PROFESSOR: Ms. Sally Sievers.     Email: sievers@wells.edu Website: aurora.wells.edu/~srs
         Office: Macmillan 102. Phone: 364-3210 (office), 607-257-7641 (home).
I am on campus MWF from about 9:20 to 4:00. Find me, I'm yours, usually. I teach 9:30 and 11:30 MWF.  If not in my office, I am usually in one of the computer labs or math prof’s offices, or will leave a note on my door. After class is a great time to meet if you're free. Best is to let me know you want to see me and when (i.e. make an appointment, by phone, email, or at class time).

EXAMS:   In-class, closed book. Exams require only a simple calculator. For the final only, bring a sheet of notes and formulas.  Announced Quizzes at random.

Exam 1 ...........February 27(F, class day 12)
Exam 2............April 2 (F, class day 24)
Exam 3............April 30 (F, class day 36)
Final Exam ......May 18 (Tuesday, 9-noon)

Assignments, Quizzes, Class participation 20% (You can't participate if you aren't here!)
Exams (3) 60% (20% each)
Final Exam (cumulative) 20%

• the techniques of data analysis--summarizing and interpreting collections of data;
• ideas important in the collection of data--as in designing experiments and sampling;
• and the ideas and techniques of statistical inference--drawing conclusions from a set of data about the world from which it came.

David S. Moore, The Basic Practice of Statistics, 2^nd ed.   It's excellent, as statistics books go. We'll cover most of Chapters 1-4, and 6-7, more if time allows.

• SPSS software for your own computer. See Weblink
• Study guide--Expansion on the text material, and some problems worked out with "guided solution" methods, and answers in great detail. (not always the ones I assign, unfortunately).

• Study guide (one copy)
• Homework answers to all the problems in the text. (Answers to odd #s are in the back of the book.)
• Just the Basics Please: A quick review of math for introductory statistics. If your high school math background is weak or forgotten this may be a help. Organized around the statistics topic you want the technique for.

• Computer statistical packages can carry out statistical techniques on big batches of numbers, so we can save some of our energy for understanding the information..
We'll learn to use SPSS, the very powerful package the Wells Social Sciences  have standardized on. (Its usefulness is not confined to the social sciences.) I suggest working with a buddy.
In computer labs on: All machines in Mac 101, Dell machines in Social Sciences lab (Mac 304)


• Everyone needs a calculator with at least a square root button to do simple computations.  If you're buying one new, and you want statistics capability, get "two-variable statistics"--if cheap!

Homework is assigned every class day and collected the following class. Please label it with the class day assigned. (Day 1, Day 2, etc.)  The website's daily page will have the day's assignments, and an outline of each day's class work (as well as corrections and updates).

Math Library/Clinic (Mac 120): See Helpers weblink.  Any staffer of the Math Clinic can help with general math.   Solutions to ALL the text problems will be there (& on reserve).

Get a "stats buddy" or buddies to work with: you are each other’s best teachers and supporters--the best way to learn is by teaching!  Do not be afraid to ask other students for help.  I can't count the number of times an excellent student has told me, "The way I've learned the most in this course is by helping X (or Y). It really helped me to understand it myself."

With the "answers" mostly available, what you need to focus on in homework is how you get the answer. Mathematics is a language--often just a shorthand for English, so write your solution so another person can read and understand it. Many of the problems want discussion, not just computation. These parts are at least as important as the "math."  If you don’t "get" a problem, don’t try to fake it--set down as clearly as you can how and where you went wrong. It's better to know that (and what) you don’t know than to not know that you don’t know. Bring remaining questions to class. Homework and class participation are marked more on conscientiousness, effort and engagement with the process than on "correctness."
HW Marking:  "check+ "=perfect, "check"=ok, "check -"=needs work, " - "=much missing or wrong, "L" =one class day late, "LL"= later than that.  Check+, check, check-, L will count almost the same.  Even LL and - are much better than a nothing. (Late hw won't be read in detail--go in for feedback if needed.)

Class participation presupposes attendance and preparedness. Attendance will be recorded on a sign-up sheet each day! Not signed in?  Not here!

Studying:  Expect to work hard and long. The classic rule of thumb for college courses is two-three hours of study for every hour of class time, but for some courses this is more than enough and for some it is not nearly enough. (A survey of an elementary statistics class at another college found the average time was 11 hours per week.) Learn how you work most efficiently--ask for help and suggestions!