MIS 24056 Spring 2010 Bhattacharyya

There will be 6 quizzes, 3 examinations, 1 project, and several learning assessments. 

All quizzes and examinations will be taken online, and are best taken using a standards-compliant web browser like Mozilla Firefox. Examinations and quizzes will consist of multiple choice, true or false, fill-in-the blanks, short-answer, matching, and calculation type questions. All online testing material can be found at the course web site on Vista WebCT, and can be taken from anywhere (home, work, school, BSA computer labs, in the airport, from a hammock sipping Mango juice, etc.) the student has access to the Web. All tests are open-book, open notes, but before taking any test, the student will be asked to indicate his/her agreement to an Academic Honesty Statement. This statement will certify that the student agrees to abide by university rules on cheating, and any failure to do so will result in a failing grade. Thus, for example, while you are allowed to use books and notes for the tests, it is cheating if you ask other students to help you while taking the tests. This statement is available online at your course website. Do this first before doing anything else.

Quizzes: There are 6 quizzes for this class. Each quiz is worth 10 points. The amount of time allotted for each quiz may vary, but will typically be around 25 minutes. You will have two attempts to take each quiz. The average result of the two attempts will be your score for that quiz. If you are happy with your first attempt, there is no need to take the second attempt.  Results for the quizzes will be known immediately. Only the best 5 quizzes will be considered for your grade. Thus, the maximum points from quizzes is 50.

Examinations: There will be 3 examinations. Each examination is worth 50 points. Each exam (including the final) will take approximately 75 minutes. All examinations are cumulative. You will have only one attempt to take each examination. Results for the examination will be known only after the examination closes for all students. From the first two examinations, Exams 1, and 2, only the best examination score will be considered. Exam 3 (Final Exam) is required for all students. Students will receive a score of 0 for any missed examination. Thus, the maximum score from examinations is 100.

Projects: The project will be assigned in class. This project will be done in groups, and will involve the student in all aspects of statistical data analysis. The project will be graded at each milestone, and the final score for the project for the group will be a cumulative total of the scores at each milestone. Individual student scores for the project will depend on the final project score for the group, and peer evaluation. The project is worth 50 points.

Assignments and Tests: As this class is built on data exploration, frequently, I shall make assessments of your learning. These assessments are built to help you further with your quizzes and exams. The frequency, time, and format of these questions will depend on the subject matter. You will require, in some cases, the use of a laptop to run statistical analysis, before you can answer these questions. As such, ensure that each group has a working laptop with JMP installed. Assignments and tests are worth a maximum of 50 points.

Attendance: While no attendance is taken, you are nevertheless  responsible for all content, including projects and assignments, presented in class. Any missed assessments cannot be made up.

Dates and Timings: Approximate test (quizzes, and examinations) dates are posted at your course website, and also given below. Tests can be taken at any time during which they are available. As a warning, please do not wait until the last minute to take your tests. As you must realize in dealing with technology, several things can and will go wrong. The only condition under which I will extend the due dates is if the Vista server goes down on the last available day. Any problems with your computer will not change the due date. As such, it is your responsibility to ensure that you complete the tasks in a timely fashion. You will get zero (0) points for all missed tests. Please ensure that your tests have been graded correctly, and notify the instructor immediately of any concerns. Specifically, you will have one week after the test scores are posted to notify the instructor of any errors. Projects will be assigned in class. Due dates for project milestones will also be specified in class.

Extra Credit: Periodically, you may be given additional homework / quizzes in class or online, each of which will count as extra credit towards your final grade. As missed quizzes / examinations cannot be made up, it is in your best interest to attend class regularly. Please check your electronic calendar regularly for any announcements about quizzes, etc.

Academic dishonesty: Cheating means to misrepresent the source, nature, or other conditions of your academic work (e.g., tests, papers, cases, online quizzes) so as to get undeserved credit. The use of the intellectual property of others without giving them appropriate credit is a serious academic offense. It is the University's policy that cheating or plagiarism result in receiving a failing grade for the work or course. Repeat offenses result in dismissal from the University. Students must indicate their acceptance to this policy before they are allowed to take any quiz or exam. As soon as you log into your Vista course website, please take the Academic Honesty Statement quiz first. You will not have access to any other quiz or exam until you do so.

Class Materials

JMP statistical software. This is required software. All students will be required to sign a statement agreeing to a charge of $12.50 that will debited from your bursar’s account for the cost of the software. As comparison, purchasing the software directly from SAS will cost several hundred dollars per student. This software can then be used in other classes until end of Spring 2010. As this software is required for in-class tests, projects, quizzes, and examinations, you will not get access or credit for any testing until you agree to the purchase of this software. Sign the statement first. I will bring the document indicating your agreement with this to class.