Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Communication
To communicate with me, students may use my email (tabrizy@ou.edu) using their OU email address. I will get back to them in less than 36 hours.
Course Overview
This is a graduate-level course on applied statistics. In this course, we survey three topics:
- Description (using observed distributions, their central tendency, and dispersion)
- Probability and Sampling Distributions (with emphasis on Gaussian Distribution and its application in Sampling Distribution of Means)
- Multivariate Regression Analyses (using Ordinary Least Squares Method)
Emphasizing on applied aspects of the aforementioned topics, students are introduced to the existing tools in MS Excel and R. Students performance are assessed using an array of in-class activities, assignments (including students’ peer review), and exams, most of which are exclusively focused on applied aspects.
Course Prerequisites
Graduate standing and departmental permission.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment: Statistics
By the end of this course, students are expected to know how to:
- Describe observed variations in categorical variables using summary and contingency tables
- Describe observed variations using summary statistics
- Visualize observed variations using histograms
- Be able to distinguish between observed vs. probability distribution
- Compute and interpret central tendency and dispersion of a given probability distribution
- Make use of Gaussian Distribution to compute varying probabilities
- Be able to distinguish between probability vs. sampling distribution
- Make use of Gaussian Distribution to study the Sampling Distribution of Means
- Be able to distinguish between sample statistics vs. population parameters
- Conduct confidence interval estimation
- Be able to employ population regression function to estimate conditional correlations
- Conduct parameter estimation using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Method in bivariate and multivariate regression models
- Conduct inference using confidence interval estimation derived from OLS estimations
- Be able to understand the basics of time series analysis including Moving Average, Auto Regressions, and ARMA models
To assess students’ performance regarding the above learning outcomes, this course relies on an array of in-class activities, assignments, and exams.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment: Intellectual Virtues
Beyond the learning outcomes that directly relate to the contents of this course, students are expected to internalize and articulate two vital intellectual virtues:
- Love of learning
- Curiosity
This course offers an advanced survey of the basics of description and inference. Yet, it encourages students (and provides them with programming tools in R) to continue with their learnings beyond the scope of this course. This requires internalizing a love for learning about advanced quantitative methods and a curiosity about the existing tools that could be useful in employing those methods in real life. To assess students’ performance regarding the above learning outcomes, this course relies on in-class interactions (as part of in-class activities) and students peer review and interactions (as part of the assignments).
Grades Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Your midterm and final exams include applied data analysis. Your exams are take-home and open-resource. They will be posted on Canvas, and they will also be submitted on Canvas. | 60% |
| Assignments |
You will be asked to submit 4 assignments.
|
25% |
| In-class Activities | There are a number of in-class activities that contribute to 15% of your final grade. Like exams and assignments, these activities will also be posted and submitted on Canvas. They will, mostly, be done in class in an interactive environment, cultivating the love of earning and curiosity. | 15% |
| Total | 100% |
Grade Scale
The sum of your exams, assignments, and in-class activities grades will determine your final letter grade on a scale where 90 or above is an A and less than 60 is an F. Tests won’t be curved, needs based appeals won’t be entertained, and grades will be determined in strict accordance with the above policy. Even if you end up with, say, 89.99999, you earn a grade of B.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Primary textbook: Introductory Econometrics for Finance (4th Ed.) by Chris Brooks, PhD
Published by Cambridge University Press, May 2019 (ISBN: 9781108436823)
Secondary textbook: Introductory Business Statistics by Alexander Holmes, PhD, Barbara Illowsky, PhD, and Susan Dean, PhD. Free Openstax Book: https://openstax.org/details/books/introductory-business-statistics
Software
MS Excel and MS Word (Office 365)
Note: The Data Analysis ToolPak must be added to Excel. Here is the instruction: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/load-the-analysis-toolpak-in-excel-6a63e598-cd6d-42e3-9317-6b40ba1a66b4
R Studio Desktop Open Source Edition
Note: This software is freely available, and it can be downloaded from: https://www.rstudio.com/products/rstudio/
Course Components
Required Readings: The primary and secondary textbooks introduce some of the important introductory concepts, followed by key topics in description and inference. They also include an introduction to regression analysis (including OLS method) and time-series. Certain readings will be assigned from the primary textbook. They should all be done before the next class meeting.
Assignments: In the assignments, students put what they learn in their readings and lectures into practice. The assignments include data work, which must be done using MS Excel and reported using MS Word.
In-class Activities: In-class quizzes are designed as in-class learning tools. They are based on required readings and the concepts that are discussed in class. They usually include data work, computation, or estimation. And they are usually discussed in class.
Exams: The midterm and final exams include multiple questions that require data work. In terms of their structure, they are similar to assignments and in-class quizzes.
Late Policy: No assignments, in-class activities, or exams could be submitted later than their due-dates unless there are well-documented justifications (e.g., health reasons). Under exceptional circumstances, late or revised work will be accepted and receive 67% of credits.
Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change)
| Week | Topics | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 |
|
In-class activities are due before our 2nd meeting. The first assignment is due before our 3rd meeting. |
| Week 2 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before our 3rd meeting. The first assignment is also due before our 3rd meeting. |
| Week 3 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before our 4th meeting. The second assignment is due before our 5th meeting. |
| Week 4 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before our 5th meeting. The second assignment is also due before our 5th meeting. |
| Week 5 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before our 6th meeting. The third assignment is due before our 7th meeting. |
| Week 6 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before our 7th meeting. The third assignment is also due before our 7th meeting. |
| Week 7 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before our 8th meeting. The last assignment, which is shorter than previous assignments, is due before the last day of this course. |
| Week 8 |
|
In-class activities must be submitted before the last day of this course. The last assignment is also due before the last day of this course. |
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Land Acknowledgement
Long before the University of Oklahoma was established, the land on which the University now resides was the traditional home of the “Hasinais” Caddo Nation and “Kirikirʔi:s” Wichita & Affiliated Tribes.
We acknowledge this territory once also served as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Osage nations. Today, 39 tribal nations dwell in the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate Native people.
The University of Oklahoma recognizes the historical connection our university has with its indigenous community. We acknowledge, honor and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this land. We fully recognize, support and advocate for the sovereign rights of all of Oklahoma’s 39 tribal nations. This acknowledgment is aligned with our university’s core value of creating a diverse and inclusive community. It is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture and history that make up our entire OU Community.
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.
Copyright Statement
Sessions of this course may be recorded or live-streamed. These recordings are the intellectual property of the individual faculty member and may not be shared or reproduced without the explicit, written consent of the faculty member. In addition, privacy rights of others such as students, guest lecturers, and providers of copyrighted material displayed in the recording may be of concern. Students may not share any course recordings with individuals not enrolled in the class or upload them to any other online environment.
Academic Integrity
As a member of the OU community, it is your responsibility to protect your educational investment by knowing and following the rules. 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.
Academic honesty is incredibly important within this course. Cheating is strictly prohibited at the University of Oklahoma, because it devalues the degree you are working hard to get. Should you know of someone else engaging in academic misconduct, please report it to your instructor or directly to the Office of Academic Integrity. Your instructor has a professional obligation to report 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.
Religious Observance
It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from religious observances and to reschedule examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays, without penalty. [See Faculty Handbook 3.15.2].
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is committed to supporting students with disabilities to ensure that they are able to enjoy equal access to all components of their education. This includes your academics, housing, and community events.
If you are experiencing a disability, a mental/medical health condition that has a significant impact on one or more life functions, you can receive accommodations to provide equal access. Possible disabilities include but are not limited to learning disabilities, AD(H)D, mental health, and chronic health. Additionally, we support students with temporary medical conditions (broken wrist, shoulder surgery, etc.) and pregnancy.
To discuss potential accommodations, please contact the ADRC at 730 College Avenue, (phone) 405-325-3852, or adrc@ou.edu.
Title IX Resources
Anyone who has been impacted by gender-based violence, including dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and sexual assault, deserves access to resources so that they are supported personally and academically.
The University of Oklahoma is committed to offering resources to those impacted, including: speaking with someone confidentially about your options, medical attention, counseling, reporting, academic support, and safety plans. If you would like to speak with someone confidentially, please contact OU Advocates (available 24/7 at 405-615-0013) or another confidential resource (see "Can I make an anonymous report?").
You may also choose to report gender-based violence and discrimination through other means, including by contacting the Institutional Equity Office (ieo@ou.edu, 405-325-3546) or the police (911).
Because the University of Oklahoma is committed to the safety of you and other students, I, as well as other faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Assistants, are mandatory reporters. This means that we are obligated to report gender-based violence that has been disclosed to us to the Institutional Equity Office. This includes disclosures that occur in class discussions, writing assignments, discussion boards, emails, and during Student/Office Hours.
For more information, please visit the Institutional Equity Office.
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.
Mental Health Support Services
If you are experiencing any mental health issues that are impacting your academic performance, counseling is available at the University Counseling Center (UCC). The Center is located on the second floor of the Goddard Health Center, at 620 Elm Rm. 201, Norman, OK 73019. To schedule an appointment, call 405-325-2911. For more information, please visit the University Counseling Center.
Final Exam Preparation Period
Pre-finals week will be defined as the seven calendar days before the first day of finals. Faculty may cover new course material throughout this week. For specific provisions of the policy please refer to OU's Final Exam Preparation Period policy.
Required Policies for Students On Campus
Emergency Protocol
During an emergency, there are official university procedures that will maximize your safety.
Severe Weather: If you receive an OU Alert to seek refuge or hear a tornado siren that signals severe weather:
- Look for severe weather refuge location maps located inside most OU buildings near the entrances
- Seek refuge inside a building. Do not leave one building to seek shelter in another building that you deem safer. If outside, get into the nearest building.
- Go to the building’s severe weather refuge location. If you do not know where that is, go to the lowest level possible and seek refuge in an innermost room. Avoid outside doors and windows.
- Get in, Get Down, Cover Up.
- Wait for official notice to resume normal activities.
Additional Weather Safety Information is available through the Department of Campus Safety.
Severe Weather Preparedness Video
Armed Subject/Campus Intruder
If you receive an OU Alert to shelter-in-place due to an active shooter or armed intruder situation or you hear what you perceive to be gunshots:
- Avoid: If you believe you can get out of the area without encountering the armed individual, move quickly towards the nearest building exit, move away from the building, and call 911.
- Deny: If you cannot flee, move to an area that can be locked or barricaded, turn off lights, silence devices, spread out, and formulate a plan of attack if the shooter enters the room.
- Defend: As a last resort fight to defend yourself. For more information, visit:
OU's Emergency Preparedness site
Shots Fire on Campus Procedure
Fire Alarm/General Emergency
If you receive an OU Alert that there is danger inside or near the building, or the fire alarm inside the building activates:
- Leave the building. Do not use the elevators.
- Know at least two building exits
- Assist those that may need help
- Proceed to the emergency assembly area
- Once safely outside, Notify first responders of anyone that may still be inside the building due to mobility issues.
- Wait for official notice before attempting to re-enter the building.
OU Fire Safety on Campus Video