PROFESSOR: Dr. Sally Sievers.     Email: sievers@wells.edu Website: aurora.wells.edu/~srs
         Office: Macmillan 102. Phone: 364-3210 (office), 607-257-7641 (home).
I'm on campus MWF, 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'm usually in one of the computer labs or math prof’s offices, or will leave a note on my door. Lunch time usually works well for me. Best is to plan ahead (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 ...........September 23 (F, class day 13)
Exam 2............October 21 (F, class day 24)
Exam 3............November 18 (F, class day 36)
Final Exam ......December 14 (Wednesday, 2-5 pm)

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 batches of data, with the aid of models;
• 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  it came from.

• Just the Basics Please: A quick review of math for introductory statistics. Good if your math background is weak or forgotten. Organized around the statistics topic you want the technique for.
• ActivStats for SPSS  CD (3 copies.)  SPSS is only on the computers in Macmillan; this CD introduces SPSS; is most effective used on a machine with SPSS.  (When I'm here you can borrow my copy too.)
  

• 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: Most  machines in Mac 101, Dell machine(s?) 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: Assigned every class day and collected the following class. Please label it with the class day assigned. (Day 1, Day 2, etc.) 
The  daily webpage will have the day's assignments, and an outline of each day's class work (as well as corrections and updates). && marks Material not in the text or that I give more importance to than D&V do.

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."   (& don't forget the Math Clinic, Mac120).

With the "answers" mostly available (back of book  for odd #s, Solutions Manual in Math Clinic for all) , 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 so another person can read and understand it. Most 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  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 than on "correctness."
HW Marking:   "check"=ok to perfect, "check -"=needs work, something really not understood, " - "=much missing or wrong, "L" =one class day late, "LL"= later than that.  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 is taken 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's 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!