Syllabus Spring 2009

Math 13: Introduction to Statistics Spring 2009 – Laney College

Instructor: Matthew Hubbard
Text: none
Email: mhubbard@peralta.edu, profhubbard@gmail.com
website: budgetstats.blogspot.com
Office hours: M-W noon to 1 pm in G-201 (math lab) (also available by appointment)
Scientific calculator required (TI-30X IIs or TI-83 recommended)

Important academic schedule dates

Last date to add, if class is not full: Sat., Jan 31
Last date to drop class without a “W”: Sat., Feb. 7
Last date to drop class with a “W”: Sat., April 25

Holidays and professional development days that effect the Mon.-Wed. schedule:

Mon., Jan. 19 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Mon., Feb. 16 President’s Day
Wed. Mar. 25 Professional development day
April 13 through April 18 Spring recess
Mon., May 26 Memorial Day (observed)

Midterm and Finals schedule:

Wed., Feb. 25 Midterm 1
Wed., April 8 Midterm 2
Fri., May 22 Final for 8 am – 10 am class
Fri., May 29 Final for 10 am – noon class

Grading Policy

Homework to be turned in: Assigned every Wednesday, due the next class period
(late homework accepted AT THE BEGINNING of class period after next, 10% off grade)
Quizzes: Wednesdays in weeks without midterms – no make-up quizzes
If arranged at least a week in advance, make-up midterms can be given.

The two lowest scores from homework and the two lowest scores from quizzes will be removed from consideration before grading.

Grading system

Quizzes * 25%
Midterm 1 * 25%
Midterm 2 * 25%
Homework 20%
Final 30%

The lowest grade from Quizzes and the two Midterms will be dropped from the total.
Anyone getting a higher percentage score on the final than the weighted average of all grades combined will get the final percentage instead on the final grade, provided that student has not missed more than two homework assignments.

Academic honesty

Your homework, exams and quizzes must be your own work. Anyone caught cheating on these assignments will be punished, where the punishment can be as severe as failing the class or being put on college wide academic probation.

Class rules

Cell phones and beepers turned off, no headphones or text messaging during class
No food or drink in class, except for sealable bottles. All empty bottles should be put in the recycling bins after class is over.
You will need your own calculator and handout sheets for tests and quizzes. Do not expect to be able to borrow these from someone else.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Describe numerical and categorical data using statistical terminology and notation.
2. Analyze and explain relationships between variables in a sample or a population.
3. Make inferences about populations based on data obtained from samples.
4. Given a particular statistical or probabilistic context, determine whether or not a particular analytical methodology is appropriate and explain why.