STAT 344 Probability & Statistics for Engineers/Scientists I

Section 003
Credit hours: 3
Course Syllabus- Fall 2014
Administrative:
Instructor: John M. Russell
Office:
Engineering Building Room 1724
Phone:
(703) 993-9110
E-Mail:
jrusse16@gmu.edu *Put STAT 344 and section number in
Subject line
Office Hours:
M-Th 3:00-4:15 PM
GTA:
Glenn Hui
Office:
Engineering Building Room 1716
E-mail:
ghui@gmu.edu
Office Hours:
M 3:00-4:00; W 2:00-4:00; Th 3:00-4:00
Classroom: Innovation 204
Time:
4:30-5:45 PM
Prerequisite:
Math 114 or permission of the instructor
(multivariate calculus).
Text:
Montgomery & Runger Applied Statistics & Probability for
Engineers, 6th Ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
Software: Microsoft Office Excel and
Minitab 17 at GMU lab, GTA office, or your PC/Mac (license
is available at Patriot Computers).
Wolfram|Alpha is used and accessed on-line.
Calculator: Simple or TI-8x. No cell phones for tests or quizzes.
Course Mgt:
Blackboard at http://courses.gmu.edu for registered
students.
WileyPLUS (WP), accessed from within Blackboard, contains
the on-line homework and the on-line textbook.
Registration requires an access code obtained from the
GMU Bookstore or from Wiley. WP registrations are
valid for one year.
Course Objectives:
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To learn to communicate information contained in data.

To develop a discerning eye in evaluating the statistical
presentations of others.
To learn probability and statistical principles, methods, and tools
that will prove useful in later coursework and in work situations.
To learn how to use statistical tools, i.e., Minitab and Excel.

Outline of Topics: Shown on the course Assignment Sheet. Since this is the
1st of the two-course statistics introduction series (Stat 354 is the follow-up
course), we will focus on the basic topics of probability and statistics in
Chapters 1-6 and 6-10. The same textbook is used for the follow-up course.
Study Approach for Efficient Learning:
1. You should skim the assigned reading before class to familiarize
yourself with the material and its organization.
2. The lectures will build your understanding of the concepts not all
topics will be included in the lectures and not all lecture topics are in
the text. Lecture notes will be posted on Blackboard before class.
3. You should then study carefully the assigned reading after the lecture
to increase understanding working as many textbook examples
yourself as possible.
4. Then take the chapter-end WileyPLUS Reading Quiz (RQ), if due.
5. Then do the chapter-end WileyPLUS homework assignment, if due.
6. Then complete the off-line homework (A, B, etc.) when assigned.
7. Not following this study sequence is an invitation to course difficulty.
The later topics in this course will be very difficult to understand if you
do not master the basic concepts in the first few weeks. Be aware of
the due dates. It is a good idea to form study/homework groups with
other students.
Class: Class participation is encouraged to help the overall class to better
understand the material through student interaction. A lot of
student/instructor interaction is expected. Certain topics, not in the
textbook, will be covered in class and tested. Attendance may be taken in
class as needed, and will count towards your homework grade, so be there!
Homework: There is both online and offline homework as shown on the
course Assignment Sheet. The online homeworks are administered via
WileyPlus.
Reading Quizzes consisting of simple T/F questions for which you get 1
attempt per question. These will count as 8% of your overall homework
grade. Due dates can be found on the course Assignment Sheet posted on
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Blackboard (Denoted RQ 1, RQ 2 etc). Tentatively, there will be 10 reading

quizzes.
WileyPlus Homework Assignments consisting of numerical questions for
which you will get 3 attempts to get the correct answer. These will count as
10% of your homework grade. Due dates are found on the course
Assignment Sheet posted on Blackboard (Denoted WP 1, WP 2 etc).
Data sets for Assignment problems may be electronically copied and pasted
from the e-book. Some questions change data sets between attempts and
may be different from the textbook data sets. Numerical answers are
sensitive to accuracy and significance. I advise using Excel and Minitab to
organize the data, but you are welcome to use the software of your choice or
even pencil and paper as long as you obtain and submit the correct answers.
Your performance by attempt on the online questions is recorded on the
WileyPLUS gradebook. Be aware of the due dates -- late homework is
penalized at 50%. Tentatively, there will be 5 WP HWs.
Off-line homework will consist of graphical work and numeric examples not
covered in WileyPLUS. These will count towards 10% of your homework grade.
Due dates can once again be found on the course Assignment Sheet posted on
Blackboard (Denoted as OL A, OL B, etc). Tentatively, there will be 5 OL HWs.
Do your assignments in Minitab, Wolfram|Alpha, and/or Excel using the format
shown on Blackboard. Answers must be shown to the proper level of accuracy.
Manual work will not be accepted. Supporting work must be shown for credit,
not just the answer. Be aware that the answers in the back of the book are not
always correct or precise. Your beautifully formatted homework assignments
are to be submitted on Bb by the due date. Late homework, without prior
permission, will be penalized 50% if turned in within the week later
submissions will not be accepted. During the week following the due date,
homework will be graded by our GTAs with comments on Bb no paper
involved. The GTAs or instructor will provide detailed review of the homework
solutions during his office hours if you would like to see any problems worked
out.
In addition to the assigned turn-in problems, the conscientious student will
work many additional problems from the textbook. Also DO NOT attempt to
turn in assignments to me via email unless you have first talked to and cleared
it with me. This is to prevent getting your assignments lost in the vastness of
my email inbox.
Quizzes and Exams: Quizzes 1 & 2, the Midterm, and Final will be closed
book and closed notes, but you will be allowed to use a formula sheet and
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stat tables. They will be taken during the regularly scheduled class times
using Scantron forms and may also contain short answer sections.
There is no extra credit or forgiven grades you are responsible for all of
your work done (or left undone). If a quiz or exam is scheduled on a religious
holiday that you observe, see your instructor to make alternative
arrangements. If you have a disability that requires academic
accommodation, contact the Office of Disability Services (993-2474) for
authorization.
Blackboard and Email
Blackboard: This course uses Blackboard found at mymason.gmu.edu. You
should make sure you have access to the page for STAT 344 of your
particular section because all course documents, assignments, and other
important information will be distributed through this web page. Your Mason
email user name is also your ID (e.g. the ID for jdoe@masonlive.gmu.edu
would be jdoe). Your Mason email password is also your Blackboard
password. You must first establish a Mason email account before you can
access Blackboard. Please go to the URL above for more information about
Blackboard.
MasonLive/Email (GMU Email): Students are responsible for the content of
university communications sent to their George Mason University email
account and are required to activate their account and check it regularly. All
communication from the university, college, school, and program will be sent
to
students
solely
through
their
Mason
email
account.
[See https://masonlivelogin.gmu.edu].
For administrative or personal questions or issues, please email your
instructor. Please type STAT 344 and your section number in the
Subject area of the email and include your full name in your email.
Technology Requirements
Hardware: You will need access to a Windows or Macintosh computer with
at least 2 GB of RAM and to a fast and reliable broadband internet connection
(e.g., cable, DSL). A larger screen is recommended for better visibility of
course material. You will need speakers or headphones to hear recorded
content and a headset with a microphone is recommended for the best
experience. For the amount of Hard Disk Space required to take a distance
education course consider and allow for the storage amount needed to install
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any additional software and space to store work that you will do for the
course. If you are considering the purchase of a new computer, please go to
http://compstore.gmu.edu/pdfs/TechGuide.pdf
to see recommendations.
Software: You will need a browser and operating system that are listed
compatible or certified with the Blackboard version available on the
myMason Portal. See supported browsers and operating systems. Log in to
myMason to access your registered courses. Online courses typically use
Acrobat Reader, Flash, Java, and Windows Media Player, QuickTime and/or
Real Media Player. Your computer should be capable of running current
versions of those applications. Also, make sure your computer is protected
from viruses by downloading the latest version of Symantec Endpoint
Protection/Anti-Virus software for free at http://antivirus.gmu.edu. Students
owning Macs or Linux should be aware that some courses may use software
that only runs on Windows. You can set up a Mac computer with Boot Camp
or virtualization software so Windows will also run on it. Watch
http://support.apple.com/kb/VI54?viewlocale=en_US
about using Windows on a Mac. Computers running Linux can also be
configured with virtualization software or configured to dual boot with
Windows. Note: If you are using an employer-provided computer or corporate
office for class attendance, please verify with your systems administrators
that you will be able to install the necessary applications and that system or
corporate firewalls do not block access to any sites or media types.
You will also need Minitab 17, a statistical computing software program
designed for students. We will use this program during class lectures and it
is expected that you use this program to complete your offline Assignments.
You may purchase a semester long license at Patriot Computers in the
Johnson Center. Minitab is available on campus in Engineering Building
Room 1506.
University Policies: Students must follow the university policies.
[See http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu].Responsible
Use
of
Computing - Students must follow the university policy for Responsible Use
of Computing. [See http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/responsible-useof-computing ].
University Calendar: Details regarding the current Academic Calendar. See
http://registrar.gmu.edu/calendars/index.html].
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Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who seek

accommodations in a course must be registered with the George Mason
University Office of Disability Services (ODS) and inform their instructor, in
writing, at the beginning of the semester. See http://ods.gmu.edu].
**Students are expected to follow courteous Internet etiquette at all times;
see http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html for more information
regarding these expectations.
Student Services
University Libraries: University Libraries provides resources for distance
students. [See http://library.gmu.edu and http://infoguides.gmu.edu ].
Writing Center: The George Mason University Writing Center staff provides
a variety of resources and services (e.g., tutoring, workshops, writing guides,
handbooks) intended to support students as they work to construct and
share knowledge through writing. [See http://writingcenter.gmu.edu]. You can
now sign up for an Online Writing Lab (OWL) session just like you sign up for
a face-to-face session in the Writing Center, which means YOU set the date
and time of the appointment! Learn more about the Online Writing Lab
(OWL).
Counseling and Psychological Services: The George Mason University
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) staff consists of professional
counseling and clinical psychologists, social workers, and counselors who
offer a wide range of services (e.g., individual and group counseling,
workshops and outreach programs) to enhance students' personal
experience and academic performance [See http://caps.gmu.edu].
Family Educational Rights and
Educational Rights and Privacy Act
"Buckley Amendment," is a federal
educational records and provides
http://registrar.gmu.edu/privacy].

Privacy Act (FERPA): The Family

of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the
law that gives protection to student
students with certain rights. [See

Academic Integrity: Students must be responsible for their own work, and
students and faculty must take on the responsibility of dealing explicitly with
violations. The tenet must be a foundation of our university culture. [See
http://academicintegrity.gmu.edu ].
Honor Code: Your instructor takes the GMU Honor Code very seriously and
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will enforce it. Other peoples work, including people from this semester and
previous ones, with your name on it is a violation.
Grading Scheme:
Homework/Attendance 30%
Quizzes (2)
20%
Midterm Exam
20%
Final Exam
30%
Total
100%
Your grades are posted on Blackboard and shown in WileyPLUS. You should
audit the correct entry of your grades. No grade corrections will be made
after the last week of the semester. Course letter grade ranges are assigned
as follows and will use the +/- system:
90
80
70
60
0

100 points
89 points
79 points
69 points
59 points

A
B
C
D
F