Instructor: Dr. Paul Regier Time: 9:30 AM - 10:55 AM Tuesday/Thursday
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 the 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 in time management, both written and oral communication, attention to detail, adaptability, and problem-solving throughout this course.

This course will cover chapters 1-5 from the textbook listed below. While the primary textbook emphasizes nonparametric methods, the course will also cover selected parametric techniques for comparison and context.

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

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Identify appropriate use of statistical analyses such as:
    • Linear regression
    • Basic multiple regression
    • List rank-based analyses such as Mann-Whitney’s
    • Multi-factor analyses such as ANOVA, MANOVA
    • Follow-up analyses such as Tukey’s HSD or other appropriate tests.
  2. Discuss the appropriate use, purpose, and limitations of each test.
  3. Explain the results of analyses conducted correctly and concisely.
  4. Independently complete a statistical report using real-world data.

2 Course Format

This course will meet in person. In-person attendance is required.

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 my 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 & Attendance 10%
Discussions & Video Assignments 10%
Weekly Homework Assignments 40%
Statistical Reports 40%
Total 100%

After rounding the 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 you accountable, biweekly Attendance & Participation scores will be recorded according to the rubric on Canvas.

Additionally, periodic surveys 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 Online Quizzes & Discussions

Canvas Video Quizzes and Discussion Assignments will be periodically assigned to introduce or explore ideas not fully covered in class. Please follow Canvas for instructions and due dates.

3.3 Homework

Homework exercises will be assigned weekly. Late work will receive a 10% deduction per business day past the assigned due date.

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 way to excel in this class.

Starting assignments early and turning them in on time will ensure 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 one another to better understand each topic. However, you must still carry out and turn in your own work. Cases of using others’ work, including AI-generated work, as your own will be addressed immediately. (See Academic Misconduct section below.)

3.4 Statistical Reports

During the semester, two to three Statistical Reports will be assigned. Initial drafts of each report will be due one week before the final reports. More details are 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 hours of response time. Messages left after midday Friday may take up to 72 hours. 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 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 by 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 Canvas Help

For help with Canvas, check out the help features provided by Canvas, shown below:

5.2 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 link for scheduling an appointment. It is very helpful to come to tutoring appointments with your specific questions or topics.

This and other useful resources are also provided in the “Student Resources” tab in Canvas.

5.3 AI Policy

While the use of the internet and AI is acceptable for brainstorming and generating ideas on a topic, keep in mind that AI-generated results and sources are often made up, and thus must be verified.

Moreover, it is cheating to submit any academic work that originates from another source as your own, including AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Google, Bing, etc.

When the use of AI tools is explicitly permitted on an assignment, all content from AI tools used must be cited as such, following current AI citation styles appropriate to your discipline (MLA, APA, Chicago style).

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. Violations will be addressed one-on-one with the instructor with a report submitted to the Academic Integrity Committee.

For more on the Academic Code of Conduct please see the USAO student handbook.

5.5 Accessibility Policy

The University’s accessibility policy is on page 15 of Equity Policy.

5.6 Disability Services

The University has a continuing commitment to providing accommodations for students with documented disabilities. To fully participate in this class, those with disabilities who may need accommodation should contact Disability Services, as soon as possible. For this semester, please do this by emailing the Disability Services Office at .

5.7 Illness

Regular class attendance is necessary to achieve 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. If you are ill, please email me to let me know. Then, when you are well, contact me ASAP to make plans to make up missed work.

If you are absent from class, you are still responsible for completing 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.

5.8 Important Dates

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

5.9 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 Course Corrections discussion in Canvas, via email, or in person. If you do so, I will give one point extra credit (per correction) toward .

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