MTH207-A Fall 2014 Home Page

MTH207 is an introduction to the ideas and current issues in the area of probability and statistics. Topics will include:

• Probability Theory
• Random Variables
• Frequentist vs Bayesian Statistics
• Chance and Causal Inference
• Forecasting and Prediction
• Computationally Intensive Methods (simulation, bootstrapping)

Crab Nebula photograph courtesy of NASA

Grading

Grading in this course will be based on:

• A midterm exam and a cumulative final exam
• Graded assignments (written and/or electronic)
• Short quizzes which may or may not be announced

Your final grade will be determined as a weighted average of these items:

Policies

• College Policies
• Additional Instructor's Policies

College Policies

These include:

• Academic Honesty

  All members of the College community have the responsibility to be familiar with, to support, and to abide by the College's policy on academic honesty. This responsibility includes reporting known or suspected violations of this policy to the appropriate faculty member or to the Dean of the Faculty in the Office of Academic Affairs.

  Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to the following:

  • presenting another's work as if it were one's own;
  • failure to acknowledge or document a source, even if the action is unintentional (i.e., plagiarism);
  • giving or receiving, or attempting to give or receive, unauthorized assistance in an assignment or examination;
  • fabricating data;
  • submitting the same assignment in two or more courses without prior permission of the instructors; or
  • having another person write a paper or sit for an examination.

  (Page 108 of The Hill Book )

• Class Attendance and Makeup Work

  The policies listed under Class Attendance on page 108 of The Hill Book apply;

  Note in particular the following:

  • Students are expected to be regular and prompt in their class attendance.
  • In case of absence, students are responsible for all class work, assignments, and examinations.
  • Any student who misses an examination (other than the Final Examination), a quiz, or any required classroom activity to which a grade is assigned must consult the instructor as soon as possible regarding the opportunity to make up the work missed. In such cases, it is the instructor who determines whether or not the absence was legitimate;
    • if it was, and if the student has consulted the instructor as soon as possible, the instructor must give a makeup examination or quiz, or provide the student with an equivalent basis for evaluation.
    • If the absence is deemed not to have been legitimate, the instructor has the option to decide whether or not to provide an opportunity to make up the work.

  (Page 108 of The Hill Book - note exceptions for prolonged illness and conflicts with religious beliefs)

  My idea of legitimate absences includes:

  • Personal illness or injury (with proper documentation)
  • Obligations to one's family in case of illness or injury (with proper documentation)
  • Required participation in an athletic event (i.e., a scheduled game or meet, excluding practice)

• Examinations (final exam)

  The value of the final examination is determined by the instructor. If a student misses the examination without sufficient reason, a grade of F is given for this part of the course requirements. The semester grade is then determined in the same way as for students who took the examination.

  (Page 109 of The Hill Book)

Additional Instructor's Policies

• Homework Policy
  • Graded material will only be returned to you in person.
  • Late homework assignments are subject to a 30% penalty.

• Quiz Policy
  • Graded quizzes will only be returned to you in person.
• Exam Policy
  
  • You are responsible for all material in sections of the textbook listed on the syllabus, regardless of whether it is covered in class or not.
    Do not assume everything will be covered in class.
  • The sections to be covered on each exam will be announced prior to the exam.

• Cell Phone Policy
  • Cell phones, IM, text messaging, cameras, and other communication devices are disruptive and distracting in the classroom environment.
    Their use will not be allowed.
  • If you bring any of these devices to class, please make sure that they are turned off during class.

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