
%\centerline{\it Montserrat}
%\centerline{\it Natural World Cluster}
%\centerline{\it Spring, 2012}
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%\noindent
%{\it Cluster Description}
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%Humans have always sought to understand the world we inhabit and our place in it. Our sciences, arts and 
%literature, philosophy and religion are all aspects of this search for understanding. Humans have the ability to %describe and shape their environment, and therefore the environments of all other inhabitants of our planet. But %what have been the consequences and what are our responsibilities? Our seminars this year will address questions %such as: How do organisms and the environment interact in their intertwined paths of development? How are humans %affecting the natural environment? How can mathematics be used to study both nature and aspects of human culture %such as music? How has the idea of the frontier and the history of westward expansion shaped Americans' ideas 
%about nature and our place in it? What do our choices of what and how we eat tell us about ourselves and our 
%relation to the rest of the natural world? Finally, how do we deal with illnesses and other challenges to our 
%well-being? Can we reconcile a belief in the goodness of the natural world with the presence of elements of that %world that cause suffering?
%\vskip 10pt
%\noindent
%{\it Common Text}
%\vskip 10pt
%Michael Pollan, \emph{The Botany of Desire}, Random House (paperback edition), 
%ISBN 978-0-375-76039-6
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%\noindent
%{\it Common Events}
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%\begin{enumerate}
%\item  Talk by Sherry Turkle -- Thursday, February 16, 7:30pm, Hogan Ballroom
%\item  Montserrat ``Unplugged'' Day -- sundown to sundown, February 17--18.   
%\item  Cluster Slow Food/Local Food Dinner -- Wednesday March, 21, 6 - 8pm, Hogan Ballroom
%\item  Cluster End-of-Year Banquet -- Wednesday, May 2.
%\end{enumerate}
%\vskip 10pt
%\noindent
%{\it Natural World Cluster Faculty, Spring Seminar Titles, and Class Hours}
%\vskip 10pt
%\begin{enumerate}
%\item Andrea Borghini -- I Esteem, Therefore I Eat, TR 12:30pm and TR 2:00pm
%\item Patrick Ireland -- Literature and Science,  TR 9:30am
%\item John Little -- Analyzing Environmental Data, MWF 9:00am
%\item Stephanie Reents -- Bright Lights, Big Cities, TR 9:30am
%\item Gareth Roberts -- Math/Music: Aesthetic Links, MWF 9:00am
%\item Kelly Wolfe-Bellin -- Environmental Issues, WF 12:30pm
%\end{enumerate}
%\vfill\eject
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\begin{document}
\centerline{Montserrat 105N -- Analyzing Environmental Data}
\centerline{Syllabus -- Spring 2013}
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\leftline{Professor: John Little}
\leftline{Office: Swords Hall 331}
\leftline{Office Phone: (508) 793-2274}
\leftline{Office Hours: TBD}
\leftline{Course Homepage:  {\tt http://mathcs.holycross.edu/\~{}little/Montserrat1213/Spring.html}}
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\it General Description}
\vskip 10pt
This course is a part of the Natural World Cluster of the Montserrat 
program.  This means that at various times we will be addressing one 
or several of the following:
\vskip 10pt
\begin{itemize}
\item The general aims of Montserrat -- continued development of your
thinking, writing, and communication skills, and the connection of
living, learning and doing in college education,
\item The theme of the Natural World Cluster (see cover page for this
syllabus), and
\item The specific subject matter of this seminar -- mathematical
techniques used for modeling and understanding our natural environment.
\end{itemize}
\vskip 10pt
{\it Some groundrules}
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Many class meetings will be devoted to discussions, oral presentations,
or work in smaller groups, so your active participation will be important
for the success of what we do. 
\begin{itemize}
\item Unless specifically directed otherwise, please \emph{turn off}
all cell phones, pagers, I-phones, I-pads, computers and other similar
electronic devices for the duration of each class meeting -- your full 
attention will be required.
\item No distracting or ``provocative'' clothing, headgear, or other 
personal items in class, please.
\item In on-campus events, off-campus trips, etc. you are representing
this seminar, the Montserrat program, and by extension, Holy Cross in a wider 
community.  Take responsibility and regulate your behavior accordingly. 
\item In discussions, there may be times that you disagree with Prof. Little or with
a classmate.  Please feel free to express that and be prepared to say 
why and back up your ideas.  But please keep the conversation civil and respectful.
\end{itemize}
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\noindent
{\it This seminar}
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At the start of the second decade of the 21st century, humans are grappling
with a number of tough decisions concerning our place in the natural world
and the consequences of how we have used various resources and impacted our
environment.  For instance,  if we continue to use fossil fuels to generate 
energy for our industry and transportation, what effects can we expect to see 
from the pollution they generate?  In particular, is human activity causing 
long-term changes in the Earth's climate?  Are there realistic alternatives 
to those fuels that would sustainably provide for human society's
energy needs and have fewer harmful effects?  How do we decide
what alternatives make more sense?   

Our ability to develop answers to such questions and to understand the political, 
economic and social issues involved depends on being able to deal with
\emph{quantitative information} and infer patterns from data and measurements
of the state of the world.  This semester, our mathemtical study will focus
on some basics of \emph{statistics and data analysis}.  We will also
see ways these topics can be applied to study environmental issues. 

More specifically, we will study the following topics:
\begin{enumerate}
\item  Statistics for describing the ``shape'' of a data set -- measures
of central tendency such as means and medians, measures of spread such
as interquartile ranges, the standard deviation, graphical ways to 
represent all of this
\item Measurement as sampling from a population, 
normal and non-normal distributions, parameter estimation
\item  Statistical inference techniques -- how scientists and 
statisticians demonstrate evidence for the existence of patterns
in populations
\end{enumerate}
We will not make use of any calculus or mathematics more advanced 
than ideas about functions, graphs, algebra, some geometry, etc.
So everyone should have seen all the mathematical prerequisites and
some of the basic ideas behind material we study may be familiar 
from mathematics courses you took in high school.  What will probably
be different, though, is the consistently applied and environmental
focus of everything we do. 
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\it Course Objectives}
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\noindent
The major objectives of the seminar will be:
\vskip 10pt
\begin{packed_enum}
\item To acquaint you with, and develop your skill in applying,
various techniques of data analysis and statistics 
\item To study ways that the mathematics from point 1 can be
used to address environmental questions.
\item To further your development as speakers and writers. 
\item To create a group atmosphere where civil and 
constructive conversations can take place concerning difficult questions.  
Many of the topics we discuss will have controversial aspects and reasonable 
people can have very different viewpoints on them.  Recognizing that, everyone 
(including Prof. Little, of course) should listen carefully and seek to 
understand where others are coming from, especially when your first
inclination might be to disagree.   (Good academic {\it writing} can also 
be seen as a conversation between the writer and others who have thought 
about similar questions.  So this way of doing things will carry over into 
the way we approach writing assignments as well.)
\item To participate in and contribute to the common activities of the 
Natural World Cluster of the Montserrat program.
{\it Note:}  See Cluster cover page for this syllabus.
\vskip 10pt
\end{packed_enum}
\noindent
{\it Texts}
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\noindent
The texts for the course are:
\begin{packed_enum}
\item[1)]  G. Langkamp and J. Hull, \emph{Quantitative Reasoning and the Environment}, 
Pearson Prentice-Hall.  (We will do almost everthing in Chapters 10, 11, 12, 13 this semester, plus
some additional topics for which notes will be provided.)
\item[2)]  M. Mann, \emph{The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars}, Columbia University Press,
ISBN: 978-0-231-15254-9 
\item[3)]  Several shorter articles that will be distributed via the course homepage (or via Moodle). 
\end{packed_enum}
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\it Course Schedule}
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A detailed day-by-day course schedule and listing of required and suggested outside events
will be maintained on the course homepage (and will be accessible through the 
Moodle course management system).  That listing is a tentative, evolving schedule,
so it may change and you will probably want to refer to it frequently.  
Any important changes will also
be announced in class well in advance.   
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\noindent
{\it Assignments and Grading}
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\begin{packed_enum}
\item[1)]  {\it Midterm exam} -- tentative date: Friday, March 30 -- 20 \% of course grade.
\item[2)]  {\it Individual problem sets} (about 5 through the semester) -- 15 \% of course grade
\item[3)]  {\it Writeups from group project days} (about 3 assignments) -- 15 \% of course grade
\item[4)]  {\it One roughly 5 page paper} and other 
shorter writing assignments (information and guidelines to be distributed later) -- 
15 \% of course grade
\item[5)]  {\it Final Project} -- A larger scale assignment over the second half of the semester leading to an annotated bibliography, a research paper of about 15 pages, and 
an oral presentation to the class.  Breakdown of grading:
\begin{itemize}
\item Bibliography -- 5\%
\item Paper -- 17\%
\item Presentation -- 8\%
\end{itemize}
\item[6)]  {\it Class participation} -- 5 \% of course grade
\end{packed_enum}
\vskip 10pt
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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\begin{packed_item}
\item A -- 94 and above
\item A- -- 90 - 93
\item B+ -- 87 - 89
\item B -- 84 - 86
\item B- -- 80 - 83
\item C+ -- 77 - 79
\item C -- 74 - 76
\item C- -- 70 - 73
\item D+ -- 67 -- 69
\item D -- 60 - 66
\item F -- 59 and below.
\end{packed_item}
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
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.
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\it Advice On How To Succeed In This Class}
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\noindent
{\bf A good ``work ethic" is key.}  As you should be able to tell
from the course description above, you do not need to be a 
``math genius'' to do well in this course.  But you will need 
to put in a consistent effort and keep up with the reading and 
assignments.

\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\bf Come to class.}  Unless you are deathly ill, have a genuine family 
emergency, are away at a game or meet of a college athletic team, etc. 
plan on showing up here at 9:00 am every Monday, Wednesday, 
and Friday this semester.  Many of the class meetings will be 
structured around discussions or student presentations.  Your participation 
is expected and needed for the success of the course!

\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\bf Take notes and use them.} This may seem obvious, but it is worth 
saying!  Used intelligently, your notes can be a valuable resource as 
you work on problem sets and prepare for exams.

\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\bf Use the texts and class notes actively.} Reading about mathematics
is not like reading a novel.  You will probably need to read and think over things 
more than once.  You may want to work through examples to understand
some of the topics that we do.  

\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\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).  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, some reading from the 
books, and reviewing of class notes every day.

\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\bf 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.
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\it Statement on Academic Integrity}
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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.  To be become an engaged and advanced learner, you must be able to think and work both independently and in concert with your peers.  
 
The College academic honesty policy states: 
``As an institution devoted to teaching, learning, and intellectual inquiry, Holy Cross expects all members of the College community to abide by the highest standards of academic integrity. Any violation of academic honesty undermines the student-teacher relationship, thereby wounding the whole community. The principal violations of academic honesty are plagiarism, cheating, and collusion.

Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas, data, illustrative material, or statements of someone else, without full and proper acknowledgment, and presenting them as one's own.

Cheating is the use of improper means or subterfuge to gain credit or advantage. Forms of cheating include the use, attempted use, or improper possession of unauthorized aids in any examination or other academic exercise submitted for evaluation; the fabrication or falsification of data; misrepresentation of academic or extracurricular credentials; and deceitful performance on placement examinations. It is also cheating to submit the same work for credit in more than one course, except as authorized in advance by the course instructors.

Collusion is assisting or attempting to assist another student in an act of academic dishonesty.”

The full statement on Academic Honesty in the College Catalog will be posted on the Natural World/Montserrat Moodle site and is available at
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\centerline{\tt http://www.holycross.edu/catalog/academic-honesty-policy.pdf}
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\noindent
The temptation to engage in an act of academic dishonesty will almost certainly arise, but the chance to possibly enhance a single grade is not worth the loss of your personal integrity.  If you do not know how to correctly cite reference materials, consult with your professor, the campus Writer’s Workshop, or visit one of the links below (also posted on the Natural World/Montserrat Moodle site).

\noindent
Department of History: 
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\centerline{\tt http://www.holycross.edu/departments/history/website/academichonesty.htm}
\vskip 10pt
\noindent 
Department of English (link to Houghton Mifflin booklet, "Understanding Plagiarism: A Student Guide to Writing Your Own Work"):
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\centerline{\tt
http://college.cengage.com/english/plagiarism\_prevention.html}
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\noindent
Houghton Mifflin, ``The Plagiarism Zone'' 
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\centerline{\tt http://college.hmco.com/english/plagiarism\_prevention.html}
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\noindent
NOTE:  If in doubt about what you plan to do or write violates academic honesty, PLEASE ASK!

\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\it Specific Guidelines for this Course}
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In this course, the midterm examination will be closed-book. No sharing of information with other students in any form will be permitted during that. On group discussion 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, 
{\it 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.  For the papers, 
if you do consult a source other than the course texts, include a full 
reference in a bibliography section at the end of your paper, and identify 
any direct quotations.  Information about the acceptable formats for doing 
this will be distributed with the paper assignments.  
\end{document}


{\it Departmental Statement on Academic Integrity -- Note:  This section will be 
changing -- common cluster statement for Montserrat program}
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\noindent
{\bf Why is academic integrity important?}
\vskip 10pt
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.
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\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.
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\bf What are the responsibilities of faculty?}
\vskip 10pt
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.
\vskip 10pt
\noindent
{\bf What are the responsibilities of students?}
\vskip 10pt
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.
\vfill\eject
\noindent
{\bf Specific Guidelines for this Course}
\vskip 10pt
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, {\it 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.  For the papers, if you do consult a 
source other than the course texts, include a full reference in a 
bibliography section at the end of your paper, and identify any direct quotations.  Information
about the acceptable formats for doing this will be distributed with the paper assignments.  
\bye

