Math 138-01 -  Statistics - Fall 2008, Prof. Mark Janeba
Meetings Text
MWF 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Collins 204
 Statistics, Freedman, et al., FOURTH edition.  Available in the bookstore, ISBN 0-393-92972-8.
We will cover almost the entire text. 

Grading

Approx eight quizzes at 25 points each,
drop the lowest two:
 150 points (approx)
Three one-hour exams at 100 points each: 300 points
Two group written assignments at 50 points each: 100 points
Comprehensive Final exam: 200 points
Three or four in-class worksheets
at 10 points each, drop the lowest one:
 30 points (approx)
Attendance & Participation
 25 points

Total:		 805 points (approx)

For each graded piece of work, I will post cutoff scores for grades of A-, B-, C, C-, and D. At the end of the term, if your point total is more than the total of the A- cutoffs, your grade will be an A- or better, and so on. Cutoffs will never be higher than: A-: 90%      B-: 80%     C: 70%     C-: 67%    D: 60% ... but they are often lower.


Exams:  Hour exams are full-period events based on the chapters covered since the previous exam. Hour exams are tentatively planned for Sept. 24, Oct. 22, and Nov. 19. Any changes to these dates will be announced at least two class days in advance.
The final exam is cumulative over the entire term.  The final exam is on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, from 8-11 a.m.   For borderline grades, I tend to pay more attention to the final exam score.
 
Exam makeup policy: Quiz, worksheet, or midterm make-ups or early quizzes or exams are given only for verifiable illness or for university-sanctioned intercollegiate activities. For collegiate activities, you must see me before you leave to arrange a makeup time. In any case, you must contact me in advance except in emergencies.

The final exam time is given above, as set by the University; early finals will not be given.  Really.  I mean it.  Please make travel plans accordingly.  If someone else will be making your travel plans, it would be wise to notify them immediately of your committments.

Quizzes are 15 to 25 minutes long, with problems that resemble homework. We will usually have a quiz in any week without an exam or a written assignment due. 
Written assignments:  There will be two special projects assigned late in the term that will apply some of the concepts of the course. These will be done in groups; details will be announced.
Homework  is assigned daily but not collected; however, skipping or putting off homework will damage your grade badly. Don't let this happen to you.

Careful and precise writing is required on exams. Such writing does not come automatically, so it will help to practice careful writing on your homework.

Participation, worksheets, and attendance:
It is expected that students make every effort to come to every class prepared to discuss the assigned readings.  We will have in-class worksheets periodically; normally makeup worksheets will only be given for verifiable illness or pre-arranged collegiate activities.  Attendance is figured into your participation grade as follows: There is no deduction for the first 4 absences.  Two points are deducted for the 5th and 6th absences, and three points for the 7th absence and each subsequent absence.  While it is awkward to include attendance in the class grade, my experience shows that it is a helpful incentive for many students.

Please note that the two "dropped" quizzes, the one dropped worksheet and the four absences without deduction are built into the grading system to allow the students some flexibility and to allow for the unexpected difficulties in students' lives.  Students can use this flexibility so that an overslept morning, an appointment, a "personal day", a day of unpreparedness, or other event will not damage their grade.  Please be aware, though, that it is the students' choice to use these days or save them for unexpected difficulties later in the term; once they are used up, they are gone. For example, if a student wishes to "spend" the two quiz drops on two quizzes that went poorly early in the term, then there is no remaining quiz flexibility for oversleeping or personal holidays.

Academic Honesty Expectations
All exams and quizzes are to be taken with books and notes closed (except as noted on the exam paper), completely on your own. Anything you can electronically store on an ordinary graphing calculator is acceptable at all times, but written notes are prohibited.  Palmtop computers, PDAs, laptop computers, cell phones, Blackberries, etc. will not be allowed in quizzes and exams.

On written group assignments, you may (and should) discuss the problem, methods of approach, examples you have found, and even the solution(s), with anyone. You may use any source you find useful, but you must acknowledge your sources in writing in the assignment.  Grading is based essentially on the amount of thought that students have applied to those sources and the extent to which they have demonstrated understanding of them.

Plagiarism is the copying or paraphrasing of any work from another source without proper written acknowledgement.  All group members are responsible for knowing all the sources their group's members used in making a report. All involved with plagiarized projects will receive failing project grades.

In keeping with college policy, plagiarism will be reported to the dean (see student handbook). Systematic or organized plagiarism on exams or quizzes will result in course failure. If you are uncertain about some aspect of the academic honesty policy, it is your responsibility to get clarification from the instructor. 

Last Modified August 21, 2008.
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