EPPS 3405.0I1: Introduction to Social Science Statistics Summer 2012 Online Only Course Dr. Nadine M. Connell Course Information EPPS 3405.0I1 Introduction to Social Science Statistics Summer 2012 Online Only Course Professor Contact Info Teaching Assistant Contact Info Dr. Nadine M. Connell Mr. Michael TenEyck Email: nadine.connell@utdallas.edu Email: mft051000@utdallas.edu Office: GR 2.208 Office: GR 2.510 Phone: 972-883-4985 Phone: Not Available Office Hours: Online by appointment Office Hours: By Appointment Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions MATH 1306 or MATH 1314 Course Description This is an introductory course in statistical methodology for the social sciences. Focusing on the mathematical understanding of the patterns of human behavior, this class will teach you how to understand research questions within a statistical framework, understand when and how to use the proper tools of statistical inquiry, and see how the use of such tools to improve upon our knowledge of theoretical and applied social science knowledge. Through the use of hypothesis testing, you will learn how to answer questions related to how to measure and understand human behavior, from the inception of an interesting problem through the process of measurement, analysis, and interpretation of findings. Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes (in no particular order) There are several objectives of this course. The most important are as follows: EPPS 3405.I01 1
1. Understand the theoretical components and functional applications of probability. 2. Identify levels of measurement and the appropriate statistical tools to use for the variety of measurements. 3. Apply hypothesis testing to social science related research problems. 4. Understand the limitations of statistical inquiry and learn how to minimize the potential for error. Required Textbooks and Materials Levin, J. and Fox, J.A. (2011). Elementary Research in Social Statistics: The Essentials. 3 rd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing. Assignments & Academic Calendar This is a completely online course. All assignments will be accessed and turned in using the University of Texas at Dallas e-learning system (also known as Blackboard). Please familiarize yourself with the e-learning environment and the class materials. If you have any questions, please contact the professor or the teaching assistant. Assignments: Exams 300 points There will be four exams in this class. Three of the exams are based on the modules within the course and one is an optional cumulative final exam. Only the three highest exams will count towards your grade. Each exam is worth 100 points. The three module exams are MANDATORY and must be taken. If, at the conclusion of the course, you wish to drop one of those exam grades, you may elect to take the OPTIONAL cumulative final exam. Each exam will be accessed through e-learning. Each exam will be available for three days. Once the exam is accessed, you will have three hours to complete the exam. Please note that if you do not complete the exam within three hours, only those answers that you have completed will count towards your grade. You can only access the exam ONCE. Exams must be completed by 11:59 pm (CST) on the final day listed. Exams will be made available during the following times: Exam #1 June 20 June 22 Exam #2 July 13 July 15 EPPS 3405.I01 2
Exam #3 August 5 August 7 Cumulative Final August 8 August 10 Homework Assignments 200 points There will be 12 homework assignments throughout the course of this class. Each lesson has a corresponding homework assignment. Each homework assignment is worth 20 points. Homework assignments will be graded both for completion and accuracy. See the e-learning website for more details on how to complete the homework and turn it in. The two lowest homework grades will be dropped, for a total of 200 points of homework assignments. Quizzes 100 points There are 12 quizzes throughout the course of this class. Each lesson has a corresponding quiz. Quizzes should be completed after reading the lesson chapter and before attempting the homework. Quizzes will be completed on the e-learning website. Each quiz is worth 10 points. Students will have two opportunities to take each quiz; the highest grade will prevail. See the e- Learning website for more details on how to complete the quizzes. The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped, for a total of 100 points of quizzes. Statistician Paper 100 points Each student is required to write a formal writing paper on a statistician and his/her contribution to the field. This is an important paper because it puts faces to the names and helps students understand how statistics is really the collection of answers to real world problems not a scary bunch of formulas meant to make your life hard! Statistics is applied math, which means that there has to be a problem to answer. In this paper, you will learn about the problem, the person who solved it, and why their solution is so important for us now. Students will be given a list of statisticians about whom they can write their papers. If you so choose, however, you may pick a different statistician; you will just need to have your person approved by the professor. Guidelines and instructions for this paper are posted on the class e-learning website. Papers will be 4-6 pages long, include a reference page, and must use the APA citation format. Your paper needs to be uploaded to e-learning by Monday, July 23, 2012. EPPS 3405.I01 3
Discussion Forums 50 points There will be 11 discussion topics posted throughout the course of this semester; the professor or the teaching assistant will post one discussion each week. Students are expected to respond to at least 5 of these discussion postings. Each posting is worth 10 points, for a total of 50 points towards your grade. Postings must be 50-75 words in length. Students will receive 5 points for posting and 5 points for the quality of their post. Quality will be judged by the following criteria: 1. Did the student read and understand the original posting? 2. Did the student attempt to contribute a new thought to the thread? 3. Does the student demonstrate a critical understanding of how this topic affects social science as a whole? Schedule Please see the attached class schedule for a list of the assignments and applicable due dates. Grading Policy Grades will be calculated out of 750 points. 675 750 points A 650 674 points B+ 625 649 points B 600 624 points B- 575 599 points C+ 550 574 points C 525 549 points C- 500 524 points D+ 475 499 points D 450 474 points D- 0 449 points F Course & Instructor Policies Make Up Exams: Make up exams will not be allowed. Because all of the exams and assignments are conducted online, with a window of three days, there will be no makeup EPPS 3405.I01 4
opportunities. Students need to familiarize themselves with the course schedule and plan their time accordingly. Please note that going on a vacation is not a reason to be allowed to take a make-up or an early exam or assignment. If you are traveling somewhere without Internet access, it is your responsibility to find a way to complete the required exams and assignments within the allotted time frame. Extra Credit: None Late Work: The same policies that apply for for make-up exams also apply for late work. Special Assignments: None Class Attendance: Because this is an online class, attendance is not required. There is an expectation, however, that students will complete all work by the due date, participate appropriately in online discussion forums, and otherwise be an active member of the class. Classroom Citizenship: In addition to the policies on student conduct and discipline, please note that I have the following policies: 1. Do not under any circumstances engage in academic dishonesty. I will refer all questions of academic dishonesty directly to disciplinary proceedings. Furthermore, all Statistician Papers will be sent through the Turn It In system. 2. Students must be respectful of each other in the Discussion Forums. Any indication that students are not respecting each other will be dealt with directly and swiftly. Students will first be approached about their behavior and asked to remedy the situation. In the event that students are not able to interact appropriately within the Discussion Forums, they will be dismissed from the course. 3. All student communication on the e-learning site will be monitored by both the professor and the teaching assistant. All communication on the e-learning website is considered property of the University and will be treated as such for the use of University proceedings. EPPS 3405.I01 5
UT Dallas Syllabus Policies and Procedures The information contained in the following link constitutes the University s policies and procedures segment of the course syllabus. Please go to http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies for these policies. The descriptions and timelines contained in this syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor. EPPS 3405.I01 6