Course Syllabus
Math 120 - Introduction to Probability and Statistics
Spring 2009

The Course: This course will give you an understanding of statistical principles and practices. You will learn how to collect data, examine data for patterns and relationships, and analyze data to draw conclusions. You will learn to interpret and judge the statistical information in the world around you.

Reading: Reading your textbook is essential to success in this class. Reading assignments will be included with homework assignments and must be completed before the lecture on that topic. Read slowly with a pencil and paper in hand. Try to fill in missing steps as you read. Always try to work out examples before you read text solutions. You will be expected to be ready to discuss the material you read in class, and this will be part of the participation portion of your grade.

In addition to this, regular unannounced quizzes will be given on the reading assignment from the previous night's assignment. You may bring a page of notes to use on the quizzes. The total of all of these quizzes will be 50 points of your final grade.

Participation: Each student is expected to be a productive member of the class. This means you should expect to attend each class period and be prepared to discuss the material. Excessive absence or unpreparedness will result in deduction of points in this area. Participation will be worth 25 points of your final grade.

Homework: You will be assigned weekly homework assignments. You are allowed and indeed encouraged to work on your homework with other people, but what you turn in should be your own understanding of how to do the problems and should not just be a copy of someone else's work. Your homework will be expected to be neat, clear and complete and written in complete sentences. Make sure to show all your steps and it should be clear how to get from one step to the next. There also may be occasional quizzes which will count towards your homework grade. The homework for the course will be worth 115 points of your total grade.

Project: There will be one project during the course which will allow you to use the methods of the class in real world settings with real data. The project will be an individual project that will be due near the end the semester. This project should include a 2-3 page report of methods used and conclusions drawn and include accompanying charts and graphs that support the conclusions. Both the clarity and quality of the writing is part of the assessment of the project. The project will be worth 60 points towards your total grade.

Exams: There will be 2 hour and a half-long exams during the course. The dates for the exams are March 5 and April 23 during the normal class time. The material that will be covered on each exam will be announced on the website. Make-up exams will not be given. If you have a legitimate excuse you may use your final exam score to make up for missing exam scores. Each exam will be worth 100 points.
There will be a comprehensive 2 hour final given on Thursday, May 21. The final is worth 150 points.

Disability: For accommodations due to a disability please contact me within the first 2 weeks.

Academic Honesty: Cheating and plagiarism are in violation of USD's academic integrity policy and are taken very seriously. Make sure you are aware of this policy.

Computer Software: In class I will be using both Minitab and Fathom. Minitab is available in the following computer labs: M114, S185, O122, and S172. We will be learning Minitab commands throughout the class and you will be allowed to use Minitab in your homework (except when explicitly prohibited) and you will be expected to use Minitab in your project.

Getting Help: If you are falling behind in this class please see me immediately. This class moves quickly and you will find yourself helplessly lost if you fall too far behind. If you cannot come to my office hours, you can make an appointment with me as well.

Have a Good Semester!