Austin Community College

Business Statistics    BUSG 2371

Typical

Instructor   Mack Brewer

Email   lionelbrewer@yahoo.com

Cell 512-422-5990

 

Syllabus

•      OBJECTIVE   The objective of this course is to provide each student with an understanding and appreciation of basic statistical procedures, techniques, and applications used in business today.

•      ATTENDANCE   You will benefit from regular timely class attendance.  One of the expected synergies of this class is the discussion of practical uses of statistics by individual students. 

•      CLASS PREPARATION    You will benefit from studying and practicing the assignments.   Bring your book with enclosed CDROM, papers, and a computer disk to class each period. 

•      HOMEWORK   Please refer to the Course Schedule.

•      COMPUTER WORK   We will use EXCEL as part of our course.  The computer assignments are one of the course requirements. You must individually perform the computer work to learn the concepts.  Remember the real test is tomorrow at work.

•      EXAMS   Please refer to the Course Schedule.   Please arrange your schedule to be able to take the exams as scheduled.  We will have five (5) exams and/or a book report.   The least  Exam grade of five will be “thrown out” upon successful submission of the book report.  This “throw out grade” eliminates the need for any make up of exams. 

 

•      CALCULATORS   Sure.  Your computer also has one. 

•      COURSE GRADE

 

»   EXAM I              25%
»   EXAM II             25%
»   EXAM III            25%
»   EXAM IV            25%
»   EXAM V             25%

 

»   The least grade of five will be “thrown out” with successful book report.  See below.
 
»   EXAMS will equal 90% of final grade

 

E-Mail to instructor of assignment will equal  1% of  final grade.  See below.

E-Mail to instructor of process control chart, Chap 17.  2 % of final grade.  See below.

                        E-Mail to instructor Pareto Analysis Wood use   1% of  final grade

E-Mail to instructor Pareto Analysis AST Sales   1% of  final grade

                        E-Mail to instructor regarding Consumer Price Index     2% of final grade

                        E-Mail to instructor regarding Dow Jones Industrial Index         2% of final grade

                        E-Mail to instructor regarding forecasting 1% of final grade

 

•      COMMENTS FOR SUCCESS    Read the book.  Do the assignments.  Keep current on assignments.  Utilize the CD-ROM found in the book.  Seek help in a timely fashion.

 

 

COURSE MATERIALS

Statistical Techniques in Business and Economics, 13th Ed.;  Lind, Marchal, Wathen; Irwin McGraw-Hill (required)  ISBN 0-07-286824-4 Study Guide for course book is strongly recommended.   Make sure you have the CD-ROM that goes with the book!!

 

 

Office Hours

I am available before and after class.  Additionally I am available by cell phone 512-422-5990.

 

 

INCOMPLETE POLICY

An incomplete (I) will be granted to a student in rare circumstances. Generally, to receive a grade of I, a student must have completed all examinations and assignments to date, be passing, and have personal circumstances that prevent course completion that occur after the deadline to withdraw with a grade of W.

 

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

If you do not intend to complete the class, please inform me and then complete a withdrawal form at the Admissions Office on any campus.  It is your responsibility to drop this class should you decide not to complete the course requirements.  The last withdrawal date is --see college schedule.  Nov 24, 2008 is the day for Fall 2008.

 

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:  GRADES AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Your course grade is determined upon your performance.  Please note that the points for an “A” equal eleven, (11).

 

 

FINAL GRADE ASSIGNMENT

 

NUMERICAL

AVERAGE

LETTER

GRADE

90 – 100

A

80 – 89

B

70 – 79

C

60 – 69

D

BELOW 60

F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXTRA CREDIT

No extra credit is available.  You will be quite busy completing the assigned materials and that is where you should focus your efforts.

 

 

 

 

SCANS

The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Workplace Skills (SCANS) is a project of the Secretary of Education and Secretary of Labor.  The consensus is that students must develop and cultivate workplace skills as part of their college courses. 

 

The SCANS competencies (workplace skills) that will be assessed during this course include:

 

Responsibility

Exert at a high level of effort and perseverance toward goal attainment; works hard to become excellent at doing tasks by setting high standards, paying attention to details, and displaying a high level of concentration even when assigned an unpleasant task; and displays high standards of attendance, punctuality, enthusiasm, vitality and optimism in approaching and completing tasks.

 

Communicate Information

Selects and analyzes information and communicates the results to others using oral, written, graphic, pictorial or multimedia methods.  Competently performing the tasks of communications and interpreting information to others includes determining information to be communicated; identifying the best methods to present information (e.g., overheads, handouts); if necessary, converting to desired format and conveying information to others through a variety of means.

 

 

Academic Freedom Statement

 Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

 

Scholastic Dishonesty Statement

Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32). Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an F in the course and/or expulsion from this institution.

 

Student Discipline Statement

 Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. ACC's policy on student discipline can be found in the Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32.

 

Students with Disabilities Statement

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities.  Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 14). 

 

Assessments

Communicates mastery of the material through examination and written assignments.

Meets with instructor to gain additional assistance as needed.

Assists other students to better learn the material.

 

 

Free Tutoring

Free tutoring is available at all the major campuses.  At RGC it is in room 212 (223-3367).  There is also a free tutoring computer lab in room 212 (223-3367).  The web sight for all our campus tutoring is:

http://www2.austincc.edu/rvslab/ll.html

We may still have on-line tutoring at: www.smartinking.com

 

The username is accdistance

The password is password

 

 

 

SUMMARY  These competencies will be assessed throughout the course as indicated above and through the student’s exams.

 

 

 

Assignments

 

E-Mail assignment for 1% of your grade is to use the following table of information and make three (3) graphs with the data.  You choose the graphs you want o use.  Attach the three EXCEL graphs to an E-Mail to me including information on how I may reliably contact you.  An E-Mail address and a cell phone number are best.  Please also include what you do for a living, how many years of college you have attended, and why you are taking this course.   For the 1% final grade credit, this assignment must be complete by  Sep 06, 2008.

 

 List of “R’s”

ribbons

2

ropes

4

ridges

5

rides

20

raid

6

rampart

7

 

 

A Process Control Chart,  for 2% of your final grade will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends. You may use an example from your experience or use the data supplied by the instructor.

 

A Pareto Analysis Wood Use,  for 1% of your final grade will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends.

 

A Pareto Analysis AST Sales,  for 1% of your final grade will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends.

 

A Consumer Price Analysis,  for 2% of your final grade will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends. Use the data required by the instructor.

 

A Dow Jones Industrial Index Analysis,  for 2% of your final grade will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends. Use the data required by the instructor.

 

A Forecast of Production (actually three versions),  for 1% of your final grade will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends. Use the data required by the instructor.

 

A Book Report in lieu of one test.  Riding the Bear, Sy Harding , 1999, ISBN 1-58062-154-6.  This book provides an illustration of practical utilization of statistics to a person’s financial benefit.  The requirement is to read the book and in an e-mail provide the following information.  1)  What period of the year usually provides the best average stock market gains and why.  2)  What period of the year usually provides the least average gains and why?  3)  What analytical tool can be used to fine tune the best dates of entry and exit of the stock market.  4)  What financial tool (stocks, mutual funds, bonds, futures, commodities, options) is best suited for the techniques discussed in the book and why?  5)  What is the name of the annual publication of stock market statistics mentioned by the author?  6)  Who is in charge of providing for your retirement?

 

 

All E-mails will include your ACC name in the body and  Stat in the subject line.  You are responsible for maintaining a correct e-mail address and cell phone number on BlackBoard.

 

This course is over at the end of the last scheduled class.   Material submitted after that time will not count.