Instructor: Richard Kimball

Office: 315 South Hall

E-Mail: kimball@polaris.umpi.maine.edu or kimball@maine.edu

Fax: 768-9553
 

Office hours: Thursdays and Fridays, 11-12 and 1-3. These are my official office hours, but my door is normally open. If you have questions or if you want to explore an idea, come by. You may leave a short note on my office door or leave a message on the phone or e-mail. ("I can't make your hours" is no excuse!)
 
 

Americans with Disabilities Act Notice: If you have a disability and need an accommodation or assistance in this course, please come in or make an appointment to talk with me to discuss how I can help you succeed in this course. If you prefer, you may contact Myrna McGaffin Director of Student Support Services, South Hall.
 
 

Catalog Description: Mat101 Basic Statistics (please note that the description in the (1996-1998 catalog is outdated and has been replaced by the following) Data collection through sampling and experimentation, ethics of sampling and experimentation, bias and precision, graphical and numerical summaries of data, confidence statements, association and causation between two variables, probability.
 
 

Extended Course Description: When confronted with the question, "If every graduate of UMPI had only one math course to take, which one should it be?" the math faculty decided that the answer would be a statistics course which emphasized the importance and ethics of careful data gathering and experimental design. While the computational mathematics used in the class is minimal, the ideas confronted are ones which are prevalent and crucial in many employment fields including education, medicine, resource management, and law. Further, daily interpretation of news and conduct as a responsible and informed citizen requires the knowledgeable interpretation of purported valid statistical information. It is important for every well educated person to be able to make judgments or at least be prepared to seek guidance regarding such information.
    The science of statistics is only about 100 years old.  Statistics was created to answer questions about demographics and gambling, developed its modern flavor through applications in agriculture and natural resource management, and now provides a powerful tool for gathering knowledge in the medical and social science fields.
    In this class we proceed to learn techniques and pitfalls of gathering numeric data, interpreting this data, and drawing conclusions from this data. Many examples are drawn from recent or contemporary sources and your information gathering skills will increase along with your informed skepticism of much which is claimed by individuals and groups bearing special interests.

Goals: Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of skills, applications, and problem solving approaches related to:

1. Producing data
2. Organizing and analyzing and presenting data
3. Drawing conclusions from data

Teaching and Learning Methods: A variety of teaching/learning methods will be used including active learning, lecture, writing, demonstration, assessment and small group work. I will provide you with a list of key problem/exercises from your text.  These are to guide to your studying and some will be discussed in class.  Feel free to ask questions about these at any time.  I will also provide a class notebook on closed reserve at the library on the Presque Isle campus and another at the Houlton Center.  These notebooks (identical) will contain brief answers to the review exercises found at the end of each chapter in the text.  Also, I'll use these notebooks to provide you with exam grading keys and an occasional pertinent article to illuminate class topics.

Attendance and Tardiness: Participation is an important part of your learning, therefore class attendance is EXPECTED. Your regular attendance is necessary and poor attendance may reduce your grade because of missed information and experiences. I will take attendance. Any excessive absences must be justified by appropriate documentation. More importantly, I will strive to make every class worthy of your attendance, and helpful in your understanding of the course material.

    Since this class meets only fourteen times in the semester, a missed class is very serious.  You must take responsibility for obtaining information from a missed class.  If you find that you must miss two classes you should seriously consider dropping out of the class.

    I plan to start class on time and expect that you will be there. Class begins at the beginning of the class period. If you find it necessary to be late for class, I prefer that you come in after class has started rather than miss the entire class period. However, tardiness should never develop into a pattern. Remember that you are preparing to be a professional. Your practice now has bearing on what can be expected of you in the future.

Required Texts and Materials: Statistics: Concepts and Controversies, Fourth edition, by David S. Moore, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York, 1997 available in the campus bookstore. Since this same text has already been used by many students on this campus it may be possible to borrow or buy one inexpensively. Be sure you get the FOURTH edition.

    You are required to use a calculator which is capable of TWO VARIABLE STATISTICS(both x and y). It should be able to automatically do mean, standard deviation, and correlation calculations. For example, the TI 36X (Approx. $20) is a good inexpensive choice. We have also found the TI82, TI83, Casio 300w, and Casio fx-1150 to be satisfactory at various prices. Don't rush out to buy one if you are unsure of what to get. We won't need these at the beginning of the class and you may ask about possible choices. If you have a calculator you think will be adequate, I’d like to see it so I can add it to the list of possibilities. Check the discount department stores with names like X Mart.  .

Supplementary reading material: Current news sources and the class notebook mentioned above under teaching and learning methods.

    A relevant video-tape series available in UMPI Library: Against all odds: inside statistics. 26 programs (VHS) (30 min. each) on 13 videocassettes Host, Teresa Amabile. Presents the why as well as the how of statistics using computer animation, colorful on-screen computations, and documentary segments.
 

Grading principles and defined weight (%) of each component such as exams, quizzes, projects, assignments, papers and criteria for assigning the grade:

50-60% Three in-class exams

20-30% There will be homework assignments required and which will be reviewed. Up to one fourth of this may be collaborative in nature. At least some of these will be included in your course grade. Be professional and on-time! 3% per day may be taken away from work which is handed in after the announced due date.

20-25% Final Exam: Comprehensive

At my discretion, I will scale exam and other grades to reflect approximately 75 as a numeric class average and approximately 12.5 as a class standard deviation.

Up to 3 points may be added to your final course grade based on class participation, including attendance.

More than the equivalent of one week of absence from the class meetings or excessive late arrivals to class will lower your final grade.

Collaborative work: At least one of the assessment pieces will be a collaborative group project with a single grade being shared by the entire group. Groups will be assigned consisting or three to four individuals. Individuals are expected to work toward the mutual advantage of the group.

Grading policies such as withdrawal, incomplete work and makeup policy and procedure: Please refer to the college catalog. Anyone who is aware that an exam or other class obligation must be missed should notify me at the earliest possible time. Notification in person, by phone, phone-mail, or e-mail messages are appropriate. Arrangements to "make-up" such work will be at my discretion after your consultation with me. Make-up tests may be postponed till the end of the semester.

    I use the UMPI Catalog verbal interpretation of letter grades: A - High Honors, B - Honors, C - Average, D - Below Average, F - Failure