Instructor: Dr. Paul Regier Time: MWF 9:05 - 10:05 am
Email: Place: Austin Hall 213
Office hours: paulregier.com/office-hours

1 Course Description

Advanced Statistics and Data Analysis will focus on building student skills within commonly used research hypothesis tests and methodologies that influence statistical results. The course will include discussions on purpose and proper use of tests, limitations, interpretation, and computational analysis methods. Students will work with both Microsoft Excel and R software programs. Due to the nature of both the content and assignments of the course, students will develop skills of time management, both written and oral communication, attention to details, adaptability, and problem-solving throughout this course.

This course will cover chapters 1-5 from Nonparametric Statistical Methods Using R (see below)

1.1 Required Materials

  1. Textbook: Nonparametric Statistical Methods Using R, by John Kloke, Joseph W. McKean, CRC Press.
  2. Personal Computer or regular access to USAO computer lab. If you choose to use your own computer, please install the following software (free) before our first meeting or as soon as you can:

1.2 Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Determine the limit of a function using appropriate techniques. (Ch 2)
  2. Demonstrate understanding of the relationships among limits, continuity, and differentiability. (Ch 2 & 3)
  3. Find the derivative of a function graphically, numerically, and symbolically by using appropriate techniques. (Ch 3)
  4. Use derivatives to solve problems. (Ch 3 & 4)
  5. Use properties of the first and second derivative to find and sketch properties of a curve such as extreme values and concavity. (Ch 4)

2 Course Format

This course will meet IN-PERSON.

In-person attendance is required. Attendance and participation will be graded daily. Only in special pre-arranged cases will attendance on Zoom be accommodated. In these cases, please email me or call me at 316-804-8104 to discuss this ASAP.

Your active engagement in class is crucial for your success in this course. To develop the understanding and skills required in this course, your sustained and uninterrupted focus will be required. Due to this, as well as a genuine concern for your learning, any reoccurring interruptions or distractions will be discussed, addressed, and eliminated to any extent necessary.

3 Assessement

Course grades are made up of the following components:

Participation and Attendance 10%
Weekly Homework Assignments 50%
Quarterly Statistical Report 40%
Total 100%

After rounding final grade to the nearest percent:
\(A = 90-100\%, B = 80-89\%, C = 70-79\%, D = 60-69\%, F = \text{below } 60\%\)

3.1 Participation & Attendance

Class sessions are for engaging new ideas together, solving problems, practicing and testing new techniques, asking questions, and helping one another stay motivated, focused, and engaged. To keep each of us accountable, biweekly Attendance & Participation scores will be recorded according to the rubric on Canvas.

Additionally, periodic surveys and discussion may also be included in the Participation and Attendance grades in canvas.

If something major comes up (a death in the family, illness, hospitalization, etc.) that will cause you to miss more than two cumulative days of class, email me as soon as possible so that we can discuss alternative arrangements.

3.2 Homework

Homework serves as a crucial tool to engage, practice/play with, and assess your understanding of new ideas that are developed in class. Together with your active class participation, giving adequate time to complete online assignments is the best thing you can do to excel in this class.

Homework exercises will be assigned weekly. Assignments turned late will be graded for up to half-credit.

Starting assignments early and turning them on time will insure you get the most out of assignments and allow you to integrate what we have learned and go deeper with that material in our next class.

Both inside and outside of class, you are strongly encouraged to work with each other to discuss and help each other to better understand each topic. However, you must still carry out and turn in YOUR OWN WORK. Cases of academic dishonesty will be addressed immediately.

3.3 Statistical Reports

During the semester, quarterly Statistical Report will be assigned. Initial drafts of various of reports will be due one week prior to final reports. More details forthcoming in class.

4 Course Communication

Be aware and anticipate the following response times for the following types of correspondence:

  • Student –> Instructor: For emails to the instructor sent after 8 am on Monday but before noon on Friday, please allow 24 hrs response time. Messages left after midday Friday may take up to 72 hrs. Holidays excluded. Messages sent via email generally will receive quicker responses than messages sent in Canvas.
  • Instructor –> Student: Students are expected to check and be aware of information sent via email and Canvas announcement posts regularly and respond if needed following the same guidelines described in the above item.
  • Student –> Student: When working with other students (e.g. homework or group projects) students are advised to exchange contact information of some sort, as well as check and read email/group messages regularly.

In all course communication with your instructor and classmates, please follow these net etiquette (netiquette) guidelines: 1

  1. Remember the Human: When communicating electronically, whether through email, instant message, discussion post, text, or some other method, practice the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Remember, your written words are read by real people, all deserving of respectful communication. Consider the tone of your emails and discussion posts and before you press “send” or “submit” ask yourself, “Would I be okay with this if someone else had written it?”
  2. Make yourself look good: In all course communication with your instructor and classmates, be professional and polite. One of the great things about the virtual world is the lack of judgment associated with your physical appearance, the sound of your voice, or the clothes you wear. You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing, so keep the following tips in mind:
    • Always check for capitalization, spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
    • Think about what you want to communicate and state it clearly.
    • Avoid slang and acronyms like ROTFL for “rolling on the floor laughing.”
    • Don’t use ALL CAPS for entire sentences or posts, which denote yelling at someone. Any form of attack or inappropriate response within any form of communication with other students or faculty is unacceptable and if done in a discussion post will be removed immediately accompanied with a warning.
    • Be pleasant and polite.
  3. Respect other people’s time and bandwidth: Electronic communication takes time: time to read and time in which to respond. Most people today lead busy lives, just like you do, and don’t have time to read or respond to frivolous emails or discussion posts. As a virtual world communicator, it is your responsibility to make sure that the time spent reading your words isn’t wasted. Make your written communication meaningful and to the point, without extraneous text or large attachments that may take forever to download.

5 Other Information

5.1 Student Success Center (SSC)

The Student Success Center (SSC) offers FREE individual tutoring, hosted on the top floor of Nash Library! See the (SSC website for hours and the link for scheduling an appointment)[https://usao.edu/academics/ssc.html]. It is very helpful to come to tutoring appointments with specific questions or topics you want help with.

5.2 Illness and COVID-19 Policies

Regular class attendance is necessary in achieving the course objectives. Thus, taking care of your health and avoiding unnecessary exposure to illness is an important part of your success.

However, if you do fall ill for any reason, I want you to be able to rest. Please do not come to class if you are sick (due to COVID or otherwise). If you are ill, please email me to inform me. Then, when you are well, contact me ASAP to make plans for making up missed work.

For absences related to COVID-19, please adhere to the following:

  • If you test positive or are evaluated by a healthcare provider for symptoms of COVID-19, please alert the University at who will follow up with you as necessary, and your instructors will be notified.
  • If you have been exposed to COVID-19 positive individuals and/or have been notified to self-quarantine due to exposure, please notify the University at who will follow up with you as necessary, and your instructors will be notified.
  • To return to class after being absent due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or due to a period of self-quarantine, students should email who will follow up with you as necessary, and your instructors will be notified.
  • Supporting documentation can be attached directly to the request form and should be from a student’s health care provider or Student Affairs, clearly indicating the dates of absences and the date the student can return to class.
  • If you are absent from class as a result of a COVID-19 diagnosis or quarantine, you are still responsible to complete all course requirements. As the instructor, I will work with you to make up work. However, it is your responsibility to contact me to make plans for making up missed work as soon as you are well. Do not wait until the end of the semester to make up missed work.

5.3 Disability Services

The University has a continuing commitment to providing accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Like so many things this Fall, the need for accommodations and the process for arranging them may be altered by safety protocols related to COVID-19. To fully participate in this class, those with disabilities who may need accommodation should contact the Disability Services, as soon as possible. For this semester, please do this by emailing the Disability Services Office at .

5.4 Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty in any form is a violation of the Academic Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated. There is a zero-tolerance policy in this course for any form of plagiarism, fabrication, cheating, forgery, or any other type of academic dishonesty. For more on the Academic Code of Conduct please see the USAO student handbook.

5.5 Important Dates

Please also mark your calendar with all exam dates, as posted in the course schedule (see home Canvas page).

It is your responsibility to be aware of all dates listed in the USAO academic calendar.

5.6 Course Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this course as deemed mutually beneficial or necessary to all involved, with appropriate notification.

I encourage any feedback you have at any point during the semester. If you find any structural or content errors in any current course materials, let me know politely and respectfully via the syllabus discussion in Canvas, via email, or in person. If you do so, I will give two points extra credit (per correction) toward Homework.

  1. Partially adapted from The Core Rules of Netiquette. Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette (Online ed., pp. 32-45). San Francisco: Albion Books.↩︎