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Fall 2009
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to survey the statistical principles of research design for experimental and observational studies, emphasizing (1) the role of statistics in scientific studies, (2) how to determine which statistical test to use, (3) the underlying assumptions associated with statistical tests, (4) how to interpret results from a statistical analysis, and (4) how to properly conduct a scientific investigation. Although the course requires no previous knowledge of statistics, it does require a basic knowledge of algebra.
Class Schedule: T: 6:00 - 9:00 in room 104 of the Science building
Required Course Materials: Sokal, R.R. and F.J. Rolf 1995. Biometry: the principles and practice of statistics in biological research. Freeman and Company, 887 pps.
Exams: Three exams will be given throughout the semester, the dates of which are given in the lecture schedule. Each exam will consist of a variety of questions, some of which will require extensive calculations. However, most of the questions will be similar to homework problems. Students will be allowed to use their textbooks, notes, and a calculator.
Homework: A significant portion of this course will be devoted to homework assignments. Homework assignments will come from various handouts. Students may discuss the problems with each other, but I expect each student to complete each problem on their own. The purpose of the homework assignments is to familiarize students with basic statistical problems before formal examination. The assignments must be done by hand with intermediate results well documented. The assignments will be due at the beginning of class the following week. For the problem sets assigned the week before an exam, students may turn in their homework that Friday at noon so they can have the graded version for use on the exam. Students will be allowed to make-up homework assignments only in the event of a serious illness, legitimate emergency, death of immediate family members, or Tarleton State University sponsored activity; in each case, proper documentation must be provided.
This page was last updated on
12/08/08
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