Course Syllabus

Contact Information

Dr. Jennifer Ross

Coordinator of Public & Community Health Programs, Norman

Public & Community Health

Office Hours: Tuesday, Wed, Fri at 2pm, other times available by appointment.

Phone: (405) 325-2528

Email: JenRoss@ou.edu

 

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Course Details

For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.

Course Prerequisites 

 ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213; PHCH 2013 Intro to Public & Community Health

This course introduces students to the role of data and statistics in public health. The readings and assignments in this course are designed to strengthen students’ ability to understand and utilize existing data and statistical research, as well as introducing the foundational skills necessary in data collection, data management, statistical analysis, reporting, and data visualization. This course will also give students the opportunity to learn about the CDC, their data collection and reporting efforts, and introduce students to their statistical software, Epi-Info. As this is an introductory course for biostatistics, students are not expected to have previous training in statistics, but prior coursework in statistics or mathematics may be useful.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course the student should be able to:

• Articulate the role of data and statistics in the field of public health;
• Demonstrate increased understanding of the public health terminology and quantitative concepts that are common in existing research and reports that draw on quantitative data and statistical analysis;
• Independently locate, manage, and summarize existing quantitative data on public and community health;
• Understand the implications of variations in research design and statistical analysis;
• Contribute to data collection, analysis, and reporting efforts;
• Create reports that include strong data visualization components.

Course Materials

• Lisa M. Sullivan. Essentials of Biostatistics in Public Health. 3^rd Edition. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• MS Excel
• R (https://www.r-project.org/ free powerful statistics software)
• Epi Info (free CDC run statistics software for Windows, but not for Apple or mobile) https://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/index.html
• Other materials posted on Canvas.

 

Grade

 

Expectations

Participation and Attendance: The assigned readings and other supplemental materials are provided for each week of class. Watching course lectures, working with your group, and seeking help when needed in this course is expected for those who wish to be successful in the class. . Readings and assignments will always be posted on the CANVAS course site. If you do not see something, contact me immediately.

This course is asynchronous, and that can mess with you, if you let it.  Please set aside time each week, preferably a normal course time, at the same time, every week.  This will keep you on track.  Do not fall behind and expect to learn or be successful.

 

GRADING

1. Weekly Assignments (10 of 12) 30%
2. Project (group) 
   1. part I summary statistics and infographic - 15%
   2. part II hypothesis testing and distributions - 20%
   3. part III regression and ANOVA - 15%
3. Project final report (group) 20%

 

This course will use the traditional letter grade option without the use of pluses or minuses. Therefore, final grades will consist of the following: A, B, C, D, F. Grades will be calculated based on the standard formula (90-100% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D; 59% and below = F). Grades will be rounded like Excel does (An 89.4999 is a B, while an 89.50000 is an A).  

 

Weekly Assignments: This course covers a wide range of material, much of which may be unfamiliar. Weekly assignments are designed to improve comprehension through the application of the materials discussed in class and in the readings. These weekly assignments will vary in their scope, with some focusing on statistical concepts and others focusing on case studies and policy issues. Weekly assignments are due on Sunday at midnight (11:59 pm), as listed on the Canvas page.  Once the rubric is posted, assignments will not be taken, however; the 2 lowest assignment grades will be dropped. this allows you room to be sick or to just have a couple of bad days, but be careful- the earlier assignments tend to be easier.

 

Project: Students will work in groups on projects that will require teams to use health data and statistics in a real-world application. The materials and specifics of these projects will be discussed in videos and details in canvas. I will assign your groups and expect you to work together like public health professionals.  The project will be broken into 3 parts, and these parts will take the place of your tests. Students  will be able to turn in a written report on the project (after having each part graded to fix any issues) as their final exam. Do not wait until that part is due or you will suffer. 

Projects will be placed into 4 portions (one per student in the group) for each part.  Each student will be responsible for their portion.  The grades will be based on 40% for the whole group part, and 60% for your individual part, in this fashion if one of you does not do your part, your partners can still get an A without bailing you out, and people who take great care with their portion will do better than those who just slide by. I will not settle disputes, change your group, or let you drop someone, so please employ professional behavior and leadership skills. 

Course Policies

Communication

Please email for help or with questions. In the first week of class i will try to set reasonable office hours for students.  i will also set up discussion threads for assignments and projects. Please use my office hours, they are for you, not me, and i tend to be more lenient to those who i can tell are trying, and not waiting until the end of the semester or right before a project is due for help.  Since this is fully online, you have to make an effort to show me you are working. I also expect you to communicate with your group members.

Late Policy

Late homework should not happen.  You have plenty of time if you plan.  if you have a good reason-university approved or acceptable to me we can discuss it, but you will need an alternate assignment. You have 2 built in grace assignments, more will require extraordinary circumstances.

If you are sick enough to miss a project deadline I will need paperwork.  You have time and people counting on you.

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University Academic Policies and Student Support

Course Catalog 

Search the OU Course Catalogue.

Student Handbook

Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.

Online Library

Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.

Academic Misconduct

In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Student Handbook. 

It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.

This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.

Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism. 

For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.

Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.

If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Student Handbook or get in touch with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center.

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability.  Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.

Title IX Resources  

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates at 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident. 

Religious Holidays

It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.

Copyright Policy

It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.

Registration and Withdrawal

If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.

 

OU Attendance 

 

A temporary university policy has been established to protect the OU community by ensuring that students who are ill or required to isolate feel encouraged to remain at home. Missing a class session or other class activity due to illness or isolation will not result in a penalty for the absence, and the student will not be asked to provide formal documentation from a healthcare provider to excuse the absence. This policy is based on all students and faculty adhering to the principles of integrity, honesty, and concern for others.

Students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle pain, headache, chills, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea or who have been in close contact with others who have symptoms should:

• Remain at home to protect others
• Ensure that any needed screening has been conducted (COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool) and any needed treatment obtained
• Contact the instructor prior to absence or inability to participate, if possible, and provide an honest report of the reason for which you cannot attend class or complete a course activity
• Continue to complete coursework to the extent possible, using Canvas, zoom, and other online tools
• Submit assignments electronically to the extent possible and as directed by the instructor
• Communicate with the instructor to arrange modifications to deadlines or work requirements or reschedule exams or other important course activities, when it is necessary

Student Grievances

In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.