USE OF COURSE MATERIALS: All the course materials that I create and distribute (including lectures) are considered my original works and are thus protected by federal copyright law. You are permitted to take notes of lectures and to possess course materials for your own use. You may not record (audio or visual) lectures without my consent. You may not publicly distribute or display (or allow anyone else to publicly display or distribute) these course materials or lecture notes without my permission. Notes from this course may be shared at your discretion with another student who is currently enrolled in the course. It is against federal copyright law to share materials from this course for compensation. 

DEPARTMENT SYLLABUS FOR MATH 155    

        Click on this link to get a good general outline of the course, the text, etc.  Please note that Algebra II and High School Geometry (or their equivalents) are prerequisites for this course.  If you have any questions about whether or not you are ready to take this class, please see the instructor immediately!

NOTE:   MyStatLab access will NOT be required for this section of MATH 155 (although it is required in some of the other sections).  However, MINITAB (which is free) will be used for some assignments.

NOTE:  I am in the process of learning Canvas (reached using the MyClasses button on the SU homepage:  www.salisbury.edu ), and as a consequence I will NOT be using it in this class UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER WHEN YOU WILL ACCESS THE FINAL EXAM USING CANVAS. 
     Most likely some or all of your other classes will use many of the features of Canvas throughout the semester - but not this class!

DESCRIPTION:  

        A course Intended for students in the social sciences and natural sciences who must make inferences from sample data.  Credit may not be received for more than one of these courses:  MATH 151, MATH 155, or MATH 213.  

PREREQUISITE MATERIAL:   

        High school Algebra II and plane geometry.  NOTE:  Much of the material in this course is based upon skills taught in Algebra, and in this course you will be responsible for utilizing these skills correctly.  If you never mastered these skills or if you have forgotten them, the instructor will demonstrate them in class at least once.  Thereafter it will be your responsibility to master them outside of class time.  The instructor will assist you in his office, and free tutoring is available as well.  But the purpose of this course is to teach you NEW material, NOT to re-teach material usually covered in middle school and high school!.
       IMPORTANT BASIC SKILLS:  If you never mastered these skills  WITHOUT USING A CALCULATOR or if you have forgotten them, I will demonstrate them in class at least once.  In particular, given the published prerequisites for this course, I can reasonably expect you to be able to do the following (without using a calculator):
           FRACTIONS:  Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide, Reduce to Lowest Terms, Convert to Decimal Numbers, Convert to Percentages, etc.  For example, 1/3 + 3/5 = ?    1/3 - 3/5 = ?    1/3 * 3/5 = ?     1/3  ∕  3/5 = ?
           DECIMAL NUMBERS:  Add and Subtract.  For example, 0.6583 - 0.3574 = ? 
           ALGEBRA:  Solve a simple equation for one of the variables or constants.  For example,    if 3 ∕ y = 12%, y = ? 

I will be happy to assist you in my office (and occasionally in class) as you review this material, and free tutoring is available as well.  But the purpose of this course is to teach you NEW material, NOT to re-teach material usually covered in middle school and high school!

COURSE OBJECTIVE: 

        To introduce the concepts of statistical inference by way of both non-parametric methods and classical parametric methods.

            Section 030     Tues - Thur      2:00 - 3:15 PM   in HS 111  

FREE HELP LEARNING THE MATERIAL:
    I will be available in my office during scheduled office hours (and usually at other times during the day), and I will be glad to work with you to learn the material.  If my office hours don't coincide with your schedule, please make an appointment with me.
    Free tutoring is also offered by the department, and it begins during the 2nd week of classes.  I will inform you of the details later, or you can follow this link:  FREE TUTORING FOR THIS COURSE
   

Although this help is free to you, it remains your responsibility to actually learn the material! 

INSTRUCTOR:  Dave Parker

E-MAIL: dlparker@salisbury.edu
WEBPAGE: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~dlparker/
        (Or you can work down from www.salisbury.edu)
OFFICE: HS 132C
PHONE: (410) 543-6142
LINK TO OFFICE HOURS:
• Unless otherwise announced, in addition to the official office hours linked above, I will generally be in my office lots of other times as well.  Please make a special note of the occasional days when I will NOT be able to hold my usual office hours!

POINTS:
       700 points total:
          Written Project (to be described later*):                                    100 points;
          Three tests, 100 points each:                                                    300 points;
          Final Exam:                                                                               200 points;
          Homework (including quizzes and computer lab reports)        100 points.
                                                                                                          700 points

*I will describe the Written Project after the Drop/Add period ends.  You will have about 10 weeks to find time to complete it, and it should not require more than a few hours to complete.  With help from the campus Writing Center and using other available assistence, you should be able to find time to earn all 100 points without compromising your other courses! 

GRADING SCALE:
       90-100% A,   80-89.9% B,   70-79.9% C,   60-69.9% D,   Below 60% F.  NOTE:  I will compute your course grade twice, once ignoring homework (using only the, tests, the Written Project, and the final exam with a total of 600 points), and again including the homework score (the 700 points listed immediately above).  Whichever is better will be your course grade.  However, because quizzes, tests, and the final exam are all based upon the material in the homework, it is extremely unlikely that your grade without the homework included will be higher than your grade including homework! 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY:

            IMPORTANT Link to the SU Academic Misconduct Policy

        Your name on any work you turn in (homework, quiz, exercise, program, examination, term paper, etc.) certifies that you attest to ALL of the following:

Either the work is entirely your own, or

If it contains work by anyone else, such work by others is completely and fully noted or quoted, or

If you received help from anyone else that help is acknowledged, or

If you worked with others (which is encouraged!) you have indicated their names; 

Moreover, the work is only for this course and will not be utilized in any other course (unless I have given you written permission to do so);

Finally, the work was completed by you this semester for this course and is not work which you (or anyone else) had completed previously.

        I will consider any work submitted by you which violates any of the above  to constitute plagiarism, and I will give you an "F" in the course and I will notify the Academic Affairs Office about your academic misconduct.  In case of particularly egregious violations, I will recommend the student(s) involved be academically dismissed from the University.

        Assisting or allowing another student to commit plagiarism is also academic dishonesty, and the same penalties will apply.  You are expected to take all reasonable and prudent steps to assure that your work is not copied or reproduced by others.

        I encourage students to work together on assignments, but there is a difference between cooperative learning and academic dishonesty.  As long as the final result is your own individual work, and you have made clear anything which another named person actually did and you have indicated the help you have received and the persons with whom you have worked, you have not committed plagiarism.

          Obviously there will be no conversations during tests and exams.  Similarly, absolutely no electronic devices (calculators, PDA's, cell phones, etc.) may be used - or even be visible during tests and examinations.   

          Please note:  According to SU policy, any course grade of F given because of academic dishonesty will remain on the student's record, will be computed in the student's GPA, and will not be removed if the course is repeated.  Moreover no student with such an F grade may receive academic honors at graduation.

        Other than this statement of policy, there will be no warnings concerning this matter.

TESTS AND EXAMS:

        All tests and exams are comprehensive.  The material for each test or exam will be based upon assigned homework and assigned readings.  (The precise material which each test or exam covers will be indicated in class.)  Makeup's will NOT ordinarily be provided and a score of zero will be recorded if a student misses an test or exam.  Exceptional circumstances beyond the student's control are the only excuses justifying makeup's.

        Other than at the final exam, no electronic devices of any kind (calculators, PDA's, cell phones, etc.) may be used (or even visible) during tests and quizzes.  You must turn off your cell phone during tests and quizzes.  If your cell phone rings during a test or quiz, I will collect your paper immediately.

• Tentative dates for the tests and the final exam are as follows:

  •     Thursday    24 September           Test 1   (100 points)
        Thursday   15 October                Test 2   (100 points)
        Thursday   12 November            Test 3   (100 points)
  •          RESCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY 17 NOVEMBER
        FINAL EXAM
             Tuesday 15 December    4:15 - 6:45 PM  (200 points)  in a computer lab which will be announced later     TIME CORRECTED ON 8 DECEMBER!
  • LINK TO COMPLETE FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE AND RELATED POLICIES

                                                                                  INDEX

RE-TEST POLICY:

       The material on any lecture test (but not the final exam) may be re-tested, subject to the following conditions:
1.  The test which is being retaken must be reworked to the instructor's satisfaction and discussed with the instructor prior to setting a time for the re-test.
2.  The time and place for the re-test will be agreed upon by the instructor and the student (24 hours minimum notice is required).
3.  The re-test will cover the same material as the original test but will consist of (generally) different questions.
4.  A maximum of 75% of the original test's possible points may be earned on any re-test, and any score higher than 75% will be reduced to 75%.
5.  The score on any re-test will replace all previous scores for tests or re-tests on the same material.
6.  All re-tests must be completed by the earlier of 1) the day prior to date of the next test or 2) the last day of classes; consequently the final exam may not be re-tested.
7.  The instructor's schedule may affect this process.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS :

        Homework will be assigned in this course, and a significant portion of your grade will depend upon your success in completing it.  Moreover the quizzes, tests, and exams will be based upon the homework.  Consequently there will be one or more homework assignments nearly every class, and each one is due at the beginning of the next class (unless otherwise announced).

    Some homework will involve learning and using the basics of MINITAB.

        The purpose of homework is primarily to give you practice as an aid to learning.  It is assumed, therefore, that you already understand what you are doing before you attempt the homework.  It is almost certainly a complete waste of time to attempt to work homework problems if you do not understand the examples worked in class and in the text.  (Under these circumstances you may be able to do the homework, but you will learn nothing.)  Quizzes may be given instead of collecting homework, and the quiz grade will substitute for the homework grade.  Computer lab reports will also be collected and graded and counted as homework.

        Throughout much of the semester, you will be unable to understand the new material unless you have mastered the previous material.  The easiest way to succeed is to master each idea as it is presented in class and in the book.  If you study so that you master material in this way, exams and tests become things to review for -- not things to study for.  LEARN AS YOU GO!   

        In particular you are expected to study (even memorize if necessary!) the definitions, terminology, and concepts immediately after they are presented in class, and you are expected to use them to solve problems.  The tests and exams will attempt to determine if you both know the definitions, terminology, and concepts - and can solve problems similar to those assigned for homework.      

        Your total number of homework points will be the percentage of points you earn, regardless of either the number of actual assignments or the number of points for each one. 

LATE WORK:

       Late work will be graded and returned but will not normally be counted.

COMMUNICATION:

       You must activate your on-campus computer account, including the SU e-mail system.  I will use the SU e-mail system for most out-of-class communications.  Moreover the University will send important official  announcements (including reminders about deadlines) to you using your on-campus e-mail account.  Please read your e-mail messages frequently -- and certainly whenever you logon to the campus network.  If you have an off-campus e-mail address, you can set your SU e-mail to forward messages to your other account(s).  However if forwarding fails to work correctly, you are still responsible for messages sent to your on-campus account. 

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

        I believe that regular attendance of class is an essential part of this course. However, each student is assumed to be mature enough to make his/her own decisions in this matter, and as a consequence attendance in this course is optional, subject to the following conditions:

1.  Attendance at tests, exams, and quizzes, is mandatory.
2.  Work turned in late will not receive credit (see additional information under Late Work).
3.   Students are responsible for all material and announcements which are presented in class, whether or not they are in attendance.
4.  Exceptions to 1) and 2) are at the discretion of the instructor and will be based upon several principles:
    A) The promptness with which the instructor is notified will be a factor in any decision about exceptions.
    B) Exceptions will not give an unfair advantage to any student.
    C) Students will make suitable arrangements with the instructor prior to any absence whenever possible.
    D) Exceptions will not be granted for any reasons which are clearly within the student's control.

THE BUSINESS MODEL OF EDUCATION

        In recent years it has become popular to compare universities to businesses, with students viewed as "customers," university presidents as "CEO's," degrees as "products," and the classroom as "the workplace." Within certain limits, I am willing to endorse that analogy.  However, I absolutely do not subscribe to the various versions of, "The customer is always right."  If you view yourself as a customer and I am the salesman, we need to make clear exactly what you are buying!

        The product I am selling to you is an expert service.  Because of my knowledge, experience, and credentials, I am sufficiently expert to help you to learn the material in this course.  I am absolutely not "selling" you a grade nor am I guaranteeing that you will learn anything.  Whether you take advantage of my service or not is entirely up to you.  Stated differently, you have paid for the opportunity to take advantage of my service; you have not paid for any particular outcome.  As the customer you are entitled to receive truly expert, interesting, and dedicated instruction from me.  That is our contract.  But if you fail to take advantage of my service, you have voided our contract and wasted both your time and money.  Moreover if you are insufficiently prepared or motivated to take advantage of my services, you have also invalidated our contract.

        The course syllabus spells out in considerable detail most of the conditions of our contract.  If you desire to receive a particular grade you will have to accomplish what the syllabus requires for that grade.  Other than meeting the requirements as spelled out in the syllabus, there is no way for you to earn a grade.  I can no more guarantee you a particular grade in this class than an athletic trainer can guarantee that you will be able to high-jump your height.  I can guide you, but your ultimate grade will depend upon many factors beyond my control, including your willingness to work hard, your native abilities, your previous experience, and your interest.  You may consider yourself to be a customer, but what you are buying does not come with any guaranteed outcomes.  Even though you are the customer, what you want is not always what you get -- unless you are truly seeking an education!

HOW IT IS: Effort, Accomplishments, Your Job, Your Pay

        Working really hard is probably directly related to your grade in this course: most likely the greater your effort the greater your learning -- and correspondingly the higher your grade.  However your grade will be based upon your accomplishments, not upon the quantity of your effort!  Barely trying at all but doing "A" quality work will result in a grade of "A;" working yourself half to death but doing "F" quality work will result in a grade of "F."  To use an analogy from track and field: the prize goes to the one who crosses the finish line first, not to the one who is most covered with sweat at the end of the race.  However this is only part of the story.

        SU considers a student who is taking 12 or more credits to be "full-time⁽¹⁾."  I will evaluate your work as if I were your employer for 1/4 to 1/3 of your full-time job.  If you are appropriately prepared⁽²⁾ to take this course I can thus reasonably expect three or more hours of work by you for every hour you spend in lecture.  What I will do in class will help you to understand the material and to see the tasks which must be done.  (Class time is relatively stress-free and relaxing if you come prepared.)  Your real effort comes outside of class when you, largely on your own, work to master the material.  That is your "job." Your pay (i.e. your grade) will depend upon the quality of your work, not upon how long it takes you to get the work done.  There are deadlines which you must meet or you won't get paid.

        I will assign a relatively large amount of work to be done outside of class and due at specific times, and I will evaluate⁽³⁾ it assuming it represents the very best you can do.  If your work is on time and of high quality, then you are doing your job. If your work is late, sloppy, or incomplete, then you are not doing your job.  In the real world, if you do your job well you get paid and remain employed; otherwise you get fired.  In this class your grade is your pay and will reflect how well you did your job.  Out-of-class assignments are opportunities to demonstrate your very best work and to earn the highest possible pay (grade).

        Most of your pay (grade) for this job (course) will be based upon your scores on quizzes, tests, or examinations (as announced elsewhere in this syllabus).  Since these in-class, timed evaluations are all based upon the out-of-class assignments, your pay (grade) on tests (and thus in this course) will likely be low if you failed to do good work on the out-of-class assignments.

        As do most employers, I have a number of policies regarding the workplace (class) which are spelled out elsewhere in the class syllabus.  Life often intrudes upon ones employment obligations, and these policies detail a variety of exceptions which I will allow -- including doing work late, taking tests late, etc.  However all of them are based upon my assumption that you view this class as being as important as a "real" job.  If you simply disappear and fail to complete assigned work -- and then suddenly reappear and ask about "making up" past work, do not be surprised when I act as if you are no longer employed.  As your employer I am very sympathetic as long as I am kept informed about crises and I am very unsympathetic when I am ignored.

1. If you are registered for more credits, if you are on an athletic team or involved in other time-consuming extra-curricular activities, if you have a part- or full-time paying job, if you have family responsibilities, or if there are other demands upon your time, then it is your responsibility so to budget your time that you can accomplish what you need to do.

2. If you have not satisfied the prerequisites for this course, no amount of effort may be enough!

3. Not all assigned work will be graded, and some will only be evaluated when you take quizzes, tests, or exams.

WORKLOAD REMARK:

        The material in this course will be covered rapidly, and it is dangerous to fall behind!  If you miss class, try to get the notes from someone who was there.  (My own notes may not be of much use to you because they are almost always just an outline of what I present.)  Keep up - and succeed!  If you start getting behind, come see me IMMEDIATELY!

INDEX to this Syllabus
Description
Prerequisite Material
Course Objective
Meeting Times and Place
FREE HELP LEARNING THE MATERIAL
Instructor
Office Hours
Points
Grading Scale
Academic Integrity Policy
Tests and Exams
Re-Test Policy
Homework Assignments
Late Work
Communication
Attendance Policy
The Business Model of Education
How it is:  Effort, Accomplishments, Your Job, Your Pay
Workload Remark

Top of this Syllabus

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