This class meets formally three times weekly--(everyone) once a week from 1:25 to 2:15 in 101 Thomas--and twice a week in 214 Boucke--a computer lab. The session in 101 Thomas will be referred to as an LGM (Large Group Meeting); the two meetings in 214 Boucke will be called CSL1 and CSL2 (for Computer Studio Labs 1 and 2). There are 200 students registered for this class in three sections. Each section will have a Teaching Assistant (TA) and possibly an undergraduate intern. The three sections (with TA) meet in CSL's as follows:

Section 7: Section 8: Section 9:

Tuesday and Thursday , 8:00-8:50 Monday and Friday, 9:05-9:55 Monday and Friday, 10:10-11:00

TA: To be assigned TA: Miha Ugarcovici; mih@stat.psu.edu TA: Miha Ugarcovici; mih@stat.psu.edu        and To be assigned

Dr. Harkness will be at most (if not all) of the CSL's, along-with the TA.

Course Structure:

This will be a web-based course with hands-on practice, using the Minitab Statistical Software Package, in the CSL’s: no prior knowledge about Minitab is assumed. You will be expected to learn the basic conceptual concepts from the web-course (called Cysberstats) and the draft of a book by Heckard and Utts (see Course Materials below). Cyberstats contains about about 40 Units grouped into five broad categories: Collecting and Visualing Data, Modeling Random Behavior, Inference, Regression, and Design of Experiments--we will cover about 30 of these. Specific assignments of units for you to 'master' are given in the ‘Reading Assignments’ section later. About one week after the one in which the assigned readings are given there will be a Readiness Assessment Test. These RATs will be based on the reading assignments and will be conducted at the LGM on Wednesdays. There will be two parts to the RATs: (1) an individual score and (2) a group score.; the combined points for the RATs will count 25% of your grade. It is essential that you study the content on the web because of the RATs and to prepare yourself for the CSL's. There will be almost no lecturing on the part of the instructor in this class--there will be some overviews given, also on Wednesdays, and some comments at the beginning of CSL’s.

In the two weekly meetings in the computer studio labs in 214 Boucke, you will be working in pairs (dyads). You will be using Minitab, a statistical software package, to apply the concepts learned on the web (and the Heckard/Utts book). Handouts outlining the work to be done will be given out prior to each CSL. You will be asked to submit homework based on the work done in the lab—each member of the dyad will receive the same grade.

Course Materials:

1. As noted above, we will be using Cyberstats as the web-based course materials. You will need to order it by getting on the web, accessing the publisher CyberGnostics, Inc. using the URL http://www.cyberk.com. There will be an ordering window, which will ask you to fill out information including your name, student id number, the course (Stat 200), and when the course begins (Jan. 10, 2000) and ends (May 5, 2000). You can pay the $30 fee using either a credit card or an electronic check. Course registration will be incomplete until you have taken care of access to Cyberstats.
   
   
2. In addition to Cyberstats, a preliminary draft of a text (by Robert Heckard and Jessica Utts) will also be used. This will be distributed by Pro-Copy as a 'Packet'. The expected cost of this (printed) statistical content is around $25 and is available at the Student Bookstore on College Ave. and probably at the PSU Bookstore on campus.
   
   It is hoped that the combination of Cyberstats and the draft will give you all of the basic coverage for the course together with a hard copy that will eliminate (or reduce) the need to print the web material.
   
   
3. Weekly handouts for use in the CSL’s. These handouts will guide you each of the lab sessions and will contain one or two pages of ‘homework’ to be turned in (called CSL assignments). You will be given a small number of points for each CSL you attend. There will be around 20 CSL assignments to be handed in (based on work done in the labs).
   
   
4. There will also be some handouts explaining statistical concepts as a supplement to Cyberstats and the book draft.

Exams: There will be one mid-term and a final exam.

Homework: You will have two types of homework to turn in:

1. Assignments from Exercises in Cyberstats and the Heckard/Utts Book Draft: 8 or 9
2. Assignments given out in the CSL’s and to be turned in when called for: 16-18.

These assignments will be graded and returned to you..

Projects: It is anticipated that there will be three small projects, done in pairs of two. Details will be provided later.

Grading System: Stat 200 Spring Semester 2000                                                             Possible Points

Readiness Assessment Tests (RAT's):   Individual (8 best--20 points each)         "              "              "          "         (RAT's) Group (8 best--5 points each) (a) Mid-term Exam (b) Final Exam Computer Studio Attendance (30 sessions, 1.5 points/session +6 free points; full possible credit of 48 points for attending 28 sessions; 1.5 bonus points for attending 29 sessions and 3 bonus points for attending all sessions) (a) Outside Class Homework Assignments best 8 @ 5 points each (b) Computer Studio Labs Assignments: 16 assignments done in lab, 10 pts. each Projects: Three 2-person projects (24 points each)                                                                                                                         Total

160 40 80 200 48 40 160 72 800

Allocation of points by 'area': RATs Exams Computer Lab Attendance Assignments 2-Person Projects                                     Total: 25% 35% 6% 25% 9% 100%

Grades:  A:   92% or higher; A-: 90-92%;         for both grades, 85% or more on RATs and         exams total B+:   88-90%; B: 82-88%; B-: 80-82%;         at least 73% on for all three grades C+:   78-80%; C: 70-78%, at least 62.5% on          RATs and exams total for both grades  D:    60-70% and at least 40% of total for          RATs and exams  F:     less than 60% of total points

Example: RATs: Individual scores total= 126; Group scores total =38 Exams: Midterm 68 and final 130 Attended 26 computer labs (26x1.5+6 = 39+6=45) Assignments--total points Projects--total points                                                                                     Total Points

164 198 45 190 72 669

Total percentage is 669/800 = 83.725; RATs + exam percentage is 75.4% (362/480=,754)

Course grade is 'B'

Web Site:

An extensive web site for this course is being developed. Most, if not all of course materials except for Cyberstats and the Heckard/Utts book draft, will be available on the web. Grades will be posted here, including RAT, exam, and homework scores. The URL for the site is http://www.stat.psu.edu/~stat200/