Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Stat 2300, Fall 2006

Business Statistics - International Program

Syllabus
USU Catalog Description

QL 2300. Descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, sampling, estimation, tests of hypotheses, linear regression and correlation, chi-square tests, analysis of variance, and multiple regression. Prerequisite: Math 1050. (4 Cr - F, Sp, Su)

USU Instructor

Dr. Jürgen Symanzik
Associate Professor
Utah State University
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
3900 Old Main Hill
Logan, Utah 84322-3900
USA
e-mail: symanzik@math.usu.edu

Local Instructor

Alex Cheng
Institute of Advanced Learning
Tsim Sha Tsui Center
Hong Kong
e-mail: alex_cheng_@hotmail.com (note the two underscores in alex_cheng_)

Textbook

We will use the textbook Bruce L. Bowerman, Richard T. O'Connell: Business Statistics in Practice with Student CD, 4th Edition, McGrawHill, 2007, Hardcover with disk, ISBN 0073252913.

Lessons / Homework Assignments

There is a weekly meeting, administered by the local instructor. In addition, you can work ahead in the textbook at your own speed. The confirmed times for the course are as follow: Your local instructor will inform you if a meeting has to be rescheduled due to local holidays or for other reasons.

The meeting location for the course is: These meetings are more than just regular lectures. In addition, your local instructor will help with technical problems, summarize answers to frequently asked questions, and emphasize important points of the course material assigned for reading each week.

You will have to take the exams in the computer lab, using the provided software and tools to solve some of the questions. You should try to resolve all of your computer and software problems during the weekly meetings.

We will study the following 13 chapters of the textbook: Each lecture will focus on about one chapter of the textbook. Due to different chapter lengths, it may happen that more than just one chapter will be discussed in a particular lecture while another chapter may stretch over more than one lecture period. The lectures immediately before the exams will mostly be used for reviews.

You can work independently on these chapters, reading the main parts, and work on as many of the homework assignments as possible. You are always allowed to work ahead, but you should not fall behind the class schedule.

There will be 15 sets of homework assignments, each worth 10 points. You will get credit based on whether you have done/not done a question (independenly from correctness). So, try to work on as many questions as possible. Your local instructor will let you know how to submit your answers (e.g., on paper in class, via e-mail, etc.). Your local instructor will also let you know about his late homework submission policy.

The first homework assignment is a simple survey of one typed page (10pt to 12pt) on (i) your background in Mathematics and Statistics, (ii) in which form you have encountered statistical data in previous classes, and (iii) what you expect to learn in this class. Don't forget your name! Future assignments and due dates will be posted on the course Web page.

Exams

There is one midterm and one final exam. The midterm is worth 350 points. The final exam is worth 500 points.

All exams are open-book, open-notes, open-computer (i.e., you will have full access to the same software and tools as for your homework assignments). The midterm should be completed in 90 min (1.5 hours) and the final in 180 min (3 hours). You are expected to use the electronic tools, calculators, etc. efficiently. If you rarely looked at the electronic tools and data examples in the homework assignments and only read the main text, you will most likely fail the exams.

The midterm will be given during or after week 8 and will cover chapters 1 through 7. Your local instructor will inform you on exact dates, times, and rooms of the midterm during the semester.

The final exam will be given during or after week 15 and will cover chapters 1 through 12 and 16 (i.e., the final is comprehensive). Your local instructor will inform you on exact dates, times, and rooms of the final exam during the semester.

Exam questions will be at the same difficulty level as the exercises from the homework assignments. In fact, many exam questions will be drawn directly from the textbook, although some of the numbers will be changed. The final exam will consist of regular questions and a data part where you are given a real data set and are required to answer questions using the electronic tools. The midterm and the final exam will be graded by your US instructor. Sample questions (with answers) will be provided later in the semester.

Grading Policy

Overall, there will be 1000 points: 150 for homework assignments, 350 for the midterm, and 500 for the final. An approximate grade distribution is given below. Plus minus grades are not indicated.