STA431: Structural Equation Models

STA431H5S LEC0101

University of Toronto Mississauga, Winter/Spring 2013

http://utstat.toronto.edu/~brunner/431s13

Lecture: Tuesday 11:10 - 1:00 NE 228 and Thursday 11:10-12:00 in NE 140

• Instructor: Jerry Brunner
• Office: 4059c, Davis Building
• Phone: 905-828-3816
• email: brunner[at]utstat.toronto.edu
• Office Hours: Tuesday 1:10-2:00 and Thursday 12:10-2:00

Note: Jerry does not read his email every day. It is much more efficient to talk with him before or after class, or during office hours.

Tutorial: Friday 11:10-12:00 in IB 245 (This is a room change)

• Instructor: Kaijie Xue
• Office: 1160, Davis Building
• email: kaijie[at]utstat.toronto.edu
• Office Hours: Fri 10:10-11:00

Text: There is no textbook for this course at the bookstore. A free online text will be available on the course home page. The first few chapters are posted now. Material in the text overlaps with lectures.

Topics: Regression with random explanatory variables, Latent variables, Reliability, Regression with measurement error, Parameter identifiability, Exploratory factor analysis, Confirmatory factor analysis, Path analysis, The general structural model. SAS proc calis will be used.

Prerequisites: The calendar says STA258, but that's a typo. It should be (STA258 and MAT222H5/223H5/248Y5) or (STA302/331). You need linear algebra as well as a basic knowledge of Statistics.

Grading: 60% of the mark will be based on equally weighted weekly quizzes, and 40% will be based on the final exam. Ten quizzes will be given in tutorial, starting Friday Jan. 18th. Quiz dates are Jan. 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15, March 1, 8, 15, 22, April 5. The lowest quiz mark will be dropped.

In spite of the 60-40 weighting, a good performance on the final exam will save a student from failing the course. Suppose the final average is less than 50%. If the mark on the final exam is at least 70%, or the mark on the final is at the class median or above, then the student gets a mark of 50%. This rule is intended to give hope to those who have messed up on the quizzes, and encourage them to study for the final exam.

There will be an assignment for each quiz. The knowledge you need to do each quiz is a subset of the knowledge you need to do the corresponding assignment. Many of the assignments will include a computer part. You will bring printouts to the quiz and answer questions based on the printouts. Possibly, one of the quiz questions will be to hand in a printout. The non-computer parts of the assignments are just to prepare you for the quizzes; they will never be handed in.

Policy for missed work: If you miss a quiz, the mark is zero. However, your lowest quiz mark will be dropped. If you miss a quiz with a valid excuse, your mark on the final exam (out of 10) will be substituted for the missing quiz, and the lowest quiz mark will still be dropped. If you believe you have a valid excuse for missing term work, please see Jerry (not Kaijie) in person during office hours or before or after class.

What is a valid excuse? Here are some guidelines. If you miss a quiz for medical reasons, you must submit a University of Toronto Medical Certificate (not just a note), available at

http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/registrar/sites/files/registrar/public/shared/pdfs/forms/medcert_web.pdf.

The certificate must include the statement that you were unable to write the test or quiz for medical reasons. If the certificate does not clearly state that you were unable to function, the excuse will not be accepted. Documentation must show that the physician was consulted on the day of the quiz, or on the next day. A statement merely confirming a report of illness made by the student is not acceptable.

On the other extreme, automotive breakdown or other transportation problems are never valid excuses. If you miss term work because you are taking another class at the same time as this one, that is not a valid excuse. The printer jammed, my dog ate it, etc. fall into the same category. If the University is officially open, weather is a valid excuse only if more than 50% of the class miss the quiz.

Plagiarism: It is academic dishonesty to present someone else's work as your own, or to allow your work to be copied for this purpose. To repeat: the person who allows her/his work to be copied is equally guilty, and subject to disciplinary action by the university.

Here are some guidelines that apply to the computer assignments. If there is a problem with plagiarism, it will probably happen here, since computer assignments may be handed in.

• In this course, it is always okay to use SAS program code that is presented in lecture. Use it any way you like; you are responsible for the results.
• The biggest danger is copying from other students in the class. It is fine to discuss the assignments and to learn from each other, but don't copy. Never look at anyone else's printouts or show anyone yours before the quiz or exam when they might be handed in. Above all, do not allow anyone to see your program file before a computer assignment is due, and do not look at anyone else's. Never photograph someone's homework or allow yours to be photographed.
• It is acceptable to get help with your assignments from someone outside the class, but the help must be limited to general discussion and examples that are not the same as the assignment. As soon as you get an outside person to actually start working on one of your assignments, you have committed an academic offense.
• For some quizzes, you will be asked to bring your printouts to class; maybe you will hand them in, and maybe you will use them to answer some questions. Never, ever, bring a copy of somebody else's printout, or allow anyone to have a copy of yours.
• Don't copy, and don't let anyone copy from you. If we catch you, you will get in big trouble. And even if we do not catch you, after you die you will be reincarnated as a tadpole in a polluted stream.
• If this is not clear enough, the latest version of the student handout "How not to Plagiarize" is available at http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize The Academic Regulations of the University are outlined in the Code of Behaviour on Academic matters, which can be found in the Academic Calendar at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/behaveac.htm.

Accessibility Needs: We are committed to accessibility. If you require accommodations for a disability, or have any accessibility concerns about the course, the classroom or course materials, please contact Jerry or Accessibility Services (visit http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/accessability or email accessconfirm.utm@utoronto.ca) as soon as possible.