Stat 250 Section 3 Syllabus

Instructor:  Paul Mosquin

Office: 330B Thomas Building
Phone: 863-0692
Email: mosquin@stat.psu.edu
Office hours:  MW 3:20-4:50

Grader: Lan Wang

Office: 316 Thomas Building
Phone: 863-3238
Email:wwlan@stat.psu.edu
Office hours: M 12:00-1:30, W 12:20-1:40

Time & Place

MWF 2:30-3:20 in 104 Thomas Building

Text

Statistical Methods in the Biological and Health Sciences (3rd ed.) by J. Susan Milton.   Second edition should be fine.  Note that an optional text for the use of MINITAB is in the bookstore.  I don't recommend buying it since there will be a handout explaining all needed commands for the computer project.

On the Web

You can reach the 250 homepage starting from the statistics homepage: www.stat.psu.edu.  Some of the documents at the site will be in .pdf file format.  These files can be read using the Adobe Acrobat Reader program, which is available in the CAC labs, or from a link on the homepage.

Stat 240/250

This year has seen the introduction of stat240, and is a transition year in that this year stat240 and section 3 of stat250 are both for non-health sciences biological statistics.  The first two sections of stat250 have a different text, and will teach health science statistics.  Because this is a transition year, stat240 and all sections of stat250 will be equivalent for your later pre-requisites.

Tests

There will be three tests during the semester as well as a comprehensive final exam.  You will need to bring a calculator and a one page formula sheet (both sides) of your own making.  Make-up tests will only be given if an official written explanation of a University approved conflict is provided to the instructor before the exam.  If you are sick notify me by the following day and provide a written excuse as soon as possible thereafter. If you have a family emergency contact the Assistance and Information Center (101 HUB) which will then get in touch with me (and your other instructors).  Dates of the semester tests are:

Quizzes

There will be five quizzes this semester, most are on Fridays: The goal of the quizzes is to help you keep up with the work. They will each be 15-20 minutes long.  Bring a calculator but not a formula sheet since all necessary formulas will be provided.  There are no make-ups for these, and so the lowest grade on the quizzes will be dropped.

Homework

Problems will be assigned during class, but assignments will not be collected. All solutions are posted on the course homepage. Material in these homework problems is testable.

Project

There will be one small computer project designed to illustrate the use of computers in statistical analysis. The software package used is MINITAB, and it is available in the computer labs when you use your ACCESS account.  The project will be due on Friday December 4th.

Grades
Project                5%
Quizzes                20% (Average of best four)
Semester tests         45% 
Comprehensive final    30%

Tentative Grade Distribution

Tentative Course Content

This outline  should roughly break the course into three parts: the first third where we talk about descriptive statistics and probability, the middle third where we introduce some probability distributions and the concepts of confidence intervals and hypothesis tests, and then a final third where we talk about specific applications.   Note that this is a non-calculus statistics class, and so your mathematical knowledge doesn't have to go beyond +,-,*,/.   What is important though, is to keep up with the material since it tends to build on itself.  Please ask questions during or after class if you any concepts are unclear to you, and don't hesitate to visit me or the grader during office hours.

Good luck with the course!