Statistical Methods

Math 222 - Spring 2017

Announcements

Midterm 1 materials: review problems
Midterm 2 materials: review problems
Midterm 3 materials: review problems

Basic Info

Instructor: Brian Lins
Class Times & Location: MWF 11:30 - 12:20 Bagby 111, R 1:30-2:20 Bagby 111
Office Hours: See my weekly schedule, and by appointment.
Recommended Textbook: Introduction to the Practice of Statistics 6th Edition, by Moore, McCabe, and Craig.

Course Description

Statistical methods will review exploratory data analysis and basic inferential statistics. We will then cover linear and multilinear regression, analysis of variance and logistic regression. During the course, students will be expected to use modern statistical software to write detailed analysis of real world statistical data.

Tentative Schedule

The schedule below is tentative, and may be subject to change. Changes will be announced in class, and you are responsible for knowing about any changes even if you miss the class when they are announced.

Week	Dates	Topic	Homework
1	Jan 18 - Jan 20	Intro to R, course overview
2	Jan 23 - Jan 27	Working with categorical variables	Project 1
3	Jan 30 - Feb 3	Working with quantitative variables	Project 2
4	Feb 6 - Feb 10	Nonparametric tests & bootstrapping	Project 3
5	Feb 13 - Feb 17	Comparing two proportions, Midterm 1
6	Feb 20 - Feb 24	Permutation tests, relative risk & odds ratios	Project 4
7	Feb 27 - Mar 3	Comparing quantitative data	Project 5
8	Mar 6 - Mar 10	Chi-squared distribution	Project 6
9	Mar 20 - Mar 24	Linear regression, Midterm 2
10	Mar 27 - Mar 31	Inference for linear regression	Project 7
11	Apr 3 - Apr 7	Multiple regression	Project 8
12	Apr 10 - Apr 14	One-way ANOVA	Project 9
13	Apr 17 - Apr 21	Two-way ANOVA Midterm 3
14	Apr 24 - Apr 28	Logistic regression	Project 10
15	May 1	Review

Attendance Policy

Attendance in this class is required. Repeated absences may result in a forced withdrawal from the course. You are responsible for any material you miss due to absence. Please let me know ahead of time if you know that you will not be able to attend class.

Grading Policy

The term grade will be based on the following factors.

Component	Proportion
Homework	50%
Midterms	30%
Final Exam	20%

Homework

I will assign homework projects most weeks. These projects will require the use of the R programming language. You are allowed to work together on the homework, but your final submissions must be your own work.

Homework solutions will be graded on a holistic 4 point scale, with a 4 roughly corresponding to an A, 3 to a B, 2 to a C, 1 to a D, and 0 to an F.

Here are the criteria that will be used to judge problems.

Score 4: This solution is exceptional. The mathematics is correct, the writing is clear, and the analysis goes beyond the basics and includes additional details beyond the minimum described in the problem. All necessary figures and diagrams have been included, and are well laid out and explained by the surrounding text.
Score 3: This solution is good. The mathematics is mostly correct, the writing is clear, and the analysis covers all of the main points that need to be addressed. All important diagrams are included and clear.
Score 2: This solution is on the right track. There may be some mathematical mistakes, or the writing is not as clear as it should be. Most of the necessary figures are present, but the layout or explanation may be a little off.
Score 1: This solution is deficient. The math may be completely wrong, or there may be serious errors present in the exposition. Figures used to support the solution may be flawed or missing.
Score 0: There is no solution. This is the default grade for any problem that has not been submitted.

Midterm Exams

There will be three midterm examinations during the semester. The exams will focus more on the concepts covered in class, than on performing detailed calculations, although some calculations may be required.

Final Exam

There will be a cumulative final exam. It will include questions similar to the ones on the midterms.

Special Accommodations

In compliance with the Hampden-Sydney College policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be recommended for students with disabilities. Requests for academic accommodations are to be made at the beginning of the semester (except for unusual circumstances) so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Students are required to contact the Office of Academic Success in order to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations. How does this look?