Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Details
This course is for students completing the online master’s in Applied Statistics degree. The course will teach students how to collaborate and communicate effectively with non-statisticians to answer their subject matter questions. This course will provide a culminating research experience for master's students in the online Applied Statistics program. The course will discuss how to appropriately and effectively communicate with non-statisticians using many real-world examples. Students will gain hands-on experience by completing a semester-long project with a written report of the results. The course will emphasize the synthesis of skills taught in all prior courses in the program: technical skills, creative thinking, effective writing, and scientific communication.
Course Delivery
Multi-modal: This course will be a combination of online synchronous meetings and asynchronous instruction and work. However, synchronous meetings are optional to attend in real-time; you may choose to watch the recordings after the Live Sessions instead of attending if needed.
Course Prerequisites
Satisfactory completion of prior MA program courses on statistical programming, data management, and intermediate and advanced applied statistical methods.
Course Materials
Cabrera, J. & McDougall, A. (2002). Statistical consulting. Springer-Verlag. (ISBN 0-387-98863-7)
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
- Statistical Knowledge: Explain and apply statistical concepts, theory, practice, and technology to solve problems and inform decision-making.
- Modeling and Computation: Perform modeling and computations, and develop and implement techniques to gain insight into a given problem or question.
- Data Management: Design, implement, and operate data management systems for real-world projects.
Data Analytics: Collect, clean/process, manipulate, interpret, and use data for decision making and other applications. - Communication and Consultation: Design products/studies and communicate findings clearly in written, verbal, and visual form to a variety of audiences, from specialists in the field to non-specialists.
- Ethics: Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues that arise in data science and articulate ethical considerations for conducting data analysis.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
The activities, content, and assignments in this course will guide your learning process to ensure you can:
- Verbally explain statistical concepts in language accessible to a non-expert client
- Clearly communicate statistical analyses in writing and orally
- Support clear communication using effective tables, plots, and slides
- Successfully navigate a statistical collaboration with a mock client by setting appropriate expectations, writing a proposal, asking good questions, and restating answers to ensure understanding
- Identify the client’s subject matter questions and translate them into statistical language.
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A | Verbally explain statistical concepts in language accessible to a non-expert client | 4 |
| B | Clearly communicate statistical analyses in writing and orally | 1,2,4 |
| C | Support clear communication using effective tables, plots, and slides | 3,4 |
| D | Successfully navigate a statistical collaboration with a mock client by setting appropriate expectations, writing a proposal, asking good questions, and restating answers to ensure understanding | 4,5 |
| E | Identify the client’s subject matter questions and translate them into statistical language. | 1,4 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Points/Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | 20% | |
| Reports | 20% | |
| Case Studies | Two case studies will be completed. | 20% |
| Final Project | 40% | |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Readings
In the first part of the semester, students will read the designated chapters/sections from the textbook. These readings will help students become familiar with key topics. At the end of the week, there will be a quiz related to the reading material. The following week, students will work on an assignment that applies concepts from the readings.
Bi-weekly Zoom Meetings
On even weeks, there will be a Zoom meeting held on Monday. These meetings are designed for discussions related to the material, quizzes, assignments, and applications of the topics covered in the previous period.
Case Studies
There will be two case studies in the middle of the semester. These case studies are designed to help students apply the concepts they have learned from the readings and prepare them for the final project.
Final Project
The final project will showcase what students have learned during the semester through a hands-on application. It replicates a real-life consulting project, involving an initial meeting with a client, preparation for the meeting, creation of an initial report, and preparation of a final report for the client.
Course Policies
Communication
I will use the Canvas website and the e-mail in order to send you information such as readings, homework assignments, or to post files and grades online. Please use your OU email account when you would like to send me an email. I will not reply to any email that comes from other email accounts, such as Yahoo, Gmail, etc.
Each time you write me an email, I would recommend that you write the course number in the subject of the email so your email will be moved to this course folder in my email inbox.
Unless there are emergencies, I will reply to your emails within 48 business hours. If you do not receive a reply after this time, feel free to send me a reminder.
Feedback
Unless there are emergencies, you should expect a one-week turnaround on most assignments.
Late Policy
I will assign quizzes, reports, case studies, and a final project during the entire semester. Please pay attention and check the Canvas website for posted assignments. Assignments need to be turned in on time. If you have problems or anticipate problems when an assignment is due, make sure you submit it early. If you have an out of your control situation (such as a car accident) that prevents you from turning in the assignment on time, you need to bring me strong documentation of your situation, and I can extend the deadline based on your situation. You need to let me know about your situation as soon as possible. If you miss the deadline and you do not have an out of your control situation, you have 48 hours to submit your assignment. In this case, you will lose 25% of the points allocated for that homework.
Plagiarism
There is 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.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|