SOCY 4156
Fall 2009
Quantitative Analysis
Instructor: Dr. Joseph Whitmeyer Office: Fretwell 476B
Office Phone: 704-687-4363 Office Hours: TR 12:30 – 1:25, and by appt.
Website: www.uncc.edu/jwhitmey/socy4156.htm
Course Description: This course is an introduction to basic social statistics. We will learn about some of the basic statistical measures that you can use to summarize data and make statements about social groups. In particular, we will learn about the logic of hypothesis testing using statistics. We will learn about which techniques are appropriate in which situations, and how to interpret statistics. Labs involve the application of these skills in the analysis of real data.
You will need for this class:
1. The Essentials of Statistics: A Tool for Social Research (Joseph F. Healey, 2nd edition).
2. A calculator without statistical functions that does square roots.
3. A flash drive or 3.5" disk for your lab work.
The book is available at the UNCC bookstore and Gray's bookstore.
Labs: There is a lab required with this course. All labs will meet in Fretwell 421 at the scheduled times. Please attend your assigned lab only. Labs normally will cover topics after they have been covered in class. Although every effort will be made to keep class and lab material synchronized, scheduling difficulties mean that this may not always occur. There will be twelve lab assignments, which you will complete and return to lab instructor at the end of lab session. Make every effort to be in lab, as no late lab assignments will be accepted (see policy below) and there are no lab makeups.
Homework: Homework will often be assigned in class
(there probably will be 12 or more assignments). Assigned homework will also be posted on the
class website, at www.uncc.edu/jwhitmey/socy4156.htm. This will typically be
due at the beginning of the next class meeting.
We will go over the homework just after you hand it in at the beginning
of class. You will find that attending class, doing class exercises and homework
is crucial to your success in this course.
All homework will be graded.
Feel free to call or e-mail me (jwhitmey@uncc.edu) with questions about the homework. Be timely. I will not answer questions about the homework immediately before the class in which the homework is due.
Grades: Your final grade comes from your three exam scores (50%), your homework grades (25%), and your lab grades (25%). Your final grade will be determined as follows:
|
A ≥ 90% |
|
B ≥ 80% |
|
C ≥ 70% |
|
D ≥60% |
|
F < 60% |
Examinations: There are three scheduled exams.
Exam 1: 9/29
Exam 2: 11/3
Exam 3: 12/15, 11:30 – 12:45pm
Note that the final exam time is shorter than given in the schedule of classes.
Both exams are open book, and you can also bring a 1-page, regular-sized cheat-sheet. You will not be allowed to consult any other material.
General Course
Policies:
My most general policy is this: if you have a problem with completing the course requirements, see me about it AHEAD of time. If the problem concerns the lab, see the lab instructor ahead of time.
Makeups of exams or homeworks will be given only under the following circumstances: (a) you contact me prior to the exam date or homework due date with an unavoidable, legitimate reason for not taking the exam/doing the homework on time, (voice mail is OK, as long as you let me know BEFORE class); and/or (b) you provide written evidence (medical excuse, funeral notice) for why you did not take the exam/do the homework at the scheduled time.
All makeups must be completed within one week of the originally scheduled exam date or homework due date -- it is your responsibility to contact me to arrange for the makeup. Leaving a message for me is not adequate, as it is not my responsibility to contact you. Missed makeup exams/homeworks will be recorded as a zero.
Week 1 (8/25) Introduction Read:
1.1-1.5
Week 2 (9/1) Basic
Descriptive Statistics Read:
2.1-2.6
Week 3 (9/8) Measures
of Central Tendency Read:
4.1-4.6
Week 4 (9/15) Measures
of Dispersion Read:
5.1-5.6
Week 5 (9/22)
Exam 1: 9/29
Week 7 (10/1) Sampling
and Sampling Distribution Read:
7.1-7.5
Week 8 (10/8) Estimation Read:
7.6-7.11
Week 9 (10/20) One-sample
Hypothesis Tests Read:
8.1-8.7
Week 10 (10/27) Two-sample
Hypothesis Tests Read:
9.1-9.5
Exam 2: 11/3
Week 11 (11/5) ANOVA Read:
10.1-10.7
Week 12 (11/12) Chi-square
Test Read:
11.1-11.7
Week 13 (11/19) Bivariate
Association Read:
12.1-12.5
Week 14 (12/1) Simple
Regression and Correlation Read:
14.1-14.5
Week 15 (12/8) Correlation
and Multiple Regression Read:
14.6-14.8
Exam 3: 12/15, 11:20 – 12:45pm
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY