STA442/1008: Applied Statistics

University of Toronto Mississauga, Fall 2009

http://fisher.utstat.toronto.edu/~brunner/442f09

Lecture: Monday Wednesday Friday 10:10-11:00 in NE144.

Note: Jerry does not read his email every day, and the problem tends to get worse as the term progresses. It is much more efficient to talk with him before or after class, or during office hours.

Tutorial: Friday 1:10-2:00 in Room 3093, South Building

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 this text overlaps with lectures.

Topics: Vocabulary of data analysis, Tests of statistical significance, Principles of research design, Introduction to unix, Introduction to SAS, Elementary significance tests, Multiple regression, Factorial ANOVA, Permutation tests, Power and sample size, Random effects models, Multivariate analysis of variance, Analysis of within-cases designs (repeated measures). If time permits, Categorical data analysis.

Prerequisite: Any introductory statistics class, taught by any department.

Grading: For undergraduates (those in STA442), 65% of the mark will be based upon equally weighted weekly quizzes, and 35% of the mark will be based on the final exam. Graduate students (those in STA1008) will take the quizzes, but not the final exam. They will also do a data analysis project using real data from their fields of study. For graduate students, marks will be based 50% on the quizzes and 50% on the project. Please discuss your plans for the project with Jerry. Guidelines for the project will be posted on the course home page.

Quizzes will be given in tutorial almost every Friday starting Sept. 18th. Quiz dates are Sept. 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27 -- for a total of 11 quizzes. The lowest quiz mark will be dropped.

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. Some (most) of the assignments 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 will be substituted for the missing quiz mark. If you miss a quiz for medical reasons, the medical certificate or doctor's note must include the statement that you were unable to write the test or quiz for medical reasons. If the documentation does not include a word like "unable," 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.

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. 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 to see your program file before a computer assignment is due, and do not look at anyone else's.

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. 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 UTM Calendar or on the web at http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/regcal/WEBGEN122.html.