MATH 1231 Statistics Online
Course Policies: Fall 2003

Link to WebCT
http://webct.clayton.edu

TEXT: Intro Stats, by R. D. DeVeaux & P. F. Velleman
TECHNOLOGY:  ActivStats by P. F. Velleman (inside the textbook, not bought separately)
INSTRUCTOR:  Kim Robinson, Ph.D.

OFFICE HOURS: TR 1:15-2:45, TR 4:15-5:45, F 1:15-2:45.  I will also be in my office from 7:30-9:00 on the days we meet
OFFICE PHONE:  (770) 961-3696
E-MAIL: kimrobinson@mail.clayton.edu

ABOUT THE COURSE:  MATH 1101, College Algebra, or an appropriate placement score IS A PREREQUISITE!   CCSU 1011 covers pre-requisite WebCT skills and it must also be completed.  If you have taken this course before, you will NOT have to re-take it. Additional information on CCSU 1011 will be provided at Orientation. 

Math 1231 is an introductory course designed to give you an understanding of the basic vocabulary and statistical techniques for analyzing data.  Concepts will be stressed.  This course addresses the following outcomes:

·           Communication:  Students will gain a knowledge base of basic statistics in analytical, graphical and numerical form.  Students will communicate their ideas in classroom discussions, and in written form on quizzes, projects, and tests.

·           Critical Thinking:  Students will apply their knowledge to solve problems presented on quizzes, discussions, projects, homework, and examinations.  Students will analyze the question, determine appropriate techniques, and draw conclusions.  Students will provide evidence of a logical answer.

The textbook is bundled with a CD-Rom, ActivStats, that functions as a tutorial for the material.  Supporting materials are available in WebCT, but the materials that drive the course are the textbook and the bundled CD.  ActivStats emphasizes conceptual development of statistical ideas.  We will rarely compute statistics without the assistance of a statistical software program that is included in the CD, Data Desk. You must have the CD in your computer to access all datafiles that you will download.  YOU ARE REQUIRED TO USE DATA DESK  AND NOT USE EXCEL.  Excel is NOT a statistical analysis package and there are differences between what it does and what we need done.  Assignments submitted using Excel will be returned as unacceptable (and if they are not re-submitted by the deadline, they will be considered late).

In addition to using ActivStats and Data Desk, we will utilize other forms of technology.  You will be responsible for sending and receiving email, accessing websites, downloading files (you must have the Data Desk CD in your CD drive) from my site and possibly other sites, submitting papers using Word combined with Data Desk via email, and participating in a WebCT Bulletin Board.

NEW UNIVERSITY POLICIES:  See the 2003-04 Academic Catalog for details on the two policies.

·     The No Show Rule:  Any paid student who has failed to attend a class by the final payment deadline for the term will be identified as a “no show.”  The “no show” student will be administratively withdrawn from the class, a grade of W will be posted, and the student will NOT be reinstated.  Any appeals on the decision are made to the Dean.

·     The Three Tries Rule: A student who has withdrawn or earned less than a satisfactory grade (F, U, D, WF, W) a total of three times in a course at CCSU will not be allowed to take the course again.  Any appeals on the decision are made to the Dean.

MANDATORY CLASS MEETINGS

GRADING:             

HOMEWORK: Students are required to do all exercises posted on the Lessons pages within WebCT.    These homework problems are from the textbook (not the CD).  Assigned homework problems will be turned at 4 different times during the term .  Two of these dates coincide with the midterm and the final so you can bring these assignments with you.  The other two days you are not required to attend class so alternate methods of submitting homework are: 1) use Word to compile answers formatting as directed and email the file to me at kimrobinson@mail.clayton.edu (NOT THROUGH WebCT);  OR 2) snail mail pencil and paper work to my office address, which MUST be postmarked by the due dates.  All 4 homework assignments combined are worth 50 points.  If you fail to submit the first homework assignment, you will receive zeros for all 4 homework assignments.

PROJECTS:  Group projects will be submitted via email.  Detailed information about the Projects is available to look at now.  Each project is worth 25 points.   If you do not turn in the first project, you will automatically receive zeros for both project assignments.

WEEKLY ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS:  Almost every week, you will have an online assignment.  These will rotate, every other week, between a group discussion held on the WebCT Bulletin Board or an online quiz.  If you do not do any consecutive online assignments or 2 out of 3 online assignments, you will receive zeros for ALL subsequent quizzes and discussions.

ONLINE DISCUSSIONS:  About every other week, you will participate in GROUP discussions about class material.  These discussions require that you post comments on different days.  In other words, you must read the assignment and any comments that others may have posted, think about what's there, post a comment yourself, go back later and read any new postings and then compose another thoughtful posting yourself.  This cannot be done in one day.  

ONLINE QUIZZES: Approximately every other week, you will take an online quiz.  These assignments will alternate weeks with the online discussions.  Quizzes will cover all material since the previous quiz. 

All electronic correspondence must follow Etiquette Rules for Communication.

EXAMS:  The Midterm Exam and the Final Exam are both administered on campus and are cumulative from the beginning of the semester.  Each are worth 100 points.  They will both be a mix of multiple choice questions and open-ended questions.  A Practice Midterm and a Practice Final are available in WebCT.  You will have access to these materials after you enroll in the course.

Getting into WebCT: Click on the link here or go to Internet Explorer and enter http://webct.clayton.edu as the address. You may want to add this address to your favorites.  Each student has been assigned a global ID that corresponds to your first initial, last name, birth month and birth day (e.g. krobinson0101).  Omit any I, II, III, Jr. or SR. after your name.  Also, if you have spaces in your last name omit them; hyphens are acceptable. Your student password is your DUCK pin (last four digits of their social security number followed by their two digit birth month). To log into a course, go to http://webct.clayton.edu, click on myWebCT, enter your User name (Global ID) and Password (Duck pin), then click on the hyperlinked course name which you want to enter. If you have problems logging in for the first time, contact the Learning Center (in the basement of the library).  IF YOU CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD AND FORGET WHAT IT IS, I will have to ask someone else to reset it for you.  Her words exactly are, "There will be consequences."  If you change your password, make sure it is something you will remember.

DISABILITY SERVICES:  Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 214, 770-961-3719, disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu.

You will NOT have to memorize formulas for the midterm or final exam.  Most calculations will be performed by Data Desk.  However, you will be required to do the following calculations by hand (formulas will be provided): midterm - standard deviation, z-score; final exam - confidence intervals for one-sample means and one-sample proportions; test statistics for one-sample means and one-sample proportions.

*Fall Semester 2003 Schedule

*This is the schedule I will keep with respect to your discussions for class participation grading.  Your midterm will cover Chapters 1-9; the Final Exam will cover Chapters 1-25, with an emphasis on 11-25.