Elementary Introduction to Probability and Statistics

Course Description

Survey of statistics intended for undergraduates in any discipline. Graphical displays, numerical measures, relationships between variables, elements of good data collection. Basic probability, introduction to inferential techniques including confidence intervals and significance testing. Emphasis on statistical literacy. Prerequisite: None; Note: May not be taken for credit by students who have received credit for ECO 250 or ECO 350 or who are concurrently enrolled in ECO 250; Students may not earn credit for both RCO 114 and STA 108.

Syllabus

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

MAC Quantitative Reasoning competency

  • Interrelate real-world information with mathematical forms (e.g., with functions, equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words, geometric figures).
  • Formulate and justify conclusions based on quantitative arguments.
  • Communicate the quantitative evidence of the argument.

At the successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • Reason in mathematical systems beyond data manipulation. (QR-SLO2)
  • Formulate & use mathematical models to solve real-world problems. (QR1, QR-SLO2)
  • Communicate mathematical solutions clearly and effectively. (QR-SLO3)

Course Objectives

  • Interpret graphical representations of data
  • Summarize and describe data numerically
  • Describe characteristics of normal distributions
  • Interpret and describe associations between two quantitative variables using scatter plots, correlation and regression
  • Describe associations between two categorical variables
  • Evaluate data production methods
  • Understand and interpret probabilities and use basic probability rule
  • Interpret confidence intervals
  • Interpret tests of significance

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure Percentage/Points
Online Homework [On Canvas through Achieve] 20%
Online Quizzes (the lowest grades will be dropped) [On Canvas through Achieve] 25%
Class Engagement Assessment 5%
Two Midterm Exams 30%
Cumulative Final Exam 20%

Extra Credit: 1% extra credit for attempting each practice exam (3% in total for all three practice exams that are available on Canvas). No further extra credit opportunities will be provided during this course.

Grading Scale

Percentage Letter Grade
93-100A
90-92A-
87-89B+
83-86B
80-82B-
77-79C+
73-76C
70-72C-
67-69D+
63-66D
60-62D-
0-59F

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance/participation will be measured using class engagement activities.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Online access to Achieve for The Basic Practice of Statistics, 9th ed., by Moore/Notz, Fligner published by W.H. Freeman, 2021. The access code can be purchased from the UNCG bookstore. Achieve for The Basic Practice of Statistics (1-Term Access Cards) ISBN: 9781319344634. You can purchase this book from the UNCG bookstore or the official Macmillan website.

Scholarly Perspectives

This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.