COURSE TITLE:   BAD 64005/74005

TIMES: 6:35 to 9:15 pm, M

Business Administration Bldg. 106

August 25 to December 7, 2014

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course introduces the student to the application of statistical methodology in business and related disciplines.  This course uses computer capabilities to use and understand a variety of statistical techniques and applies these techniques to business problems.

Prerequisite: Admission to M.B.A. of graduate status.

INSTRUCTOR: Alan D. Smith, Ph.D.

University Professor of Operations Management

Robert Morris University

Cell phone: (330) 206-3557

E-mail: smitha@rmu.edu FAX: 412/262-8494

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 2:00 to 3:45 PM

Other hours by appointment.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This course is an introduction to concepts in statistical methods and their applications to real-world problems. This course will examine both the theoretical and practical side of the different methods. Students will be given ample opportunities to apply the techniques to different problems. The goal of the course is for students to understand fundamental statistical concepts and methods, and their applications.

After successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

1. Recognize statistical terminology in such a way that he or she may be able to communicate with other   professionals that use statistics as a tool for research or decision making.

2. Recognize situations in which the use of statistical methodology would be appropriate to acquire a full understanding of a system, process or population under consideration.

3. Apply statistical tools such as descriptive, inferential or predictive techniques, and interpret the results obtained through mathematical computations or computer software.

4. Analyze data, contrast and compare decision alternatives, and examine any population using statistical methodology.

5. Evaluate solution alternatives to a particular situation based on the results obtained from statistical analysis, and also he or she should be able to present his or her findings by using professional communication skills such as managerial reports and/or oral presentations.

6. Understand basic concepts and techniques of statistical inference for statistical report writing purposes.

It is assumed that the skills developed in this class will prepare help you for more advanced work in your major, either in college or on the job.  Emphasis will include hypothesis testing, design of experiments, elementary regression, ANOVA techniques, and statistical report writing.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

1. Field, A. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS, 3^rd Ed., Sage Publications. ISBN: 1847879071.  All lecture notes and associated materials are available online via Blackboard.

2. SPSS (available in computer labs).  At selected times during the course we will make use of the statistical software package SPSS. SPSS is available on the business school computer labs on the second floor of BAD building. The instructor will provide students will all necessary commands to operate SPSS.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE:

Most of the class periods will be used to explain material and the logic behind the techniques being used. Homework will be assigned at the end of each class meeting. Students are encouraged to ask questions at any time. The instructor expects from the students to keep up the working of problems with the material being covered.

EVALUATION OF STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE:

Attendance: You can adequately learn the course content only if you attend class regularly. For each three classes missed the final letter grade will be lowered by one letter grade.

Exams:  We will have two exams (a midterm and a final semi-comprehensive exam, which may be replaced with more points added to the final group project). The midterm exam will cover descriptive statistics and probability principles and sampling distributions; the final exam will cover primarily statistical inference and predictive statistics.

Homework Assignments: To be discussed in class. They are to prepare you for examinations and related computer and writing exercise.  Each assignment turned in will be worth 2 points each and be applied to your final grade determinations.

COURSE GRADE POLICY:

• Computer assignments                                                                                    15%
• Midterm Exam                                                                                                30%
• Group project covering statistical analysis and inferential statistics               30%
• Group project oral presentation                                                                      05%
• Average of Literature Reviews                                                                       20%

Grading Scale:

Please note that overall score (OS) for the course is determined by the following equation:

OS = 0.15 (Average of Computer and Homework Assignments score) + 0.30 (Midterm Exam score) + 0.30 (Group Statistical Project score) + 0.05 (Group Project Oral Presentation score) + 0.20 (Average of Literature Reviews score).

ACADEMIC POLICY REQUIREMENTS:

1. There are generally no makeup exams in this class for undocumented reason. In emergency situations, which needs to be properly documented (i.e. doctor or employer's excuse-note).  In general, students are expected to attend class and are responsible for any material discussed and/or assigned. With respect to make-up, the general policy is no make-up of missed work (including exams) is allowed, and no late work will be accepted. The only exceptions are: A prearranged situation (e.g., course field trips, athletic trips, etc.) and/or emergency illness, death in the family. etc., in this case, the instructor should be notified as soon as possible.  Please contact the instructor early if there are any problems or concerns.  There will be no exceptions to this policy.

2. There are no excused absences, late arrivals, or early departures, but I appreciate notice if you know you will be missing class, arriving late or departing early.

3. Cheating in any form will result in an automatic grade of F for the course. Frequent talking to neighbor in class will result in student being assigned a permanent seat away from a neighbor.

4. Students have responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in classes.  You are advised to review your official class schedule (using Web for Students) during the first two weeks of the semester to ensure you are properly enrolled in this class and section.  Should you find an error in your class schedule and if registration errors are not corrected by the proper date and you continue to attend and participate in classes for which you are not officially enrolled, you are advised now that you will not receive a grade at the conclusion of the semester for any class in which you are not properly registered.

5. During all examinations, you are allowed an 8.5” by 11” sheet (front and back) containing information of your choice.  The tests will consist of definitions, essays, and problems.  Examination will typically last the entire class period.

6. Students will need a calculator for all examinations. Your calculator must have a statistics mode to allow for the quick calculation of means, standard deviations and variances.

Academic Integrity:

We will follow the University Policy on Academic Integrity.  Academic honesty: Cheating means to misrepresent the source, nature, or other conditions of your academic work (e.g., tests, quizzes, papers, projects, homework assignments) so as to get undeserved credit. In addition, it is considered to cheating when one cooperates with someone else in any such misrepresentation.  The use of intellectual property of others without giving them appropriate credit is a serious academic offence. It is the University’s policy that cheating or plagiarism result in receiving a failing grade (0 points) for the work or course. Repeat offences may result in dismissal from the University.

Course Withdrawal Dates:

Fall 2014 course withdrawal deadline is Sunday, November 2, 2014.  For Fall and Spring semesters, the course withdrawal deadline is always the Sunday following the 10^th week of the semester.

Course Attendance Information:

Students have responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in classes. 

Enrollment/official registration:

Students have responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in classes.  You are advised to review your official class schedule (using Student Tools on FlashLine) during the first two weeks of the semester to ensure you are properly enrolled in this class and section.  Should you find an error in your class schedule, you have until Sunday, September 7, 2014 to correct the error.  If registration errors are not corrected by this date and you continue to attend and participate in classes for which you are not officially enrolled, you are advised now that you will not receive a grade at the conclusion of the semester for any class in which you are not properly registered.

Students with disabilities:

University policy 3342-3-01.3 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these accommodations through Student Accessibility Services (contact 330-672-3391 or visit http://www.kent.edu/sas/index.cfm for more information on registration procedures).

Graduation Application Deadlines:

If you are eligible to graduate, it is your responsibility to apply for graduation before the set deadline (May Graduation: Apply before September 15^th August Graduation: Apply before December 15^th December Graduation: Apply before March 15^th).  If you apply after the deadline you will be assessed a $200 late fee. Please see your academic advisor as soon as possible if you are uncertain as to your progress toward graduation.  To apply for graduation complete the following steps: Log onto your Flashline account (1) Click on the Student Tools tab (2) Look in the Graduation Planning Tool Box (3) Click on Application for Graduation.  If an error message appears, you must contact your advisor.

The graduation application deadlines are follows:

May Graduation: Apply before September 15^th

August Graduation: Apply before December 15^th

December Graduation: Apply before March 15^th

To apply for graduation complete the following steps:

Log onto your Flashline account

1.      Click on the Student Tools tab

2.      Look in the Graduation Planning Tool Box

3.      Click on Application for Graduation

**If an error message appears, you must contact your advisor.

OTHER POLICIES:

1.        Students attending the course who do not have the proper prerequisite risk being deregistered from the class.

2.        Students have the responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in the classes. You are advised to review your official class schedule during the first two weeks of the semester to ensure you are properly enrolled in this class and section. Should you find an error in your class schedule, you have until the date given in Schedule of Classes or the Registrar’s website to correct it with your advising office. If registration errors are not corrected by this date and you continue to attend and participate in the classes for which you are not officially enrolled, you are advised now that you will not receive a grade at the conclusion of the semester for any class in which you are not properly registered.

3.        Withdrawal before the deadline results in a “W” on the official transcript; after the deadline a grade must be calculated and reported. The deadline is given in the Schedule of Classes and on the Registrar’s website.

4.        Students with disabilities: In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required.

COURSE OUTLINE: