stat480

Syllabus

A practical introduction to statistical computing

Learning objectives:

Learn how to deal with complex, messy, real data
Use graphics to explore and understand data
Gain familiarity with basic data collection, storage and manipulation.
Fluently reshape data into the most convenient form for analysis or reporting
Automate cleaning and analysis in Excel, R and SAS.

Software

Excel: data entry, basic data cleaning and basic graphics
R: advanced graphics, using a statistical programming language to automate tasks, data manipulation
SAS: more data manipulation, how to learn more

Modules

Three weeks each.

Data collection and organisation with Excel
Automating analyses with R
Graphics
Structuring and restructuring data
SAS, the industry standard

Assessment

Weekly homework: 40%. Three projects: 60%. No mid term. No final

To do well in this course you will need to spend 2-3 hours a week (outside of class!), and the weekly homeworks are designed to encourage you do that. For each homework you will need to revise the weeks work, and synthesise some new information, from the help pages or the web. You're welcome to help each other, but I expect you to hand in individual homeworks.

I'll publish (anonymously) a few of the best answers each week so you can learn from each other. If you don't want yours to be published, please let me know.

There will also be three larger projects, which you can do in groups of up to four (you'll have to sort out the groups yourself, and stay in the same groups throughout). These projects will be open ended and will require a significant writeup. I will give more details as we get closer.

Disability Policy

Iowa State University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you have a disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please contact one of the instructors within the first two weeks of the semester. Retroactive requests for accommodations will not be honored. Before meeting with an instructor, you will need to obtain a SAAR form with recommendations for accommodations from the Disability Resources Office, located in Room 1076 on the main floor of the Student Services Building. Their telephone number is 515-294-6624.