2 September 2003

Statistics for Behavioral Scientists Psychology W1610x

PROFESSORJohn Daws LECTURESMondays, 6:10 to 8: Schermerhorn OFFICE HOURSMondays, 4:30 to 6: Schermerhorn Statistics for Behavioral Scientists

Labs SECTION 1 Tuesdays2:10 to 4:00 pm 200B Schermerhorn SECTION 2 Tuesdays4:10 to 6:00 pm 200B Schermerhorn SECTION 3 Tuesdays 6:10 to 8:00 pm 200B Schermerhorn

Textbook David Moore and George McCabe, Introduction to the Practice of Statistics (4th ed.) You should read the assigned section(s) of the text before each lecture. I recommend that you read the text twice, once before lecture and again after. The first time, read quickly to familiarize yourself with the topics. Expect the lecture to help you understand the material. Ask questions in class if it doesn't. After lecture, read the chapter again to strengthen your grasp of the material. If you still have questions, ask them at the beginning of the next lecture or in lab.

Grading: Lecture Participation 5 points I expect you to attend the lectures and the labs, to take part in class discussions, and to ask questions. The students who speak up during lecture help set the pace.

Grading: Lab Participation 5 points You are also expected to attend and participate in a lab section. In lab, you will be using Excel and SPSS to help you understand the basic concepts of statistics and to apply these concepts to data-analysis projects. The lab will also be a time when you can ask questions about the homework, or about something you've read in the textbook or heard in lecture. (In addition to the scheduled lab session, you will be able to work on your own during Open Lab Hours.)

Grading: Homework 20 points There are 12 sets of homework problems to be worked. Each set is worth two points. Because the primary purpose of the homework is to help you stay abreast of topics as we cover them, each homework must be turned in no later than the beginning of the lecture (Mondays at 6:10) on the assigned date. No late homework will be accepted, so keep in mind that it's much better to turn in something rather than nothing. Note that you can still earn all 20 points even if you fail to turn in one or two of the homeworks. You will need a calculator or a computer on some of the homework problems. I encourage you to form study groups. Working together on homework is a good idea; outright copying is not. The work you turn in should indicate your own ability to work the problems.

Grading: Quizzes 45 points There are three quizzes, each worth 15 points. Questions may come from the lectures, the labs, or the text. Bring your calculator. The quizzes will be given during lab times (Tuesdays at 2:10, 4:10, or 6:10) on 7 October, 28 October, and 2 December. If you know that you will have to be absent on any of these days, please speak to me as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you miss a quiz because you are sick or for some other non-trivial reason, please notify me as soon afterward as possible and arrange to take a make-up quiz. You may be asked to bring a note from a physician or a dean. If you believe that an error is made in grading a quiz, please give your teaching assistant or me a written explanation of what you believe the error to be, along with a photocopy of the quiz. Oral requests for re- grading will be ignored.

Grading: Final Exam 25 points The final exam will cover all of the material of the course. It will be given on Monday, 15 December. A single alternative date might be arranged, if necessary.

Final Grades A90 to 100 B80 to 90 C70 to 80 It is possible that these thresholds could be lowered (for example, a grade of 89 might be an A-minus), but they will not be raised. Students with fewer than 50 points should not expect to pass.

Descriptive Statistics

Probability and Sampling

Hypothesis Testing

Finishing Up