ST 513 Course Syllabus

Statistics for Management and Social Sciences I

Table of Contents

ST 513 Course Syllabus

Statistics for Management (and Social Sciences) I
Table of Contents
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Virtual Office Hours
Preferred Method of Communication
Response Time
Weekly Update
Weekly Problem Session
COURSE INFORMATION
Meeting Time and Tool Used
Prerequisites
COURSE OVERVIEW
Catalog Description (soon to be updated)
Structure
LEARNING OUTCOMES
COURSE MATERIALS
Required Textbook and/or Software
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
Hardware
Software
Computer Skills and Digital Information Literacy
NETIQUETTE
GRADING
Grading Policy
Grading Scale
COURSE SCHEDULE
COURSE POLICIES
Late Assignments
Incomplete Grades
Attendance and Participation
General
Course Assistance
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 UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Academic Integrity and Honesty
Students with Disabilities
Trans-Inclusive Statement
Basic Needs Security
Moodle Student Services Block
COURSE EVALUATIONS
SYLLABUS MODIFICATION STATEMENT

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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name Office Phone Email Office Location

Xinge Jessie Jeng 919-515-0612 [email protected] SAS Hall 5264

Virtual Office Hours

My zoom office hours are Fridays, 4-6pm, EST.

If these times don’t work for you, please let me know and we can try to find a time to meet individually!

The teaching assistant (TA) will have zoom office hours on Mondays from 12-1pm EST.

All office hours can be reached via the links on the top section of the Moodle course page.

Preferred Method of Communication

The general discussion board is the preferred method of communication for content questions and email
for everything else. Please include “ST513” in the subject line of your email.

Response Time
You should receive a response within one business day at the latest (generally it should be shorter than
that during business hours).

Weekly Update
I’ll send a weekly reminder email to help everyone keep on track and communicate any common issues.

COURSE INFORMATION
Course Website: https://wolfware.ncsu.edu/courses/my-wolfware/
Course Credit Hours: 3

Meeting Time and Tool Used

No in person meetings or synchronous activities (other than optional zoom office hours and problem
sessions)

Prerequisites
Graduate standing

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COURSE OVERVIEW

Catalog Description
This course introduces important ideas about collecting high quality data and summarizing that data
appropriately both numerically and graphically. We explore the use of probability distributions to model
data and find probabilities. Estimation of parameters and properties of estimators are discussed.
Construction and interpretation of commonly used confidence intervals and hypothesis tests are
investigated. Students will gain considerable experience working with data. Software is used throughout
the course with the expectation of students being able to produce their own analyses.

Structure
The course is completely asynchronous, which means that students have no real-time class meeting
requirements. Instead students will watch videos, take quizzes/exams via Moodle, complete and upload
homework assignments/projects, and participate in discussion board posts. Students should set aside
sufficient time in their schedules to complete these materials.

To obtain course help there are several options:

● General Discussion Board - This should be used for any question you feel comfortable asking
and having others view. The TA, other students, and I will answer questions on this board. This
will be the fastest way to receive a response!
● E-mail - If there is a question that you don't feel comfortable asking the whole class you can use
e-mail. The TA and I will be checking daily (during the regular work week).
● Zoom Office Hour Sessions - These sessions can be used to share screens and have multiple
users. You can do text chat, voice, and video. They are great for a class like this!

There are six broad units of the course:

● Data and Descriptives

● Probability Distributions
● Estimation and Confidence Intervals
● Hypothesis Testing
● One-way ANOVA
● Inference, Prediction, and the Big Picture Revisited

These sections each have their material broken up into subtopics that generally span a week. Dates are
provided as well as a detailed schedule. Hopefully this will help everyone stay on track!

Each subtopic will usually have a video to watch, optional readings, and an assignment to put what
you’ve learned into practice via a quiz or mini-project. The notes and code used for each video are
available as well.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course Learning Outcomes (COs): At the end of this course students will be able to
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 ● summarize data sets numerically and graphically using software and gain insights from the data
(CO 1)
● utilize continuous and discrete probability distributions to summarize data and infer conclusions
using probabilities (CO 2)
● compare and contrast population and sample level statistical summaries and distributions (CO 3)
● use the sampling distribution of statistics to make inferences to a population through confidence
intervals and hypothesis testing (CO 4)
● recognizing instances and validating assumptions for the appropriate use of inferential techniques
(CO 5)
● apply analysis of variance when appropriate (CO 6)
● demonstrate proficiency in applying the course methods using software (CO 7)

COURSE MATERIALS

Required Textbook and/or Software

Textbooks: SAS - Statistics by example (ISBN-13: 978-1607648000)

Software: Students in this course will use the SAS software and the SAS Studio editor. We’ll access this
software through SAS On Demand for Academics. Note: This software is available in the statistics
department VTL as well. Feel free to use that if you already know how!

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

Hardware
NC State’s Online and Distance Education provides technology requirements and recommendations for
computer hardware.

Software
> Moodle and Wolfware
○ Moodle Accessibility Statement
○ Moodle Privacy Policy
○ NCSU Privacy Policy
> Adobe Reader (for reading PDF files)
○ Accessibility Statement
○ Adobe Privacy Policy
> Zoom:
○ Zoom Accessibility Statement
○ Zoom Privacy Policy
> G Suite
○ Accessibility Statement
○ Privacy Policy
> Office 365

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 ○ Accessibility Statement
○ Privacy Policy
> SAS software and SAS studio for programming
> Headsets with microphone (optional for office hours)

Computer Skills and Digital Information Literacy

Students are expected to have a reasonable understanding of how computers function and the logic
required to instruct them. Students should be able to open and save files, upload attachments, and do
similar tasks.

NETIQUETTE
Netiquette is the term used to describe the special set of rules for online communication.

Students should be aware that their behavior impacts other people, even online. I hope that we will all
strive to develop a positive and supportive environment and will be courteous to fellow students and your
instructor. Due to the nature of the online environment, there are some things to remember when taking
an online course and engaging with others.

Tips for Success:

> Do: Follow the same standards of behavior that you subscribe to offline. Keep in mind that all
online communication is documented and therefore permanent.
> Don't: Flame others in discussion forums. Flaming is the act of responding in a highly critical,
sarcastic, or ridiculing manner – especially if done on a personal level. Remember that these
discussions are meant for constructive exchanges and learning!

> Do: Ensure you are using forums to get help when you are struggling! It is ok to reach out to help
after giving a good faith effort.
> Don't: Go for long periods of time without communicating to your instructors or classmates. It is
important to stay a part of the online community!

> Do: Remember to read over your posts before selecting "Submit."
> Don't: Use slang, poor grammar, and other informal language in discussion forums or email
messages to instructors or classmates (if possible).

Additional resources
> DELTA’s Netiquette or Best Practices for Teaching Online
> Netiquette – Ethics in Computing

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GRADING

Grading Policy
It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of their grades in the course and the appropriate level of
work required. Your final grade in this course will depend on the following (subject to change with
notification):

Item Portion of Grade

Feedback and Discussion Forum Posts 4% in total

Quizzes (10) 20% in total, weighted equally

Mini-project (2) 10% each

Exams (2) 20% each

Final Project 16%

Feedback and Discussion Forum Posts: There are four total required posts in the course (1% each).
The first is an introduction forum (with response) and the other three are feedback forums (post only
shared with the instructor and TA). Credit will be given as long as the entire prompt is answered. If not,
half credit or no credit will be given.

Quizzes: Most weeks there will be a quiz administered via Moodle. You have two attempts at the quiz
and the average of your scores is your final grade for the quiz. These quizzes are open notes and not
timed. Usually you will need to have SAS open and at the ready for these quizzes. No extensions will be
given on the quizzes. If you have a documented emergency that prevents you from completing a quiz,
please contact your instructor and arrangements may be made.

Mini-project: There will be two small project during the semester. This may or may not require
collaboration with others. Details will follow as we get closer to the project being assigned. Grading
guides/rubrics will be provided with the assignment. No late work will be accepted.

Exams: All exams are closed book. Formula sheets will be provided. You can bring one-page notes (front
and back) for Exam 1 and two-page notes for Exam 2. Calculators may be used on all exams. The exams
will cover all material up to that point in the course, including some programming concepts in SAS.

Students who are unable to take an exam during the designated exam window for a legitimate
unavoidable reason may be given the opportunity for a make-up exam or be given a reweighting of their
scores. The exams are limited to 120 minutes. Many of the questions will be multiple choice, fill in the
blank, or true/false. Other questions will be in essay form. These are generally graded on a 0/1 or
0/1/2/3 basis.

The exams can be taken anytime during each exam window:

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Exam 1 - Th 2/22 (6am) - F 2/23 (11:59pm - exam must be completed by this time)
Exam 2 - Th 4/4 (6am) - F 4/5 (11:59pm - exam must be completed by this time)

Exam proctoring: This course requires proctored exams facilitated through DELTA Testing Services. A
proctor is an impartial third-party who verifies the identity of the student and ensures the academic
integrity of an exam.

1. Local students — DELTA Testing Services will offer the exam(s) for this course on campus.
Please visit the DELTA Testing Services website for more information about on-campus testing.

● Step 1: Make an Appointment. Exams at the DELTA Test Centers are by appointment
only. To schedule your appointment, visit go.ncsu.edu/takemytest. Appointments must be
made at least 24 hours in advances; however, the sooner – the better.

● Step 2: Come Prepared.

○ Bring a photo ID.

○ Know your UnityID.

○ If you are a DUO user, bring your registered device.

○ Arriving late for an appointment may result in the appointment cancelation, students
can sign in for an appointment up to 15 minutes early.

2. Students with Accommodations— If you have approved accommodations with NC State’s

Disability Resources Office (DRO), DELTA Testing Services wants to ensure that you receive the
appropriate accommodations when you go to the test center.

● Email Testing Services. Send a PDF copy of your Accommodation Letter to

[email protected]. Once we have received a copy of your accommodation
letter, a confirmation email will be sent informing you that your accommodations have been
processed. You will then be able to schedule an appointment.

3. Remote students — DELTA Testing Services will oversee the process of approving a remote
proctor, sending all exam materials, and receiving any materials from your proctor.

● Step 1: Submit a Request. To use a remote proctor for an exam, you must submit an online
request and it must be approved by DELTA Testing Services. The request should be
submitted at the start of the semester. The approval process takes at least 72 hours.

○ Pre-approved proctors are marked on the map and are selectable in a drop-down
menu in the request form.

○ If you do not see a pre-approved option in your area, it is your responsibility to find a
proctor who meets the guidelines. When submitting a request, if your proctor is not
pre-approved, select “other” and fill in the remote proctor’s information. (Please
double-check the email address.)

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Please note that the instructor does not communicate directly with proctors. Please refer all questions
regarding proctoring to the distance proctoring center via [email protected] or call 919.513.1513.

Final Project: The "final exam" for the course will be a project that will encompass many aspects of the
course. Details will follow as we get closer to the final project being assigned. A grading guide/rubric will
be provided with the assignments. No late work will be accepted.

Feedback Schedule: Some of the learning activities/assessments (quizzes and parts of the exams) are
automatically graded. For those, feedback should be immediately available after the quiz/exam time
frame closes. You should double check your wrong answers to make sure there aren’t any formatting
issues causing a correct answer to be marked as incorrect.

The mini-project, final project, discussion forums, and some exam questions, however, are manually
graded. My goal as an instructor is to provide feedback and a grade within 5 business days of when you
turn these assessments in. However, sometimes it might take a little longer (especially for projects).

Grading Scale
This course uses this grading scale:

Low Letter High

97 ≤ A+ ≤ 100

93 ≤ A < 97

90 ≤ A- < 93

87 ≤ B+ < 90

83 ≤ B < 87

80 ≤ B- < 83

77 ≤ C+ < 80

73 ≤ C < 77

70 ≤ C- < 73

67 ≤ D+ < 70

63 ≤ D < 67

60 ≤ D- < 63

0≤ F < 60

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Note: This course may not be taken as an S/U graded course.

Students who wish to audit the course with satisfactory status must register officially for the course and
will be required to obtain an 80% or greater in total on the homework assignments (lowest dropped) and
complete the final project with an 80% or better on average to receive credit.

COURSE SCHEDULE
A full detailed schedule is available in the Resources & Information (Start Here!) section.

Please note: The course schedule is subject to change.

COURSE POLICIES

Late Assignments
No late work will be accepted so please get your submissions in on time. Projects must be turned in on
time. If some issue arises in which you are unable to complete something prior to the due date, please
contact Dr. Jeng immediately to work out other arrangements.

Incomplete Grades
Incomplete (IN) grades are given only as specified in university regulations.

Attendance and Participation

There are generally no attendance or participation requirements. Attendance is really done through your
watching of videos and participation is done through your discussion board posts and assignments.
NC State’s Attendance Policy: https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-03-attendance-regulations/
Withdrawal Process: https://studentservices.ncsu.edu/your-classes/withdrawal/process/

General
Be nice! Also, some things in this course are going to be hard - technology doesn't always work. Be
prepared to troubleshoot.

Course Assistance
As mentioned previously, to obtain course help there are several options:

● General Discussion Board - This should be used for any question you feel comfortable asking
and having others view. The TA, other students, and I will answer questions on this board. This
will be the fastest way to receive a response!
● E-mail - If there is a question that you don't feel comfortable asking the whole class you can use
e-mail. The TA and I will be checking daily (during the regular work week).

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 ● Zoom Office Hour Sessions - These sessions can be used to share screens and have multiple
users. You can do text chat, voice, and video. They are great for a class like this!

If you have technical difficulties, you can email the helpdesk ([email protected], 919-515-4357). For
specific questions about wolfware, moodle, or other instructional tools, you can contact LearnTech
([email protected], 919-513-7094)

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Academic Integrity and Honesty

Students are required to comply with the university policy on academic integrity found in the Code of
Student Conduct. Therefore, students are required to uphold the university pledge of honor and exercise
honesty in completing any assignment.

Please refer to the Academic Integrity web page for a detailed explanation of the University’s policies on
academic integrity and some of the common understandings related to those policies.

Students may be required to disclose personally identifiable information to other students in the course,
via electronic tools like email or web-postings, where relevant to the course. Examples include online
discussions of class topics and posting of student coursework. All students are expected to respect the
privacy of each other by not sharing or using such information outside the course.

Students are responsible for reviewing the NC State University PRR’s which pertains to their course rights
and responsibilities:
> Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy Statement and additional references
> Code of Student Conduct
> Grades and Grade Point Average
> Credit-Only Courses
> Audits

Students with Disabilities

Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take
advantage of available accommodations, students must register with the Disability Resource Office at
Holmes Hall, Suite 304,Campus Box 7509, 919-515-7653 . For more information on NC State’s policy on
working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.01)

Trans-Inclusive Statement
In an effort to affirm and respect the identities of transgender students in the classroom and beyond,
please contact me if you wish to be referred to using a name and/or pronouns other than what is listed in
the student directory.

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Basic Needs Security
Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing or has other severe adverse
experiences and believes this may affect their performance in the course is encouraged to notify the
professor if you are comfortable in doing so. Alternatively, you can contact the Division of Academic and
Student Affairs to learn more about the Pack Essentials program https://dasa.ncsu.edu/pack-essentials/

Moodle Student Services Block

On the right hand side of the Moodle page there is a student services block that has many useful links for
obtaining help. There are academic support services (tutorial center, distance ed help), student support
services (counseling, disability resources, etc), technology support services (help with online learning),
and the general NCSU help desk linked for your convenience!

COURSE EVALUATIONS
ClassEval is the end-of-semester survey for students to evaluate instruction of all university classes. The
current survey is administered online and includes 12 closed-ended questions and 3 open-ended
questions. Deans, department heads, and instructors may add a limited number of their own questions to
these 15 common-core questions.

Each semester students’ responses are compiled into a ClassEval report for every instructor and class.
Instructors use the evaluations to improve instruction and include them in their promotion and tenure
dossiers, while department heads use them in annual reviews. The reports are included in instructors’
personnel files and are considered confidential.

Online class evaluations will be available for students to complete during the last two weeks of the
semester for full semester courses and the last week of shorter sessions. Students will receive an email
directing them to a website to complete class evaluations. These become unavailable at 8am on the first
day of finals.

> Contact ClassEval Help Desk: [email protected]

> ClassEval website
> More information about ClassEval

SYLLABUS MODIFICATION STATEMENT

Some modifications may be needed to the course as we go along. If the syllabus is modified in a
substantial way, students will be contacted via an announcement.

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