Stat 401A - Fall 2004

STAT 401A: Statistical Methods for Research Workers - Ag. and Bio. Sciences

Fall 2004

SYLLABUS and other useful information

Lectures: MWF 8-8:50am, Sweeney 1134

Instructor: Philip Dixon
pdixon@iastate.edu
120 Snedecor Hall
Ames IA 50011-1210
515-294-2142
on campus: 4-2142

Office Hours: Tu 3:05-4 pm, Th 12-1 pm, 3-4 pm.

Laboratory: M 2:10 - 4 pm, Agron 2020

TA / office hours Kari Jovaag kari@iastate.edu
Office hours Weds 11-12, Snedecor 222

Questions::
    Please feel free to e-mail (pdixon@iastate.edu) me or Kari (kari@iastate.edu) anytime with questions or comments.

Text: Ramsey, F.L. and Schafer, D.W., 2001. The Statistical Sleuth, 2nd ed.. Duxbury

SAS info:
(all optional) Elliot, R. J., 2000. Learning SAS in the Computer Lab. 2nd ed. Duxbury (bookstores: Stat 579)
Delwiche, L. D. and Slaughter, S. J. 1998. The Little SAS book, 2nd ed. SAS Institute Press (amazon.com, sas.com, other booksellers)

Goals:
1) Understand variation and its consequences for drawing conclusions from data.
2) Be familiar with some standard statistical methods:
       when and how to use them
       how to interpret statistical results.
3) Be able to apply statistical principles to novel problems.

Grading: Homework / Lab assignments: 100 pts
Project: 50 pts
Two Midterms: 100 pts each
Final: 200 pts

Course Outline (tentative):

Week	Dates	Chapter	Topic:

1	Aug 23 - 27	1	Types of studies, Statistical Inference, Data summary
2	Aug 30 - Sep 3	2	Comparison of two groups: Hypothesis tests
	Sep 6, Labor Day		No class, no lab
3	Sep 8-10	2	Confidence Intervals
4	Sep 13 - 17	4	Nonparametric methods
5	Sep 20 - 24	3	Assumptions and robustness
6	Sep 27 - Oct 1	5	Comparison of multiple groups
7	Oct 4 - Oct 8	5	Comparison of multiple groups, cont.
	Oct 4		MIDTERM I (during lab)
8	Oct 11 - 15	6	Linear combinations and multiple comparisons
9	Oct 18 - 22	7	Linear regression
10	Oct 25 - Oct 29	8	Assumptions and diagnostics
11	Nov 1 - 5	9,10	Multiple regression
12	Nov 8 - 12	11,12	Regression modelling
	Nov 8		MIDTERM II (During Lab)
13	Nov 15 - 19	13,14	Two-way ANOVA (intro)
	Nov 22 - 26		Thanksgiving break, no class
14	Nov 29 - Dec 3	18, 19	Contingency tables
15	Dec 6 - 10	20	Logistic regression
	Dec 16		Final exam, 7:30-9:30 am

Details:

Text: Each chapter includes two case studies, main material and a section of related issues. Please read the case studies and main material in the assigned chapter(s) prior to the start of the lectures. In some chapters, parts of the related issues will also be assigned. These will be announced in class.
My lectures will cover the same concepts, but I will often use different examples and may use a different presentation.
There is not time to lecture on all the details. I expect you to read the assigned material and ask questions on anything you don't understand.
It will probably help to reread the chapter(s) after the relevant lectures. Towards the end of the semester, I will distribute a reading list identifying the most important parts of each chapter.

Lab: Lab time will be used for four different activities:
Some hands-on illustrations of statistical principles.
Use of SAS.
Return HW
Discussion and Q/A on lectures and homework problems.

Homework:

Homework assignments will be posted on the web site and announced in class.
Goal is to provide practice using statistical concepts.
Discussion with friends and classmates is strongly encouraged.
Please write up your answers individually. Copying papers is not a good way to learn and will not be tolerated.
Generally due at Friday's lecture and returned Monday in lab.
No late homework accepted.
Lowest homework score will be dropped.
Solutions will be posted on the class web page soon after the due date.

Computing:

This class focuses on statistical concepts, not details of a specific computing package.
I will use SAS in class; we will teach the basics of SAS in lab. SAS is available on many MAC's, many PC's and on VINCENT.
You may use another package if you prefer. We will provide help for SAS. We will probably not be able to help with other packages.
If you plan on taking Stat 402, I strongly recommend you learn SAS now. Many other packages can do the analyses we need for 401. Only SAS can do some of the analyses we need in 402.

Project:
A chance for you to apply your statistical skills to a larger, less structured, problem.
Details will be forthcoming.

Exams:

Exams will be given during lab period. The exams are written as 60-80 minute exams, but you have the entire lab period (110 minutes) to work on them.
Midterm I will be on Monday, Oct 4, in class covering weeks 1 - 5.
Midterm II will be on Monday, Nov 8, in lab, covering weeks 6 - 10.
Details on the final will be posted when available. In the past, the final for a Monday 8 am class has been held Monday of finals week at 7:30-9:30 am.
The final is partly on weeks 12-15 and partly comprehensive.

Makeup exams will be given only if you contact me and get approval prior to the scheduled exam.
All exams are closed book.
Calculators are allowed and encouraged.
A formula sheet will be provided.
Exams from fall 2001 are posted on the class web site in .pdf format.

Other
questions: Please ask in class, e-mail me: pdixon@iastate.edu

Disability
accommodation: Iowa State University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Sect 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you have a disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please contact Philip Dixon within the first two weeks of the semester. Retroactive requests for accommodations will not be honored. Before meeting with me, you need to obtain a SAAR form with recommendations for accommodations from the Disability Resources Office, Room 1076, Student Services Building. Their telephone number is 515-294-6624.

Lectures:	MWF 8-8:50am, Sweeney 1134
Instructor:	Philip Dixon pdixon@iastate.edu 120 Snedecor Hall Ames IA 50011-1210 515-294-2142 on campus: 4-2142
Office Hours:	Tu 3:05-4 pm, Th 12-1 pm, 3-4 pm.
Laboratory:	M 2:10 - 4 pm, Agron 2020
TA / office hours	Kari Jovaag kari@iastate.edu Office hours Weds 11-12, Snedecor 222
Questions::
	Please feel free to e-mail (pdixon@iastate.edu) me or Kari (kari@iastate.edu) anytime with questions or comments.
Text:	Ramsey, F.L. and Schafer, D.W., 2001. The Statistical Sleuth, 2nd ed.. Duxbury
SAS info: (all optional)	Elliot, R. J., 2000. Learning SAS in the Computer Lab. 2nd ed. Duxbury (bookstores: Stat 579) Delwiche, L. D. and Slaughter, S. J. 1998. The Little SAS book, 2nd ed. SAS Institute Press (amazon.com, sas.com, other booksellers)
Goals:	1) Understand variation and its consequences for drawing conclusions from data. 2) Be familiar with some standard statistical methods: when and how to use them how to interpret statistical results. 3) Be able to apply statistical principles to novel problems.
Grading:	Homework / Lab assignments: 100 pts Project: 50 pts Two Midterms: 100 pts each Final: 200 pts

Text:	Each chapter includes two case studies, main material and a section of related issues. Please read the case studies and main material in the assigned chapter(s) prior to the start of the lectures. In some chapters, parts of the related issues will also be assigned. These will be announced in class. My lectures will cover the same concepts, but I will often use different examples and may use a different presentation. There is not time to lecture on all the details. I expect you to read the assigned material and ask questions on anything you don't understand. It will probably help to reread the chapter(s) after the relevant lectures. Towards the end of the semester, I will distribute a reading list identifying the most important parts of each chapter.
Lab:	Lab time will be used for four different activities: Some hands-on illustrations of statistical principles. Use of SAS. Return HW Discussion and Q/A on lectures and homework problems.
Homework:	Homework assignments will be posted on the web site and announced in class. Goal is to provide practice using statistical concepts. Discussion with friends and classmates is strongly encouraged. Please write up your answers individually. Copying papers is not a good way to learn and will not be tolerated. Generally due at Friday's lecture and returned Monday in lab. No late homework accepted. Lowest homework score will be dropped. Solutions will be posted on the class web page soon after the due date.
Computing:	This class focuses on statistical concepts, not details of a specific computing package. I will use SAS in class; we will teach the basics of SAS in lab. SAS is available on many MAC's, many PC's and on VINCENT. You may use another package if you prefer. We will provide help for SAS. We will probably not be able to help with other packages. If you plan on taking Stat 402, I strongly recommend you learn SAS now. Many other packages can do the analyses we need for 401. Only SAS can do some of the analyses we need in 402.
Project:	A chance for you to apply your statistical skills to a larger, less structured, problem. Details will be forthcoming.
Exams:	Exams will be given during lab period. The exams are written as 60-80 minute exams, but you have the entire lab period (110 minutes) to work on them. Midterm I will be on Monday, Oct 4, in class covering weeks 1 - 5. Midterm II will be on Monday, Nov 8, in lab, covering weeks 6 - 10. Details on the final will be posted when available. In the past, the final for a Monday 8 am class has been held Monday of finals week at 7:30-9:30 am. The final is partly on weeks 12-15 and partly comprehensive.
	Makeup exams will be given only if you contact me and get approval prior to the scheduled exam. All exams are closed book. Calculators are allowed and encouraged. A formula sheet will be provided. Exams from fall 2001 are posted on the class web site in .pdf format.
Other questions:	Please ask in class, e-mail me: pdixon@iastate.edu
Disability accommodation:	Iowa State University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Sect 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you have a disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please contact Philip Dixon within the first two weeks of the semester. Retroactive requests for accommodations will not be honored. Before meeting with me, you need to obtain a SAAR form with recommendations for accommodations from the Disability Resources Office, Room 1076, Student Services Building. Their telephone number is 515-294-6624.