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Kevin Rader, krader@fas.harvard.edu The What and Why of the Field of Statistics?
Much needed terminology
Snapshot of whats to come in the course
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Stat 100 vs. 101 vs. 102 vs. 104 Kevins Contact Info
Each course assumes no prior knowledge of statistics
They all cover the same basic statistical concepts (about 3/4 of My office: Science Center, Room SC-105 (likely to change)
the course)s, though they each emphasize different topics Office Hours (stop in unannounced):
throughout Tues 12:30-1:30pm and Thurs 11:30am-12:30pm
Stat 104 will cover more material and is more mathematically Also by appointment (via email)
rigorous, others are similar level.
Stat 101 will use mostly examples from psychology, general Phone numbers:
social/behavioral sciences, and public health. Statistics Department: (617) 495-5496
Stat 102 emphasizes medical and lab science examples My office (SC-105): NA
Stat 104 emphasizes examples from economics/finance
Stat 100 is a more general course with a wide-range of examples Email: krader@fas.harvard.edu (preferred over phone)
More questions: ask after class.
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Exams Homeworks
Posted to course website on Fridays:
Tues, October 10th: Midterm I, 10-11:30am (in class) http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k97307&pageid=icb.page6
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Tues, Nov 12th: Midterm II, 10-11:30am (in class)
Hard Copies must be handed in to the 3rd floor HW
Tues, Dec 12-20 : Final Exam, Date and Time TBD
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boxes.
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HW Collaboration
You are encouraged to discuss homework with other
Group Project
students (and with the instructor and TFs, of course), but Will be a roughly 3-5 page paper of text (graphs, tables,
you must write your final answers yourself, in your own etc are in addition to that) based on a data analysis of
words. your choosing.
Solutions prepared in committee or by copying or Groups of size 2 or 3 required. Very helpful to bounce
paraphrasing someone elses work are not acceptable; your ideas of each other.
handed-in assignment must represent your own thoughts.
All computer output you submit must come from work that Due towards end of reading period (Dec. 10).
you have done yourself.
More details about the project to come later in the semester
Please indicate on your problem sets the names of the (around Oct 31st).
students with whom you worked.
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Course Grading
Course Goals for Students
Component Weighting1 Weighting2 Weighting3
Homeworks 30% 30% 30% To learn and understand descriptive statistics and graphical
summaries, basic probability theory, and statistical inference.
Midterm 1 10% 20% 20%
To introduce a range of quantitative tools and methods of
Midterm 2 20% 10% 20% analysis commonly used in the social, psychological and
Final Exam 30% 30% 20% behavioral sciences with an emphasis on application of methods
to real data.
Project 10% 10% 10%
To become statistically skilled. At the end of the course, you
Total 100% 100% 100%
should be able to address a research question by choosing a
Your overall score for the course will be the maximum of the 3 weighting good data source, be able to figure out and perform what
schemes presented above. Final course letter grades are not assigned
according to a fixed percentages of A's, B's etc (i.e., the course is not `curved'). analysis is most appropriate, and be able to report the findings
Letter grades are assigned to the old-fashioned boundaries of A- to A: 90 - 100 that are technically accurate. You should also be able to know
final score; B- to B+: 80 - 90, etc. Slight adjustments may be made on the the limitations of your results.
boundaries of letter grades (boundary moved down a bit).
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So what is statistics?
(and why is it so cool?)
The study of the methods for obtaining, organizing,
analyzing, and interpreting data.
Unit 1: Intro to Statistics
Chapter 1 in the Text Why bother? Principles provide a framework for
Collecting data and the design of experiments and
observational studies (Design)
Describing and summarizing data (Description)
Drawing inferences about populations as a whole and
predicting future events (Inference)
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Last Word
If you are planning on taking this course, you should
Download and install SPSS from FAS IT:
http://downloads.fas.harvard.edu/download
Go to the course website and follow the SPSS tutorial
document. And/or attend an SPSS tutorial session (the
schedule will be posted on the website later today).
Read through (or at least browse) chapters 1 and 2 in the
text.
Be aware that HW #1 will be posted by the end of the
week (it is due next Friday, Sept. 13th).
Be happy!
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