SCCC 312A, Honors Proseminar in Statistics -- Spring 2006

Instructor:
David Hitchcock, assistant professor of statistics
209D LeConte College
Phone: 777-5346
Email: hitchcock@stat.sc.edu
Course Web Page:  http://www.stat.sc.edu/~hitchcock/sccc312.html

Classes:
Section 501 Meeting Times: 	
M 1:25PM- 3:20PM, LeConte 205
WF 1:25PM- 2:15PM, LeConte 201A

Office Hours:
Mon 9:15-10:00, Tue 11:00-1:00, Wed 9:15-10:00, Thu 11:00-12:00.  
Please feel free to make appointments to see me at other times.

Textbooks:
Johnson and Kuby (2004): 
Elementary Statistics, Ninth Edition, Duxbury Press.

Spurrier, Edwards, and Thombs (1999):
Statistics:  Learning by Doing, Whittier Publications.

Course Outline: Chapters 1 - 10 of the Johnson & Kuby textbook.  Topics
 covered include:  descriptive statistics, probability, random 
sampling, tests of hypotheses, estimation, simple linear regression,
 and correlation. 

Homework:
Homework exercises from the textbook are assigned on the course web 
page. Due dates are given on the course web page. Late homework will be
 penalized.

You may help each other with homework problems, but each student's 
homework must be written up independently.  If homework is found to 
have been copied, all students involved will receive a 0.

Everyone is expected to do every problem.  Please write up homework 
papers neatly and clearly.  Many problems on the exams will be similar 
to homework problems.





Lab Sessions:
On Mondays we will meet in the computer lab (LeConte 205).  Part of 
the two-hour class will be spent on the normal lecture, and part on the
 Minitab lab exercises in the Statistics:  Learning by Doing book.  
Assignments will relate to the lab work and will often involve the 
Short Answer Writing Assignments in that book.  Specific lab 
assignments will be given on the course web page.

Exams:
There will be two in-class midterm exams (February 17, March 24) 
and a final exam on May 1.  Exams may not normally be made up, 
except in extreme circumstances, for which written documentation of 
excuse (doctor's note, funeral notice, etc.) is required.  If you 
suspect you may miss an exam day, it is important to contact me well in
 advance of the test date.

Grading:
The course grade will be based on homework (20%), lab grades (20%), 
midterm exams (40%), and a final exam (20%).
A course average of 90-100 will result in an A, 87-89 a B+, 80-86 a B, etc.

Computing:
Some problems in this course involve significant computations, and for 
these, you are encouraged to use the software package Minitab. You will
 have an account on the CSM Windows-NT domain. Currently the computers 
in LC 124, LC 303A and PSC 102 have Minitab. Student copies of Minitab 
for home use are also available for purchase from the bookstore. Other 
statistical packages available in the university labs may be used as 
well.  


Tentative Course Schedule: MWF, January 9 through April 24, except:
No class (MLK Day): January 16 (Monday)
No class (Spring Break): March 6, 8, 10 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

January 20 : Homework 1 due 
January 27: Homework 2 due
February 8: Homework 3 due
February 17: Midterm exam 1  
March 1: Homework 4 due
March 15: Homework 5 due 
March 24: Midterm exam 2 
April 5: Homework 6 due 
April 19: Homework 7 due 
Monday, May 1: (2:00 p.m.) final exam