San Francisco State University Spring ‘09 Paulette Callahan

ISED 160 Data Analysis in Education Office BH 269

This is a basic general education statistics course covering descriptive and inferential statistics including measures of central tendency and variability, standard scores, random sampling, selected tests of significance, probabilistic reasoning, correlation and regression, and graphical representation of data. Various statistics courses are available in other departments to meet the specific needs of certain majors and transfer requirements. Check with your counselors to make sure that this is the appropriate course for you!

Email: Email is the best way to contact me outside of class: callahanp@smccd.edu Notes can be left at my office BH 269 or at the DAIS department office BH 239 (their phone# is 338-1653 but careful, messages are sometimes lost!).

Website: At http://www.smccd.edu/accounts/callahanp you will find course info, supplementary material, homework notes, your quiz and test scores, etc. Make plans ahead of time to rely on fellow students for homework on those occasions when you cannot access the site. I will assume that you are checking the site routinely.

Tutorial Services: Learning Assistance Center (LAC) HSS 348 http://www.sfsu.edu/~lac

Community Access and Retention Program (CARP) HSS 344 http://www.sfsu.edu/~carp1

(or ask for Math 124 Math Department Lab TH 426 http://math.sfsu.edu/schuster/tutoring.html)

Text: NONE REQUIRED. As reference, I mostly use the text Statistics-Informed Decisions Using Data, by Michael Sullivan but you may make your own decision about whether to purchase it. I am unwilling to require you to buy any text from the bookstore that costs more than $100 and unfortunately, most seem to be in this range. So in an effort to save you money, I will put several copies of the book in the library's Reserve Book Room, and I will give examples and handouts in class, and put supplementary materials on the website. The majority of students in the past have found this to be sufficient and have not needed to buy the book! If you feel that you really need your own book, there are a number of websites offering significant discounts on textbooks and I will mention some of these in class.

Classroom Materials: You must bring a calculator to each class session. It should be a scientific calculator (it does not have to have statistical keys). These can be obtained for around $15. Use of anything less may not allow you to complete certain tasks, but keeping a small arithmetic one as backup if you forget the other is a good idea. Those who do not bring a calculator are not able to adequately participate in class activities and may lose some credit.

Attendance: Attendance and participation in class projects is a part of your grade. Factors which diminish this grade are absence, coming late/leaving early (leave a note so I don't miss you completely), not participating to the best of your ability, causing distractions that keep others from their work, etc. When you sign up for a class you are making a commitment to come to the class sessions. Missing even one class may adversely affect your grades and your ability to understand the subsequent material. I will supplement the book material often with in-class exercises. Those who come to each class, pay attention and participate usually have no trouble with understanding the material. There is no such thing as being "excused" from class. Regardless of the reason for absence, the fact remains that if you are not there, you are not receiving instruction or working with others on the projects, and there is no way to make this time up. Make your own decisions about whether circumstances must keep you from class. You may not attend sections for which you are not enrolled unless you have obtained previous approval from me.

Homework/Quizzes: It is important that you struggle with the ideas and not simply wait for answers to be provided! Homework will be assigned at most class meetings and is due at the beginning of the next class. Late students must hand it in as they enter class. No later submissions will be accepted. You are expected to review your notes, read some stats book and seek help as needed, and check for examples/answers on the website before coming to each class session. Short quizzes based on the material will be given. Late students will not be permitted to take quizzes.

Tests: Five regular tests will be given as shown on the calendar schedule. If a schedule change needs to be made, I will announce it in class. If you miss the announcement, it is solely your responsibility to find out from someone. All work must be shown on the test paper in the manner asked for. Incomplete answers receive little or no credit. No books, notes, or scratch paper are to be used during tests, but a calculator is required. Most formulas will be provided to you. Tests will be of equal weight, each lasting 50-60 minutes. All missed tests count as a zero score F. If you miss more than one test, you will automatically receive an F for the course. I will drop your lowest test score from tests 1 thru 4 in the final grade average. Test 5 will occur on 5/14 as scheduled and will not be dropped under any circumstance. If you miss test #5 (for any reason, including “family emergencies”), you must email me before noon Friday 5/15 and respond to my follow-up emails that day so that we will both know what to expect the following week (finals week). You will then perform a more difficult comprehensive test during finals week to take the place of test 5 only. If you do not contact me by noon Friday 5/15 or fail to show up for your new test appointment during finals week, you will receive a zero score for test 5. Students who take Test 5 as scheduled on 5/14 will be done with the course (no comprehensive final).

IMPORTANT: No makeup (early/late) projects, homework, quizzes, or tests will be given for ANY reason!

General: Please feel free to ask questions of me in class, and if there is not enough time in class to address your questions, we can arrange a time for you to meet with me or a tutor outside of class. Lecture time is for me to introduce and explain book topics, answer questions, and give instructions. During lecture, talk between students (which does not involve the whole class) is very disruptive, both to me and other students, and is not permitted. This includes explaining the material to someone. Ask me if you missed something! You will be instructed to work together on projects at specific times only, and at those times, you are encouraged to work with those around you and share ideas. If you complete your project before the rest of the class, please find some quiet activity of your own to perform. Statistics is not a "spectator sport"! It may seem like it makes sense on the board, but you must spend some quality time studying and working problems on your own to find where the difficulties lie. Get together with your classmates from time to time to share ideas and discuss problems. A key to doing well in statistics is to be able to explain it to someone else, and also not to become isolated from others who might be able to help you.

Grading: Quizzes/In-class participation/homework 20% of course grade

Tests (using best 3 of tests 1 thru 4, together with test 5) 80% of course grade

A 93.00-100.00	B 83.00- 87.99	C 73.00-77.99	D 63.00-67.99
A- 90.00- 92.99	B- 80.00- 82.99	C- 70.00-72.99	D- 60.00-62.99
B+ 88.00- 89.99	C+ 78.00- 79.99	D+ 68.00-69.99	F 00.00-59.99

Please make special note to avoid future conflict or misunderstandings:

Do not ask me if it is "OK" to leave early, or give me notes from doctors, counselors, etc. Absence from class will still be counted and you must decide for yourself whether it is a necessary absence. There is no need to notify me of one-day absences or tell me of the personal reasons behind absences. Informing me of these reasons will not change my class policies.

Do not ask for make-up work, early/late tests, or extra-credit assignments, as none are available. Some homework/quizzes will be dropped so no make-ups are necessary (or available). The dropping of a test is intended to accommodate you for one test absence for any reason, serious or not, including illness, accident, doctor visit, jury summons, religious observance, etc. No event will compel me to devise or administer a make-up test or offer other dropped tests. Test 5 is a mandatory part of your grade. Do not make vacation plans that cause you to miss it. If circumstances cause you to miss the end of the course, be prepared to petition for a late withdrawal on that basis or accept the earned grade. There is no guarantee of an incomplete if you fail to meet your obligations for any reason. Incompletes are almost always denied and are never used to avoid or bring up bad grades. As a lecturer with three job locations I do my best to spend my available time outside of class to the benefit of my several hundred students as a whole, while offering the above dropped tests/assignments to all students in a fair and equal manner to cover some of life's inconveniences. To be fair to everyone, the same rules must apply to everyone. Steady students are not affected by a few missed assignments, but those with many excuses are.

Special needs students must give me official notice from the DPRC within the first week of class and must schedule and take all tests with the DPRC according to official policies. Waiting longer than the first week to have me informed of your needs may risk the center's ability to work out satisfactory arrangements.

Students who feel that they have serious needs that conflict with the policies stated in this syllabus must send me an email stating their concerns during the first week of instruction and I will determine if the conflict can be resolved. After this time, if you have not brought up any issues with me, I will assume that you have read, understand, and accept this syllabus and its terms, and I will not form any new contract with you, regardless of the reason. I adhere strictly to the policies in this syllabus.

Lastly, please try to maintain a pleasant classroom experience for all! You may not bring visitors to class (this includes children, friends, relatives, pets, etc.) as they are not covered by class insurance. You may not use cell phones, texting devices, music players, computers, or any other distracting devices during class. You may not bring noisy/smelly/messy foods (such as pizza) into the classroom as no one wishes to smell your food, watch you eat it, or clean up after you. You may not use class time to sleep--if you need sleep more than instruction I will ask you to go find a more comfortable and appropriate place. You may not use profanity, harass other students, or in general cause disruptions that inhibit the learning of the class and its members. Now relax and enjoy learning statistics with your new friends!