Course Syllabus
Contact information
Course details
Course description
Spatial statistics concerns the analysis of data with spatial structure, which arise in many fields: public health, ecology, meteorology, mining, and economics among others. This course covers visualization and statistical methods for spatial data and important considerations for analyzing these data sets. Lectures and problems sets will cover both theoretical explanations and derivations and analysis of real-world data sets. We will make extensive use of the open-source statistical software R.
Course prerequisites
Students should have introductory statistics and introductory computer programming. Familiarity with R is beneficial but no prior experience is assumed.
Course materials
Textbook
The primary textbook for this course is:
- O’Sullivan and Unwin (2010) Geographic Information Analysis. Wiley. OU Library Access
Students may also wish to consult these other textbooks, two of which are available online via OU libraries:
- Brunsdon and Comber (2015) An Introduction to R for Spatial Analysis and Mapping. Sage.
- Dalgaard (2008) Introductory Statistics with R. Springer. OU library Access
- Bivand, Pebesma, and Gomez-Rubio (2013) Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R. Springer. OU library Access
How to be successful in this course
I’ve taught this course since 2015. Along the way, I’ve had an opportunity to observe many successful students and the strategies they use to master the material. Based on my observations, here are a few suggestions about how to succeed in this course:
- First, please attend office hours if you have questions. The TA and I will be happy to answer any questions you have or to review material with you.
- Second, please start early on the problem sets. The TA and I are available to help during office hours and during live sessions, but these sessions are most useful if you come prepared with questions for us. If you can, please start the problem sets before office hours so that you can ask questions when we meet.
- Finally, please participate in the online discussion forum. If you have a question, chances are that other students have the same question. Interactions with your fellow students are an important part of learning together.
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Grading description and percentage | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly problem sets | 15 problem sets, 10 points each | 150 |
| Final project | Final project and paper | 50 |
| Total | 200 | |
Grading scale
Final grades will be assigned using a traditional grading scheme of A is 100 - 90%, B is 89 - 80%, C is 79 - 70%, D is 69 - 60%, and F is 60% and below.
Course components
Weekly problem sets
There will be approximately fifteen problem sets assigned throughout the semester. You are encouraged to work in groups but must write your own answers, ensuring that the R code and computer output you submit is your own. Students submitting identical computer code and assignment reports will both receive a zero. Problem sets will occasionally have additional questions.
Final project
Students must complete a final project, which will consist of a detailed analysis of a spatial data set of their own choosing and a written report in the format of a scientific paper. You are encouraged to choose a data set relevant to your own research interests, which could be your own thesis/dissertation data. Final projects must be done individually.
A one-page project proposal is due October 8. During the final exam period, each graduate student will give a PowerPoint presentation highlighting their project. A final report in the format of a ~2500 word scientific paper is due at the end of the final exam period.
Course policies
Communication
Students are encouraged to email me (neeson@ou.edu) or the Teaching Assistant, Kevin Neal (nealkevin@ou.edu) with any questions about the course content or assessment. Our policy is to respond within 24 hours during weekdays.
The teaching assistant will aim to grade all problem set assignments within 7 days. Grades will be posted promptly.
Late policy
Late assignments will be marked down 5% per day past the due date.
University academic policies and student support
Course catalog
Search the OU Course Catalog.
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 Graduate 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 Graduate 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.
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 Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|