from class discussions, presentations and group work, reading and practice homework problems must be seriously attempted on your own time, outside of class.