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\centerline{Montserrat XXX -- Identifying Patterns}
\centerline{Syllabus -- Fall 2009}
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\leftline{Professor: John Little}
\leftline{Office: Swords Hall 332}
\leftline{Office Phone: (508) 793-2274}
\leftline{Office Hours: TBA}
\leftline{Course Homepage:  {\tt http://mathcs.holycross.edu/\~{}little/Montserrat/FallSyllabus.html}}
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{\it Course Description}
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The mathematical topics we will study in this course will all deal with elementary aspects
of {\it statistics}.  Statistical thinking is one method human beings have developed to discern 
and demonstrate the existence of underlying patterns in the information we gather from the natural 
world.  Statistical reasoning allows us to address questions
such as:  Do our historical records of temperature readings justify the claim that we are 
experiencing global climate change?  Do the results of medical studies justify the claim that a 
high-fat diet lead to increased risk of certain cancers?   This application of mathematics is 
an ever-growing component of public debate on issues in the environment, human health, and politics.  
In this course, you will learn the basic tools of descriptive statistics and statistical inference 
and how they are applied to real-world data.
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{\it Course Objectives}
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The major objectives of the course will be:
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\item{1.} To introduce you to basic methods of data analysis and descriptive statistics
(mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, regression) and develop
your proficiency at computing these statistics by hand and with appropriate software.
\item{2.} To develop your skill in interpreting the results of analyses of data in order
to formulate reasonable conclusions. 
\item{3.} To develop your ability to read and analyze reports of scientific 
studies in the popular press and other general-audience sources.
\item{4.} To further your development as writers and speakers.
\item{5.} To participate in the common activities of the Natural World cluster
of the Montserrat program.
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{\it Texts}
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The main mathematical text for the course is {\it Statistics, 4th edition} by 
Freedman, Pisani, and Purves, published by W.W.Norton.  We will cover Parts I,II,III
this semester, and most of the rest of the book in the spring.  In addition, we will be
discussing the Natural World Cluster common text, XXX.   
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{\it Assignments and Grading}
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\item{1.}  Midterm Exam (15 \% of course grade) -- tentative date: XXX
\item{2.}  Final Exam (20 \% of course grade) -- the final will be given at the 
established time for MWF 9 am classes, XXX at YYY.
\item{3.}  Problem Sets (about 6 through the semester -- 15 \% of course grade)
\item{4.}  In class group work and computer labs (about 4 assignments -- 10 \% of course grade)
\item{5.}  Twice during the semester, each student, working with a classmate, will prepare
a 10-minute oral presentation on a recent newspaper or magazine article relevant to the 
subject of the course.  For each such assignment, the pair will also prepare several
discussion questions for the class and lead a discussion for an additional 15 minutes. (20 \% of course grade)
\item{6.}  Two short (roughly 5 page) papers related to the common reading or other topics.
(More information and guidelines to be distributed later) (20 \% of course grade)   
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I will be keeping your course average in numerical form throughout the semester, and only converting to a letter for the final course grade. The course grade will be assigned according to the following conversion table (also see Note below):
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\item{$\bullet$} A -- 94 and above
\item{$\bullet$} A- -- 90 - 93
\item{$\bullet$} B+ -- 87 - 89
\item{$\bullet$} B -- 84 - 86
\item{$\bullet$} B- -- 80 - 83
\item{$\bullet$} C+ -- 77 - 79
\item{$\bullet$} C -- 74 - 76
\item{$\bullet$} C- -- 70 - 73
\item{$\bullet$} D+ -- 67 -- 69
\item{$\bullet$} D -- 60 - 66
\item{$\bullet$} F -- 59 and below.
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Note: Depending on how the class as a whole is doing, some downward adjustments of the above letter grade boundaries may be made. No upward adjustments will be made, however. (This means, for instance, that an 85 course average would never convert to a letter grade of B- or below, although it might be a B+ in some circumstances.) If you ever have a question about the grading policy or your standing in the course, don't hesitate to ask me.
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{\it Advice On How To Succeed In This Class}
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{\bf A good "work ethic" is key.} You do not need to be a "math genius" to master this material 
and do well. But you will need to put in a consistent effort and keep up with the course.

{\bf Come to class.}  Unless you are deathly ill, have a genuine family emergency, etc. plan on 
showing up here at 9:00 am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this semester.  Many of the class
meetings of this course will be structured around discussions or student presentations.  Your
participation is expected and needed for the success of the course!

{\bf Use the textbook and class notes actively.}  Plan to look over the section to be covered 
each day before coming to class. That will make the lecture or other class activity more 
understandable. After the class, if things were not clear, you will find alternate explanations 
of concepts that may help you past a "block" in your understanding. Reading a math book is not 
like reading a novel, though. You will need to read very carefully, with pencil and paper in 
hand, working through examples in detail and taking notes. If necessary, make a list of questions 
to ask in office hours or at the next class. Another thing to bear in mind while reading your text 
is that the result of an example is often secondary to the process used in obtaining the result
or the way the statistical ideas were applied to derive a conclusion -- that process or the 
way the conclusion was reached is the real point, and that's what you should take away from 
studying the example.

{\bf Take notes and use them.} This may seem obvious, but in my experience too many students 
copy down everything on the board diligently, and then never look at their notes again. Used 
intelligently, your notes can be a valuable resource as you work on problem sets and prepare 
for exams. 

{\bf Set up a regular study schedule and work at a steady pace.} It's not easy to play catch-up 
in a mathematics course (even when the course is part of a first-year program with additional
goals beyond the mathematics), since each topic builds on the previous ones. You should expect to 
budget at least 6 hours in a typical week for work outside of class. The best way to use your 
time is to do a few problems, a little reading from the book, and reviewing of class notes every 
day.

{\bf {\it Most importantly}, if you are having difficulty learning something, get help as soon as possible.} 
You can do this by asking questions during class (any time something isn't clear), or seeing me during 
office hours.

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{\it Departmental Statement on Academic Integrity}
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{\bf Why is academic integrity important?}
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All education is a cooperative enterprise between teachers and students. This cooperation works well only when there is trust and mutual respect between everyone involved. One of our main aims as a department is to help students become knowledgeable and sophisticated learners, able to think and work both independently and in concert with their peers. Representing another person's work as your own in any form (plagiarism or ``cheating''), and providing or receiving unauthorized assistance on assignments (collusion) are lapses of academic integrity because they subvert the learning process and show a fundamental lack of respect for the educational enterprise.

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{\bf How does this apply to our courses?}
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You will encounter a variety of types of assignments and examination formats in mathematics and computer science courses. For instance, many problem sets in mathematics classes and laboratory assignments in computer science courses are individual assignments. While some faculty members may allow or even encourage discussion among students during work on problem sets, it is the expectation that the solutions submitted by each student will be that student's own work, written up in that student's own words. When consultation with other students or sources other than the textbook occurs, students should identify their co-workers, and/or cite their sources as they would for other writing assignments. Some courses also make use of collaborative assignments; part of the evaluation in that case may be a rating of each individual's contribution to the group effort. Some advanced classes may use take-home examinations, in which case the ground rules will usually allow no collaboration or consultation. In many computer science classes, programming projects are strictly individual assignments; the ground rules do not allow any collaboration or consultation here either.
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{\bf What are the responsibilities of faculty?}
It is the responsibility of faculty in the department to lay out the guidelines to be followed for specific assignments in their classes as clearly and fully as possible, and to offer clarification and advice concerning those guidelines as needed as students work on those assignments. The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science upholds the College's policy on academic honesty. We advise all students taking mathematics or computer science courses to read the statement in the current College catalog carefully and to familiarize themselves with the procedures which may be applied when infractions are determined to have occurred.
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{\bf What are the responsibilities of students?}
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A student's main responsibility is to follow the guidelines laid down by the instructor of the course. If there is some point about the expectations for an assignment that is not clear, the student is responsible for seeking clarification. If such clarification is not immediately available, students should err on the side of caution and follow the strictest possible interpretation of the guidelines they have been given. It is also a student's responsibility to protect his/her own work to prevent unauthorized use of exam papers, problem solutions, computer accounts and files, scratch paper, and any other materials used in carrying out an assignment. We expect students to have the integrity to say ``no'' to requests for assistance from other students when offering that assistance would violate the guidelines for an assignment.

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{\bf Specific Guidelines for this Course}
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In this course, all examinations will be closed-book. No sharing of information with other students in any form will be permitted during exams. On group discussion and computer lab write-ups, close collaboration with the other members of your group is expected. On the individual problem sets, discussion of the questions with other students in the class
and with me during office hours is allowed, even encouraged. However, your final problem solutions should be prepared individually and the wording and organization of your final problem solutions should be entirely your own work. Moreover, if you do take advantage of any of the above options for discussion of problems with others, you will be required to state that fact in a "footnote" accompanying the problem solution. Failure to follow this rule will be treated as a violation of the College's Academic Integrity policy.
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