Syllabus

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Course Title:

Elementary Statistical Methods

Course Prefix & Number: 

MATH 1342

Section Number: 

342

Semester/Year:

Fall 2018

Semester Credit Hours:

3

Lecture Hours:

48

Lab Hours:

 

Course Description (NCTC Catalog): Collection, analysis, presentation and interpretation of data, and probability. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, correlation and regression, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Use of appropriate technology is recommended.

Course Prerequisite(s): Meet TSI college-readiness standard for Elementary Statistics; or equivalent

Required or Recommended Course Materials:

Text:  Fundamentals of Statistics: Informed Decisions Using Data 5th edition, Michael Sullivan III, 2018, Pearson –MyStatLab

 

MyStatLab Access
Note:  MyStatLab is accessed through Canvas by clicking on the “MyLab and Mastering” tab on the left.  Access to MyStatLab may be purchased online when signing into MyStatLab for the first time, or an access code may be purchased at the NCTC bookstore.  If purchasing a code from the bookstore, be sure that you buy a the code for “MyStatLab”  (not “MyMathLab”). If you are unable to pay for the MyStatLab access in the first week you may access the course materials and homework with “Temporary Access.”

 

Calculator with statistical capabilities

TI-30X IIS or TI-30XS Multiview or TI 83/84 are all good choices.

 

Computer Access with Microsoft Excel

If you do not have Microsoft Excel on your personal computer, you may want to consider coming to an NCTC campus or a public library to complete the Excel assignments.

TI-30X IIS or TI 83-84 calculator is required

Graphing calculators and phone calculators will not be allowed on exams.

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:

Benjamin Owens

Campus/Office Location:

Corinth Campus Room 320

Flower Mound Campus Room 107

Office Hours:

Flower Mound: (Rm. 107)
MW 8:00-9:30; 1:00-2:00

TR 9:30-11:00; 12:30-2:00

Or by appointment.  Please email if you would like to meet at a different time than those listed here or set up an online conference.

Telephone Number:

940-668-7731 x4501

E-mail Address:

bowens@nctc.edu

 

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)

 

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1

Explain the use of data collection and statistics as tools to reach reasonable conclusions.

2

Recognize, examine, and interpret the basic principles of describing and presenting data.

3

Compute and interpret empirical and theoretical probabilities using the rules of probabilities and combinatorics.

4

Explain the role of probability in statistics.

5

Examine, analyze, and compare various sampling distributions for both discrete and continuous random variables.

6

Describe and compute confidence intervals.

7

Solve linear regression and correlation problems.

8

Perform hypothesis testing using statistical methods.

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements

Graded Course Elements

Percentage or Point Values

34

Homework (MyStatLab)

5%

10

Quizzes (MyStatLab)

5%

15

Discussions (Canvas)

5%

10

Excel Assignments (Canvas)

15%

3

Tests

45%

1

Final Exam

25%

Grade Scale:   90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;  60 – 69% = D;  Below 60% = F

Assignment Descriptions

1.  Homework – MyStatLab

There are 34 Homework assignments in MyStatLab throughout the semester.  Each homework assignment covers one section of the text.  Each homework assignment has 10 questions, but some of those questions have multiple parts!  Each question in the homework is graded separately and you can attempt each question as many times as you would like without penalty using the “Similar Exercise” option.  The due dates for homework assignments can be found in MyStatLab.  You may complete homework assignments after the due date for a penalty.  The questions worked after the due date only earn 70% of the possible points for that question.

2.  Quizzes – MyStatLab

There are 10 quizzes in MyStatLab that are due throughout the semester.  The quiz for each chapter is due sometime between when the homework for that chapter is due and the test for the chapter is given.  Quizzes in MyStatLab are structured differently than homework assignments in that you must complete the entire quiz at once and then it is graded as a whole.  You can review your answers any time after completing a quiz.  There are not unlimited chances for each quiz, and the quizzes may be timed (to simulate a testing situation).   Quizzes completed after the due date are subject to a 30% penalty.  The quizzes are meant to serve as a stepping stone to help prepare you for the tests.  Quiz questions are similar to the homework, so they can be used as a good diagnostic test to see which topics you remember and which topics might require a little more work!

3. Discussions – Canvas

The online discussion questions are meant to give students a chance write about and comment on topics that are being covered in the text. Typically a discussion assignment is worth 10 points, where 6 points are given for a student’s original response to the prompt and 4 points are given for the student’s comments on others’ responses.  Discussion assignments work better when everyone participates early in the week – not right before the assignment is due.   The deadlines for discussion assignments are hard deadlines.  If you miss a discussion you will receive no credit for that assignment.

4.  Excel Assignments - Canvas

There are around 10 Excel assignments throughout the semester.  These assignments are designed to be like a “lab” that you would have in a science class.  For example, if you take biology you do a lot of “book learning” in class, but then you get the “hands on experience” through the lab.  This is what the Excel assignments are meant to achieve.  Most of the assignments require that you submit a document that gives the results or a summary of the assignment and complete Quizzes using the excel spreadsheet that you have created.  Excel assignments will be graded soon after they are due and then returned for corrections if needed.  You can correct the Excel assignments for full credit.  So, if you are struggling with one of these assignments, don’t be afraid to turn in what you have so I can see where you are at and give feedback!

 

See “Assignment Descriptions” document on home page for more information on the different types of assignments. 

 

The Tests and Final Exam must be taken in person on an NCTC campus or approved testing location.


All Saturday tests will be on the Corinth Campus from 10:00 – 12:00, Room TDB.  If you would like to take the test at a different time/place, please refer to the instructions on the homepage.

 

Test 1 – Saturday, September 22nd  (or the week preceding: 9/18 – 9/21)

Test 2 – Saturday, October 20th (or the week preceding: 10/16 – 10/19)

Test 3 – Saturday, November 17th  (or the week preceding: 11/13 – 11/16)

Final Exam – Wednesday, December 12th 6:00-8:00p.m. (or Finals Week: 12/10-12/12)

 

If you can make the tests at these time it would be ideal!  However, if you are not available at these times there are other options for taking the tests.

 

The NCTC Testing Centers will be open Monday-Thursday during regular business hours and Friday mornings.  Here is the contact information for the Testing Center at each campus.

 

Campus

Contact number

Corinth

(940) 498-6435

Gainesville

(940) 668-4216

Flower Mound

(972) 899-8335

Bowie

(940) 872-4002 ext. 5212

Graham

(940) 521-0720 ext. 7102

 

Testing Center Website:  http://www.nctc.edu/counseling-testing/make-up-exam.html

 

You must call the testing center and make an appointment at least 1 day in advance to schedule a test.  My recommendation is to go ahead and plan what you will do with testing now!

 

 

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

 

 

Topics / Sections from book

MyStatLab

Homework

Assignments in Canvas

Week 1

8/27 – 9/2

Course Overview

Statistics Basics (1.1)

Observational Studies and Designed Experiments (1.2)

H1 – 1.1

H2 – 1.2

 

Week 1 Discussion

Test 1 Scheduling Quiz

 

Week 2

9/3 – 9/9

Simple Random Sampling (1.3)

Sampling Techniques(1.4)

Bias in Sampling (1.5)

H3 – 1.3

H4 – 1.4

H5 – 1.5

Ch. 1 Quiz

Ch. 1 Discussion

Gathering Information

Excel Assignment #1
BLS #1

Week 3

9/10 – 9/16

Organizing Qualitative Data (2.1)

Organizing Quantitative Data (2.2)

Graphical Misrepresentation of Data (2.3)

H6 – 2.1

H7 – 2.2

H8 – 2.3

Ch. 2 Quiz

Ch. 2 Discussion
Misleading Graphs

 

Excel Assignment #2

Graphs / Histograms

Week 4

9/17 – 9/23

 

Test 1 is 9/22

Ch. 1,2,3.1,3.2

Measures of Central Tendency (3.1)

Measures of Dispersion (3.2)

Grouped Data (3.3)

 

Test 1 – Saturday, September 22nd 

Test may also be taken from
Sept. 18 – Sept. 21 in Testing Center.

H9 – 3.1

H10 – 3.2

H11 – 3.3

 

Practice for Test 1 Quiz (bonus)

Test 1 Study Discussion

 

Week 5

9/24 – 9/30

 

Measures of Position (3.4)

Five Number Summary / Boxplots (3.5)

 

 

H12 – 3.4

H13 – 3.5

Ch. 3 Quiz

Ch. 3 Discussion
What Type of Measure?

 

Excel Assignment #3
Using Formulas

Week 6

10/1 – 10/7

Scatter Plots and Correlation (4.1)

Least Squares Regression (4.2)

H14 – 4.1

H15 – 4.2

Ch. 4 Quiz

Ch. 4 Discussion

What Association?

 

Excel Assignment #4

Correlation / Regression

Week 7

10/8 – 10/14

Probability Basics (5.1)
Addition Rule and Complements (5.2)

Multiplication Rule / Independence (5.3)

H16 – 5.1

H17 – 5.2

H18 – 5.3

Ch. 5 Discussion

Interesting Probability

Week 8

10/15-10/21

 

 

 

Test 2 is 10/20
Ch. 3,4,5.1-3

Conditional Probability (5.4)

Counting Techniques (5.5)

Probability Practice (5.6)

 

 

Test 2 – Saturday, October 20th

Test may also be taken from
Oct. 17 – Oct. 19 in Testing Center.

H19 – 5.4

H20 – 5.5

H21 – 5.6

Ch. 5 Quiz

 

Practice for Test 2 Quiz (bonus)

Test 2 Study Discussion

 

Excel Assignment #5

Probability of Samples

Week 9

10/22-10/28

 

 

Discrete Random Variables (6.1)

Binomial Distribution (6.2)

 

 

H22 – 6.1

H23 – 6.2

Ch. 6 Quiz

Ch. 6 Discussion

 

Excel Assignment #6

Binomial Distribution

 

Week 10

10/29-11/4

 

 

 

Normal Distribution (7.1)

Applications of Normal Distribution (7.2)

Normal Approximation to the Binomial (7.4)

H24 – 7.1

H25 – 7.2

H26 – 7.4

Ch. 7 Quiz

Ch. 7 Discussion

 

 

Week 11

11/5-11/11

Distribution of the Sample Mean (8.1)

Distribution of the Sample Proportion (8.2)

H27 – 8.1

H28 – 8.2

Ch. 8 Quiz

Ch. 8 Discussion

 

Excel Assignment #7

Normal Distribution

 

Week 12

11/12-11/18

 

 

Test 3 is 11/17

Ch. 5.4-6, 6,7,8

Confidence Intervals

Estimating Population Proportion (9.1)

Estimating Population Mean (9.2)

 

Test 3 –Saturday, November 17th

Test may also be taken from
Nov. 13 – Nov. 16 in Testing Center.

H29 – 9.1

H30 – 9.2

 

 

Practice for Test 3 Quiz (bonus)

 

Test 3 Study Discussion

 

Week 13

11/19-11/25



 

Confidence Intervals (9.3)

Hypothesis Tests

Hypothesis Testing (10.1)

 

 

H31 – 9.3

H32 – 10.1

 

Ch. 9 Quiz

Ch. 9 Discussion

 

Excel Assignment #8
Confidence Intervals

 

Week 14

11/26-12/2

 

 

Hypothesis Test for Pop. Proportion (10.2)

Hypothesis Test for Population Mean (10.3)

 

 

H33 – 10.2

H34 – 10.3

Ch. 10 Quiz

Ch. 10 Discussion

 

 

Week 15

12/3-12/8

 

Final Exam is 12/12

Review for Final Exam

 

 

Final Exam – Wednesday, December 12th

Test may also be taken from
Dec. 10 – Dec. 12 in Testing Center.

 

Practice for Final Exam Homework (not graded)

End of Semester Discussion

 

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval by the faculty member.  Approved college-sponsored activities are also excused absences.  The instructor is responsible for judging the validity of any reason given for an absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless the absence is documented and excused by the instructor.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

 

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW

Last day to withdraw from a 16-week course with a “W” is Thursday, November 8, 2018.

 

 

MATH LAB

Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance. No appointments are necessary. See the most current tutoring hours for all five campuses at http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/student-success/tutoring/mathematics-lab.html

 

TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON TUTOR AVAILABILITY:

GAINESVILLE – 1403 (Library)

CORINTH – 182

FLOWER MOUND - 111

 

M W 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

M W R 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

 

T R 9:00 am – 7:00 pm

T 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

 

F 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

F 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

 

Sat 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207.

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/north-central-texas-college-student-handbook/section-i/special-accommodations-office-students-with-disabilities/osd-department-contacts.html  

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)________      


o        Communication

x        Mathematics              

o        Life and Physical Science

o        Language, Philosophy & Culture

o        Creative Arts

o        American History

 

o        Government/Political Science

o        Social and Behavioral Sciences

o        Component Area Option

 


REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)


x         Critical Thinking

x          Communication

x          Empirical and Quantitative

 

o           Teamwork

o           Personal Responsibility

o           Social Responsibility


COURSE TYPE

o           Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

x         Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

o         WECM Course

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook/nctc-student-handbook.html

 

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:

  1.  Zero on the assignment
  2. Failing grade for the course

 

Name of Chair :

Dr. Elizabeth Howell

Office Location:

Corinth 236

Telephone Number:

940.498.6209

E-mail Address:

ehowell@nctc.edu

Name of Instructional Dean:

Sara Flusche

Office Location:

Gainesville 1306

Telephone Number:

940.668.3351

E-mail Address:

sflusche@nctc.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAMPUS RESTRICTIONS

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

 

Campus Carry: Effective August 1, 2017, a license holder may carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder's person while the license holder is on the campus of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state. For more information, see the website at http://www.nctc.edu/police/campus-carry.html