Two-Semester Syllabus

Two-Semester Syllabus

Since class time is always at a premium, you may not be able to “cover” every topic in your lectures.
Make it clear which topics will not be covered in class (but will be on the exam) and which topics will
not be on the exam (they will appreciate that). Use more class time to work problems or give examples.
Tell students that the textbook is their lifelong learning resourceafter this class is over. They may need to
look something up next year or five years from now. A good education is supposed to provide the basis
for self-education in the future. You selected this textbook because it covers what they are likely to need
in the future, as well as being a good learning resource now. Point out that LearningStatshas data,
demonstrations, and PowerPoint shows (matched to each chapter) that they can load onto their laptops
and study anywhere. The PowerPoint slides on the textbook CD also give solid coverage of each chapter.
These resources relieve you of guilt that you cannot “lecture” on every topic. This model syllabus shows
how topics could be divided between two class meetings per week.

Semester One
Week Topic Assigned
1  Overview of statistics (fallacies, writing skills) Chapter 1
 Data collection (data types, sampling, surveys) Chapter 2
2  Visual data description (dot plots, scatter plots) Chapter 3
 Visual data description (histograms, class limits)
3  Descriptive statistics (central tendency) Chapter 4
 Descriptive statistics (dispersion, standardized z)
4  Descriptive statistics (Empirical Rule, quartiles) Team Project P-1
 Descriptive statistics (Excel, MegaStat, boxplots)
5  Probability (events, rules of probability) Chapter 5
 Probability (contingency tables, independence)
6  EXAM #1
 Discrete models (E(X), V(X), binomial)
7  Discrete models (binomial, Poisson) Chapter 6
 Discrete models (hypergeometric, geometric)
8  Continuous models (normal) Chapter 7
 Continuous models (normal)
9  Continuous models (exponential, triangular) Team Project P-2
 Estimation (CLT, confidence interval for )
10  Estimation (CLT, confidence interval for ) Chapter 8
 Estimation (sample size for  and )
11  One-sample tests (Type I, II error, choosing ) Chapter 9
 One sample tests (testing  = 0, p-values)
12  One-sample tests (testing  = 0, Student’s t)
 Two-sample tests (testing 1 = 2)
13  Two-sample tests (testing 1 = 2) Chapter 10
 Two-sample tests (paired data)
14  Two-sample tests (12 = 22)
 Catch-up and review
15  EXAM #2

1
Two-Semester Syllabus

Semester Two
Week Topic Assigned
1  One-factor ANOVA (hypotheses, F test) Chapter 11
 One factor ANOVA (Excel, MegaStat, p-values)
2  Paired comparisons: Tukey test (MegaStat)
 Hartley’s test for homogeneous variances
3  Two factor ANOVA (randomized block) Team Project P-4
 Two factor ANOVA (replicated, interactions)
4  Simple regression (scatter plots, OLS method, R2) Chapter 12
 Simple regression (t, p-value, Excel, MegaStat)
5  Simple regression (standard error, prediction)
 Simple regression (leverage, unusual residuals)
6  Simple regression (Excel, MegaStat), review
 EXAM #1
7  Multiple regression (model form, t-tests)
 Multiple regression(F test, ANOVA table
8  Heteroscedasticity, residual plots Chapter 13
 Binary predictors, non-linearity tests
9  Multicollinearity, VIFs Team Project P-5
 Using Excel, MegaStat
10  Time series (decomposition, trends, Excel) Chapter 14
 Time series (linear, quadratic, exponential)
11  Time series (exponential smoothing) Team Project P-3
 Chi-square (contingency tables, calculations)
12  Chi-square (MegaStat, p-values) Chapter 15
 Chi-square (goodness-of-fit, probability plots)
13  Quality: history and the role of statistics Chapter 17
 Quality: control charts, rules
14  Quality: capability (Cp, Cpk)
 Catch-up and review
15  EXAM #2

Note: See Suggested Team Projects for ideas for outside assignments. These are projects that have been
successfully tested in undergraduate classes, and have been found to generate student enthusiasm and
interesting oral reports.