Fall 2021 MCS 142 Course Description

Textbook

Statistics: Unlocking the Power of Data 2nd Edition by Lock

Computer Software

The primary software used in this course is RStudio. Gustavus has an online version of RStudio at rstudio.gac.edu You can read more about RStudio at www.rstudio.com

Classes

Classes will be used for discussions, problem solving, lectures, and other activities. You should prepare for classes by doing the reading beforehand, thinking about the problems in the text, and formulating questions of your own. You should also participate as much as possible in class. Class meetings are not intended to be a complete encapsulation of the course material. You will be responsible for learning some of the material on your own.

Comments:

• Be respectful and courteous to your classmates and instructor. Your background, experiences, and understanding of the material may differ from that of others in the class.
• Attendance is not mandatory, but is highly recommended. It is impossible for you to participate in class if you are not in attendance.
• Should you need to miss a class for any reason, you are still responsible for the material covered in that class. This includes notes, readings, and assignments.
• Student comments:
• "Stay on top of the homework or else it gets overwhelming."
• "Ask questions!"
• "Make sure to do all the homework. It really helps you understand the material even if sometimes it feels like busy work.""
• "Definitely do it! I was scared to take the class, because I consider myself a humanities person, and I have tried to stay away from STEM class as much as I can. However, I really ended up enjoying this class, and often felt extremely relieved to be able to use my brain in a different way than my other classes require of me. I thought I would be lost taking this class, but the instruction was all really clear and I often didn't have too many questions following the lectures. Just make sure you go to all the lectures (or watch all the videos if it is taught virtually again). And don't hesitate to ask for help, because all the material builds on each other, so you need to understand the basics."
• "Keep up with the work and be ready for group projects"

Homework

Homework assignments and their due dates will be posted to the course Moodle page. It is your responsibility to check to see when homework is due. Homework is due by 3:00 pm on the posted due date. Homework turned in after 3:00 is late. I DO NOT accept late homework unless there are extenuating circumstances. I do, however, drop at least two homework score at the end of the semester. If you have questions on homework problems you are encouraged to get help during office hours or ask the statistics tutors.

Homework problems are designed to help you learn the material we cover in class and in the reading. Approximately twice a week, you will hand in your solutions to the required homework that is due. These should be typed, or neatly written. The sections and problem numbers should be clearly labeled. You will submit your homework via Moodle. The grader will NOT grade all of the assigned problems. Several representative problems from the homework will be selected and graded. Each homework is worth 10 points. You may work on homework with others. You and your partners should turn in a single copy of the homework with everyone's name on it.

Quizzes

There will be several quizzes throughout the semester. Quizzes will be administered through Moodle. You will have roughly 20 minutes to take each quiz and you may take it at any time. You may retake a quiz as many times as you wish. I will record your highest score in the grade book. Each quiz will be worth 5 to 10 points. Quiz questions come from the lecture and from the book.

Course grade

You will be provided with a score on each assignment, quiz, project, and exam so that you may keep track of your performance. You can see all of your graded work in Moodle. As a guideline, the components will contribute in the following way to the final grade:

Academic Integrity

"On my honor I pledge that I have not given, received, or tolerated others' use of unauthorized aid in completing this work."

Full descriptions of the Academic Honesty Policy and the Honor Code can be found in the Academic Catalog online at https://gustavus.edu/general_catalog/current/acainfo). For more information about the Honor Code, contact Dean Valerie Banschbach (vbanschbach@gustavus.edu or x7541).

• Homework: You may work in groups on your homework. Groups should be no larger than three students. You should make a real effort to solve each homework problem by yourself, although you can, and should, discuss problems and their solutions with your classmates after you've made this effort. Be sure to credit any sources that helped you find solutions.
• Projects: You may work in groups of up to four on any project unless otherwise specified.
• Quizzes: You are expected to work on quizzes on your own unless otherwise specified.
• Exams: You are expected to work on exams on your own unless otherwise specified.

A first violation of the honor code will result in a grade of 0 on the assignment in question. Any further violations will result in a grade of F for the course. In all cases, I notify the office of the Provost.

Standards

For secondary mathematics education majors, Minnesota Education Standards that are met in this course can be found at https://gustavus.edu/mcs/MN8710.4600.pdf

Accessibility Resources

Gustavus Adolphus College is committed to ensuring equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students. If you have a disability and anticipate or experience barriers to equal access, please speak with the accessibility resources staff about your needs. A disability may include mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, physical, and/or short-term conditions. Students with a documented elevated risk of COVID-19 may also request academic accommodations. When appropriate, staff will guide students and professors in making accommodations to ensure equal access. Accommodations cannot be made retroactively; therefore, to maximize your academic success at Gustavus, please contact them as early as possible. Accessibility resources staff are located in the Academic Support Center (https://gustavus.edu/care/accessibility/) (x7138). Accessibility Resources Coordinator, Corrie Odland (codland@gustavus.edu"), can provide further information.

Help for Multilingual Students

Some Gusties may have grown up speaking a language (or languages) other than English at home. If so, we refer to you as "multilingual". Your multilingual background is an incredible resource for you, and for our campus, but it can come with some challenges. You can find support through the Center for International and Cultural Education's (https://gustavus.edu/cice/) Multilingual and Intercultural Program Coordinator (MIPC), Carly Overfelt (overfelt@gustavus.edu). Carly can meet individually for tutoring in writing, consulting about specific assignments, and helping students connect with the College's support systems. If you want help with a specific task (for example, reading word problems on an exam quickly enough or revising grammar in essays), let your professor and Carly know as soon as possible. In addition, the Writing Center offers tutoring from peers (some of whom are themselves multilingual) who can help you do your best writing.

Research Help

You can always get help with your research at the library. Reference librarians will help you find information on a topic, develop search strategies for papers and projects, search library catalogs and databases, and provide assistance at every step. Drop-ins and appointments are both welcome. Visit https://gustavus.edu/library/reference_question.php for hours, location, and more information.