Required Texts: The Basic Practice of Statistics by David S. Moore
MINITAB Guide to Accompany The Basic Practice of Statistics by Greenberg
Optional: Study Guide for The Basic Practice of Statistics
by Notz and Busam
Syllabus: Chapters 1 - 8 and either 9 or 10 with the starred sections optional (at the instructor's discretion). In this course, students will learn to
1. Determine the aspects of a question, if any, for which statistics can provide relevant information.
2. Analyze statistical studies, particularly regarding appropriate sampling and experimental design.
3. Select and use appropriate statistical analyses to get useful information from data.
4. Communicate knowledge using standard statistical language and
also interpret it in non-technical language.
Required Technology:
1. Calculator with statistical functions. If you are buying a calculator, be sure to get one that does both one-variable and two-variable statistical functions. (The cost is under $20.) If you already have a calculator and don't know whether it is adequate, ask your instructor.
2. Access to MINITAB computer software. You are not expected
to buy this. It is available in the computer labs. Your instructor
will give you a handout about using MINITAB at your campus. (For
information about the availability of MINITAB at other campuses,
check this Website: http://www.austin.cc.tx.us/mparker/1563/minitab/)
If, after you have become familiar with the software in the lab,
you want to buy a copy, please contact Mary Parker (mparker@austin.cc.tx.us
or 223-4846) for information. There are a number of different
versions available and we don't want you to waste your money.
Prerequisite.
Students who have made 230 or better on the TASP Math Test or 49 or better on the COMPASS Algebra Test or passed high school Algebra II have satisified the math prerequisite requirement. Students should also have college-level reading skills.
Students in MTH 1563 will be expected to:
1. understand material from the text after reading it.
2. do homework using fairly complicated formulas after seeing one example
3. do some, but not much, algebraic manipulation of formulas
Outside Help
Do you wish you could have a private tutor for statistics? Some
of the mathematics tutors in the Learning Labs can tutor statistics
students. Ask in the lab for times when they are available. Also,
the author of the text put together videotapes with just what
he'd use in tutoring students. Against All Odds is shown
on cable TV and is available in the LRS for viewing there. These
26 half-hour videotapes are very high quality and combine some
discussion of practical applications of the statistics with coaching
in exactly how to do the calculations. Your instructor can provide
you with a list of topics covered on each videotape and the air
times for this semester. (Or check the Website http://www.austin.cc.tx.us/mparker/cd/1563/video.htm)
You will find these tapes very useful if you miss a class or need
more discussion of a particular topic. However, note that they
are intended as a supplement to the class. They are not
a replacement for class attendance.
Calendar: (starred sections are optional, at the discretion
of the instructor)
| 16-week semester | 11-week semester | 6-week semester |
| Week 1: 1.1, 1.2 | Week 1: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 | Week 1: 1.1-1.3, 2.1-2.2 |
| Week 2: 1.3 | Week 2: 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 | Week 2: 2.3-2.5, 3.1 |
| Week 3: 2.1, 2.2 | Week 3: 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 | Week 3: 3.2, 4.1, 4.2*, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6 |
| Week 4: 2.3, 2.4 | Week 4: 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2* | Week 4: 5.1-5.3, 5.4* |
| Week 5: 2.5, 3.1 | Week 5: 4.3, 4.5, 4.6 | Week 5: 6.1-6.2, 7.1-7.2 |
| Week 6: 3.2, 4.1, 4.2* | Week 6: 5.1, 5.2 | Week 6: Ch. 8, Ch. 9 or 10, Final Exam |
| Week 7: 4.3, 4.5 | Week 7: 5.3, 5.4*, 6.1 | |
| Week 8: 4.6, Review | Week 8: 6.2, 7.1 | |
| Week 9: 5.1, 5.2 | Week 9: 7.2, Ch. 8 | |
| Week 10: 5.3, 5.4* | Week 10: Ch. 9 or Ch. 10 | |
| Week 11: 6.1 | Week 11: Rev. & Final Exam | |
| Week 12: 6.2 | ||
| Week 13: 7.1, 7.2 | ||
| Week 14: Chapter 8 | ||
| Week 15: Chapter 9 or 10 | ||
| Week 16: Rev. & Final Exam |
Suggested Testing Scheme
Because of the nature of the material, each test is comprehensive
on all the material up to that point. The test will concentrate
on the material since the previous test.
Test 1: through Chapter 1
Test 2: through Chapter 2
Test 3: through Chapter 4
Test 4: through Chapter 6
Test 5: through the end of the course
Your instructor may give you a different testing scheme. The instructor
also will give you a handout which spells out the details of her/his
grading procedure.
Withdrawals
Attendance is required in this course. Students who miss more
than 4 classes may be withdrawn. After the withdrawal date each
semester, neither the student nor the instructor may initiate
a withdrawal. It is the student's responsibility to initiate all
withdrawals in this course. The instructor may withdraw
students for excessive absences (4) or failure to meet course
objectives but makes no commitment to do this for the student.
Incompletes
Incomplete grades (I) will be given only in very rare circumstances.
Generally, to receive a grade of I, a student must have taken
all examinations, be passing, and have a personal tragedy occur
after the last date to withdraw which prevents course completion.
When you read a statistics problem that requires a calculation,
one of the first things you must do is determine whether you will
do the calculation by hand, use a calculator, or use the computer
software. In general you will need to decide this on your own.
However, in the first couple of chapters, some guidance is provided.
You instructor will discuss this more with you during class. During
the test, of course, you will not have access to the computer
software. Any questions regarding the computer component of the
course will either be about how to interpret the computer output
or about how to enter the commands necessary to produce the relevant
output.
In the suggested homework for the first three chapters, a problem
with a C beside it means that you are expected to use a statistical
calculator in some part of it and a problem with an M beside it
means that you are expected to use the MINITAB computer software
in some part of it. Most of the problems with M are also given
in the MINITAB manual and the statement of the problem there includes
specific information on what commands to use. On these problems,
as on all homework, you should spend as much time and thought
answering questions about what the results mean as you spend calculating.
Your answers should reflect this.
You probably don't want to go to the computer lab every day, so
you may decide to put off the computer problems until the end
of the week and go to the lab once a week. That is acceptable.
Of course, if you have easy access to the computer software, you
should do the computer problems as they come up in the homework.
Chapter 1:
Section 1: 1, 3, 7, 9(M), 13, 14, 19 (by hand or use the file
STATES.MTW on the computer)
Section 2: 21(C), 23, 25, 27, 29(C), 33, 35(M), 37(M), 39
Section 3: 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49, 51, 53 (after you have done
35), 55, 57, 59, 61, 63
Review: 69(M), 73, 77, 79
Chapter 2:
Section 1: 1, 3, 4(M), 5 (after you have done 4), 7, 9, 11,
13(M), 15
Section 2: 17(C), 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26
Section 3: 29(C), 31, 33(M, but draw the line by hand), 34, 37(C),
41(C), 43, 45
Section 4: 47(C), 48, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57
Section 5: 59, 63, 65, 69, 70, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79
Review: 81, 87, 89(M)
Chapter 3:
Section 1: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25
Section 2: 27, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 45, 47, 51, 55, 59, 61,
63
Chapter 4:
Section 1: 1, 3, 5ab (work with others on b), 6(M), 7, 8,
9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23
Section 2 (optional): 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 39, 41
Section 3: 43, 45, 47, 49, 53
Section 5: 73, 75, 77, 79, 83, 85, 87
Section 6: 89, 91, 92, 93, 95
Review: 101, 103, 105, 107
Chapter 5
Section 1: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23,
25
Section 2: 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51,
53
Section 3: 55, 56, 57, 59, 61
Section 4 (optional): 63
Section 4 also (optional): 65, 67, 69
Review: 75, 77, 79, 81, 83
Chapter 6
Section 1: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11(M), 12, 13, 15(M), 21, 25, 27
Section 2: 29, 30, 31, 33, 35(M), 39, 41, 43, 45(M)
Review: 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73(M), 75(M)
Chapter 7
Section 1: 1, 3, 5, 6(M), 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17
Section 2: 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29
Review: 33, 35, 37
Chapter 8: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13b(M), 15, 18abc, 23
Chapter 9: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 16(M)
Chapter 10: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 22(M), 23(M)