College of Southern Nevada

STAT 152 Syllabus - Fall 2009

Instructor Information
Name: Michael Greenwich
Biography:

BS. in Mathematics (1983), MS. in Statistics (1984), and Ph. D. in Mathematical Statistics (1987), all from University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Teaching at Talladega College, Talladega, Alabama (1987-1988), at Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, Indiana (1988-2003), and at the College of Southern Nevada since Fall of 2003.
Statistical consulting in industries since 1989.

Home Page: http://www.nevada.edu/~greenwic/
Emergency
E-Mail:

michael.greenwich@csn.edu or greenwic@nevada.edu
Note: Due to the wealth of computer viruses spread through e-mail and the daily barrage of unsolicited junk mail (SPAM), any current student wanting to send the instructor a course-related message must do so using the course e-mail on Angel. The instructor's emergency e-mail address is to be used ONLY if the course e-mail on Angel is unavailable. Non-Emergency e-mail sent to this regular e-mail will, most likely, be ignored.

Phone & Voice Mail:
(702) 651-5884
Note: Although you may leave a message, the most expeditious way to reach the instructor will be using the course e-mail on Angel.
Fax: (702) 651-5881
Office: CSN Charleston Campus, Building H, Room 101-A
Office Hours:

Online-Angel (in Live Office Hours): 11:30 -12:00 noon on T & R (except for November 12 & 26).
In Office (H 101-A): 2:00 -3:00 pm on M and 12:00-12:30 W (except for September 9 & November 11).
Note: These office hours are in effect from August 31 to December 9, 2009.
Additional Hours: By Appointment

   
Course Information
Title/Number: STAT 152, Introduction to Statistics (3 Credits)
Section(s): DED01 (53744)
Dates: Monday, August 31 through Saturday, December 19, 2009
Description:

An introductory Statistics course on basic probability and statistical methods covering topics such as data, descriptive statistics, graphs, points and interval estimation, hypothesis and significance testing, correlation, experiment, sampling and related topics.
Prerequisite: Placement Test, MATH 124, MATH 126, or higher (or their equivalent). A grade of C or higher is required for the prerequisite.

Method of Instruction:
Students will be expected to read the text repeatedly till they understand everything in the text, do the suggested homework problems, and study the indicated website materials.
Note: Technical difficulties and any difficulties (beyond your control or not) will not be acceptable excuses for missing deadlines or failing to complete the assigned work (Quizzes & Exams).
Location(s):

CSN Online Campus: http://onlinecampus.csn.edu/default.asp for reading, learning and taking quizzes.
CSN Testing Center on West Charleston Campus for taking Mid-Term Exam and Final Exam.

Note: Various features in this course, including the required online quizzes, make use of pop-up windows. Thus, to be able to participate in this course, you should disable any "Pop-Up Blocker" software installed on your computer.

Course Access:

CSN Online Course Access: http://onlinecampus.csn.edu/default.asp
Login Information: Login with the last 8 digits of your student ID and the password you use for your network account. If you have not activated your network account, forgot your password or forgot your C Number click here.

Internet Access: Students are required to have Internet access. If a student does not have Internet access from home, he/she may use any of CSN's computer labs. To use a lab, students must provide identification and proof of enrollment in a course at CSN.
CSN Computer Labs:
Most of you will probably do your assignments/quizzes at home or at work. Technical problems will NOT serve as a valid excuse for missing deadlines. If you are having problems with your computer or do not have the required software, feel free to use any of the on-campus Computer Labs. Do not wait till the last day to take a quiz. Visit http://www.csn.edu/pages/444.asp for more information about CSN Computer Labs.
 
Textbook
Required:

The textbook is authored by Michael Greenwich and available in the online course (free of charge).
The textbook is written in pdf files and the Adobe Reader is required. If your computer does not have it, you can down load it from www.adobe.com free of charge. All the computers in the computer lab on any CSN campus have it. The textbook is available within the course.

The textbook is also found at http://www.nevada.edu/~greenwic/STAT152_notes/

Reference: Beginning Statistics by Larry J. Stephens (ISBN 0-07-145932-4).
This reference book is optional. Any introductory statistics book can be used as a reference book. If conflicting information is found in any reference and the text, the information in the text should be used.

Text Coverage:
All the sections (including appendices) of the text will be covered, except for optional appendices..
 
Course Objectives
Goals:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:


1. Understand and use fundamental statistical principles, analyses, methods, and tests.
2. Obtain unbiased data from different random systems.
3. Statistically display and analyze data to obtain information for decision-making.
4. Use what is learned to learn more advanced statistical principles, analyses, methods and tests.
5. Extend and apply what is learned in this course to solve real-world problems.

 
Special Notations Used In This Course
Exponents: When typing an exponential expression, it will not be possible to superscript exponents. Instead, use the ^ symbol (shift-6 on most keyboards) to indicate exponents. Thus, to indicate the expression x5, type x^5. As with all exponential expressions, be very careful with the inclusion or exclusion of parentheses. 7y^3 = 7 · y · y · y, and (7y)^3 = 7 ·7 ·7 · y · y · y = 343y^3.
Fractions & Rational
Expressions:
For every fraction, put the numerator in a set of brackets, and put the denominator in another set of brackets. That is, type it as (numerator)/(denominator), WITHOUT using spaces. Be careful; use parentheses ( ), not brackets [ ] or braces { }, and DO NOT type a fraction as (numerator/denominator). For example, to write the fraction three-fifths, type (3)/(5), not (3/5).

To indicate the rational expression , you must type (x+2)/(x-3). If you type x+2/x-3, you are actually indicating , which is not the same as the intended expression. Once again, be sure to use parentheses, not brackets or braces. The expressions [x+2]/[x-3] and {x+2}/{x-3} will be marked as incorrect.
If the numerator or denominator contains several terms, parentheses are allowed, just be sure to put brackets around the entire numerator and the entire denominator. For example, a valid response may look like: (x+3)(x-2)/((x-5)(x+4)) which is different from (x+3)(x-2)/(x-5)(x+4).

Radicals: Since it is impossible to type a symbol, we will indicate square roots using ( )^((1)/(2)). For example, to indicate with the notation, type as 5^((1)/(2)). Also, to indicate a cube root, type as ( )^((1)/(3)). For example, to indicate a cube root of x, type as x^((1)/(3)).
Example: It is possible to have to type an expression containing some or all of the above notations. For example, to indicate the expression , you need to type (2(xy^5)^((1)/(2)))/(3).
General Instructions: Your answers to the questions in Quizzes and Exams must be in the simplest form unless otherwise specified. Do not use spaces when you type your answers. It is required to type your answers on line using the notations for fractions and exponents (regardless of whether or not a question instructs to use the online notations, if fraction and/or exponents are involved in the answer) unless otherwise instructed. If you get confused or want to clarify the notation for Quizzes, e-mail me; I would be happy to assist you. Please contact me by the course e-mail.
 
Policies
Calculators: A scientific calculator is required for this course. A graphing calculator is allowed but not required.
Instructional Language: English is the instructional language of this course. No dictionary and no translator of any kind are allowed for exams.
Dates & Hours: All the dates and hours (times) used in this course and by CSN are local to Las Vegas, NV.
ADA Notice:

Any student who qualifies for "reasonable accommodations" in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act must notify the instructor in writing of such by the end of the first week of class. If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need to contact the Disability Resource Center located in the Student Service Center on each campus. The phone numbers are (702) 651-4700 at Cheyenne, (702) 651-3086 at Henderson, and (702) 651-5089 at West Charleston. Please visit http://www.csn.nevada.edu/drc/ for more information.

Honesty:
Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. It is a very serious offence. Any incident of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the most serious course of action will be recommended.
Missed Quizzes & Exams: There are no acceptable excuses for missing (or failing to complete) a Quiz or Exam. This includes technical difficulties (or other computer problems), children, illness, deaths in the family, traffic court, vacations, or any other legitimate (or imaginary) problems, no exception. Particularly, Quizzes are available for an extended period of time so that students can make appropriate arrangements to complete the required work. Thus, any missed Quiz (and Exam) will be scored as a zero, and no retake, no extension of deadlines or no make-up work of any kind will be offered. Stay ahead of the deadline schedule for Quizzes. Do not wait till the last day to take a Quiz.
Religious
Holidays:
(From the CSN Student Handbook) CSN is sensitive to the religious obligations of its students. Any student missing class, quizzes, examinations or any other class work because of an observance of religious holidays shall, whenever possible, be given an opportunity to make up the missed work. You must notify the instructor in writing of such an event before the date of occurrence. This policy shall not apply in the event that administering the assignment at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the College which could not have been reasonably avoided.
Withdrawals:
If you stop logging into the course or quit completing the required quizzes, you will NOT be assigned an automatic W or "Withdrawal" grade. In order to receive a W, you must officially drop the course by the final drop date listed in the college catalog. The instructor of this course will not assign a W to the students, under no circumstance and no exception.
Incomplete: An Incomplete is issued only when the requirements for Incomplete are completely satisfied; see the CSN Student Handbook/Planner for the requirements. A student must request and substantiate the satisfaction of the requirements, in writing, for incomplete to receive the incomplete.
No Exception: All the policies and such given in this syllabus and anywhere else apply to every one of you as a student of this course without any exception. Please do not think you are special. Every student is treated equally in this course; no discrimination, no special treatment. You will be evaluated by nothing but your performances on the Quizzes and Exams as stated in this syllabus.
Changes: The instructor reserves the right (and right not) to change the course syllabus, schedule, policies, and such as necessary. If any change, it will apply to all the students in the course.
 
Grading
Homework:
Read each section very carefully till you understand everything in the section. Do the exercises given at the end of each section, which will be very beneficial to you. No assignment will be submitted for grading. Also, studying quiz questions will be helpful for understanding the materials and preparing yourself for exams.
Syllabus Quiz (Quiz 0): You will begin the course by taking a quiz (Quiz 0) over the information and policies laid out in this syllabus. Although the score on Quiz 0 will not count toward your overall course grade, you MUST get a perfect score on it before any of the remaining quizzes in the course will be made available to you. If you do not get a perfect score, review your answers and the Syllabus, and then retake Quiz 0. Any quiz missed due to a failure to take and get a perfect score on Quiz 0 will be scored as a zero, and no make-up work and no deadline extension will be allowed or offered.
Graded Quizzes:
There will be eight 20-point online quizzes. Quiz completion deadlines are found with the quizzes, listed in the Course Schedule below, or in the Calendar. Any quiz not taken by the specified deadline will be scored as a zero. Absolutely no make-up quiz, no extension of the quiz deadline, no quiz retake after the deadline will be offered for any reason, no exception. Each Quiz must be completed within the posted time limit (120 minutes for 40 questions). Unless approved by the instructor, answers saved after time has expired will not be accepted. No quiz score will be dropped from the Course Grade calculations. At the end of the semester, the points of all the quizzes will be included in the course grade calculation.
You can take any quiz as often as you wish before its deadline (that is, no excuse for not getting perfect on a quiz). The highest score is used for the quiz. You can take any quiz as soon as you score perfect on Quiz 0. No score change for a quiz after (and before) its deadline. Study early and take a quiz sooner than its deadline. In fact, do not wait till the last day (of the deadline) to take a quiz. Take it early and as often as you can to get the perfect score on the quiz. The correct answers will be released day after the deadline.
Exams:
Around the middle of the term, there will be a 100-point Mid-Term Exam, and near the end of the term, there will be a 100-point Final Exam. Each exam must be taken, in person, on the specified date listed in the Course Schedule. Any exam not taken on the specified date will be scored as a zero. Absolutely no exam retake, no make-up exam, and no exam date extension will be offered for any reason, no exception. The Exams are closed-book; only a calculator and pens/pencils are allowed for taking them (no cell phone, no dictionary, no translator). Each exam must be completed within the posted time limit (two hours) at the Testing Center on CSN West Charleston Campus on the specified day. If you cannot take them there (with a legitimate reason such as living outside the greater Las Vegas area), you must contact the instructor in the first week to make an arrangement (the exams must be proctored).
Computer Grading:
You are required to enter all answers and responses using the specified formatting notation indicated in this syllabus and at the top of the page listing the quizzes in the course. Additional required notations may also be listed in the instructions for individual questions. Quizzes will be automatically graded by the computer, which, unfortunately, sometimes fails to recognize alternate forms of correct answers. Although you are required to enter all responses using any specified formatting notations, it will be in your best interests to review every quiz after it has been graded. If you have an answer you believe was incorrectly marked wrong, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor for a possible adjustment to your score before the deadline of the quiz. However, the correct notations are part of this course. You will lose points for incorrect or lack of use of notations.
Extra Work for Extra Credit:
Absolutely no extra credit work will be offered in this course, no exception. Please do not even ask for it.
Grade Calculation:

Grades will consist of:
8 Online Quizzes:
Mid-Term Exam:
Final Exam:
Total Points:

Points
20*8 = 160
100*1 = 100
100*1 = 100
360

Your points:
324.00 (90% of 360) - 360.00:
288.00 (80% of 360) - 323.99:
252.00 (70% of 360) - 287.99:
216.00 (60% of 360) - 251.99:
Below 216.00:
Your grade
A
B
C
D
F

Point totals will be rounded to the nearest hundredth of a point. No +/- grades will be issued.
Grade Calculation Example:

Assume Stu Dent finishes the semester with quiz scores of 20, 18, 19, 11, 19, 13, 20, and 20, a Mid-Term score of 84, and a Final Exam score of 78.

His grade is computed as:
20 + 18 + 19 +11 + 19 + 13 + 20 + 20 + 84 + 78 = 302, which is a grade of B for the course.

Any student who has points fewer than 60, but has not officially withdrawn from the course, at the end of the semester will receive an F for the course.

 
Tips For Success
Study:
To succeed in this course (or any course), you must study the course materials given in the Textbook. Read each section till you understand it. If you have some difficulties understanding some materials, contact me by the Course E-mail, during the office hours in the Chat Room, or in my office on West Charleston Campus. Study to understand, not to memorize, the materials in this course. Memorization (as opposed to understanding) is the worst thing that anyone can do in a Statistics course and in life as well. Do the exercises given at the end of each section and study the questions in the Quizzes.
Do not Procrastinate:
Don't wait until the last minute to begin a quiz. You are strongly advised to complete each Quiz at least a day or two before the deadline. That way, if you experience a technical or any kind of problem, there would be enough time to resolve the problem before the actual deadline. Remember, no make-up work and no deadline extension will be offered, for any reason. Generally, you will be better off if you stay ahead of the schedule. All the Quizzes are available from the first day of the semester/session. Stay ahead of the course and Quiz deadline schedules.
Ask for Help:
If you find yourself falling behind or become even the slightest bit confused, seek help immediately! Feel free to e-mail your instructor at any time. You should receive a response within 24-48 hours. Each student receives 12 free hours of tutoring for each class in which they are registered. The Tutorial Center on the Charleston Campus is located in the lobby of the D Building. Also, there is an open Math & Science Resource Center on the Charleston, Cheyenne, and Henderson Campuses. These Centers are staffed with tutors and math instructors and their use is free of charge.
Rework
Examples:
Pay close attention to the examples (especially, numerical examples) found in the textbook. After reading through them, write down the problem and try to work it without looking at the textbook or anything else.
Connections:
When doing exercises and problems, try to identify the process and point of doing them. If all you do is crunch out numeric answers or reproducing from memorization, you won't get very much from them. Exercises are intended to reinforce the understanding of concepts. If you can see the intended connections, you do not have to do many exercises or problems before you understand them.
Clearly State
Answers:
Generally, when responding to questions, use complete sentences, not phrases. For example, if the numeric answer to a word problem is 60, simply stating 60 or x = 60 is insufficient. Instead, state "There are 60 cats in the barn." This will force you to realize some answers may be incorrect. If you write the sentence, "There are 13.7 cats in the barn," you should realize 13.7 is not a valid answer.
Note: For most of the answers on the online quizzes, you are not to write complete sentences or include units of measure while you are to write to complete sentences or include units in the exams. While they may significantly aid in the understanding of the material, the extra verbiage will cause the computer to mark the answer incorrect.

Check
Answers:
After completing a quiz/exam, check your answers (especially, the ones graded to be incorrect) in the quiz/exam. If you believe your answer to be correct, feel free to ask your instructor, a tutor, a classmate or a friend. You must contact the instructor before the deadline of the quiz to change the quiz grade.
Also, check all your answers thoroughly before you finish a quiz/exam. It is your responsibility to give correct answers as instructed in the appropriate notations.
Affirmations:
Stop saying "I am not good at stat (or math)." The more you say it, the more likely you are to fail. Instead, start telling yourself "I can do this."
Work Together:
Working with other students will be beneficial. Often, another student can relate to a simple problem and offer advice. If you can clearly explain how to work a problem to another student, your own understanding will be greatly enforced. Also, if you cannot explain how to correctly work a problem, you may find that you may need to work a little harder on some topics. You can communicate with other students in the course by Chat or Mail. However, discussions on specific questions in quizzes before their deadlines are prohibited. All the activities on line are recorded and monitored. Check your course e-mail (Mail) and correspondences regularly for messages from your instructor.
OK To Make
Mistakes But Catch Them:
Everyone, including your instructor, makes a few careless and other mistakes. Mistakes are part of the natural learning process. Do not get discouraged by them; profit by them. Always take the time to review your work and graded quizzes. The best way to start reducing the number of mistakes you make is to identify the kind of mistakes you are prone to making. That way, you know what to watch out for when working future problems. Always, check your answers to catch your mistakes and incorrect answers in every quiz/exam before you submit it. Checking your answers improves your grade.
 

Important Dates as Listed in the College Class Schedule
Visit http://www.csn.edu/pages/2681.asp for more information (this is a 16-week course)

August 31: First day of the semester.
September 6: Final day to receive 75% refund.
October 27: Mid-Term Exam in the Testing Center on CSN West Charleston Campus.
November 8: Final day to drop a class with a grade of W (you cannot get a W after this date, no exception).
December 15: Final Exam in the Testing Center on CSN West Charleston Campus.
December 19: Final day of the semester.
 
Course Schedule (You may go faster than this schedule, except for the Exams)
Dates
Topic & Textbook Sections Quiz/Exam Due Dates
1
8/31-9/7

The Syllabus and General Information
Introduction

Complete Quiz 0 as soon as possible
Note: You MUST attain perfect score on Quiz 0 before you can access any other Quizzes.

2
8/31-9/8

Section 1.1

Complete Quiz 1 by 10 pm on 9/8
Quiz 1 on Introduction & Section 1.1

3
9/9-9/15

Section 1.2

 
4
9/16-9/22

Section 1.3

Complete Quiz 2 by 10 pm on 9/22
Quiz 2 on Sections 1.2 & 1.3
5 9/23-9/29 Section 2.1  
6
9/30-10/6
Section 2.2
Complete Quiz 3 by 10 pm on 10/6
Quiz 3 is on Sections 2.1 & 2.2
7
10/7-10/13
Section 2.3  
8
10/14-10/20

Section 2.4

Complete Quiz 4 by 10 pm on 10/20
Quiz 4 on Sections 2.3 & 2.4
9 10/21-10/26 Section 2.5  
10
10/27

Mid-Term Exam

Mid-Term Exam on 10/27 at the Testing Center on CSN West Charleston Campus
Mid-Term Exam on Introduction & Sections 1.1 to 2.5
11
10/28-11/3

Section 3.1

Complete Quiz 5 by 10 pm on 11/3
Quiz 5 on Section 2.5 & 3.1
12
11/4-11/10
Section 3.2
 
13
11/11-11/17

Section 3.2

Complete Quiz 6 by 10 pm on 11/17
Quiz 6 on Section 3.2
14 11/18-11/24 Section 3.3  
15 11/25-12/1 Section 3.4 Complete Quiz 7 by 10 pm on 12/1
Quiz 7 on Sections 3.3 & 3.4
16 12/2-12/8 Section 4.1  
17 12/9-12/15 Section 4.2 Complete Quiz 8 by 10 pm on 12/15
Quiz 8 on Sections 4.1 & 4.2
18
12/15

Final Exam

Final Exam on 12/15 at the Testing Center on CSN West Charleston Campus
Final Exam on 3.1 to 4.2

Updated on 08/18/09