Economics 235                                                                                                        Course Syllabus  

 

Spring 2012                                                                                                Professor: Andrew Healy    

Classroom: University Hall                                                                       e-mail: ahealy@lmu.edu

Class Hours: TTh 10:50-12:05

Office: University Hall 4229                    

Office Hours: T 10:00-10:40, 1:35-2:45 and at other announced times

 

 

Course webpage: http://myweb.lmu.edu/ahealy/econ230.htm

            You should check the course webpage every day that there is class.

 

 

Prerequisite: Students should have completed their core math sequence since a small amount

of differential and integral calculus will be used in Econ 235.

 

 

Calculator: You should bring either a scientific or graphic calculator to each class.

 

 

Textbook: Mann, Prem S.  Introductory Statistics, 7th edition.  Wiley, 2007. 

The textbook is available in the bookstore.  You may be able to save yourself some

money by buying the textbook online, but make sure to see the note on clickers below.

 

 

Clickers: We will be using clicker technology in this class.  Starting with the second class, each student must bring a clicker to each class.  Your clicker will make it possible for you to answer questions that I ask during class.  Just as attendance is required, it is also required that you bring your clicker and calculator with you to each class.

 

The clickers that we will be using are the radio frequency clickers produced by Interwrite.  I have worked with the bookstore to order as many used books and clickers as possible.  You should save a considerable amount of money by buying a used textbook and used clicker, so make sure to go to the bookstore early if you want to buy a used book and/or used clicker. There are also clicker-textbook packages available at the bookstore.  Buying the clicker-textbook package will be cheaper than buying a new textbook and clicker separately.  You are advised to buy your clicker from the bookstore since you need to have the specific clicker sold there.

 

You are also welcome to purchase your textbook online.  If you choose to purchase your book online, you must order it early enough so that it arrives before our first class.  You will also still need to purchase a clicker if you buy the book online.

 

 

General Course Outline

 

   Part 1   Introduction, organizing and graphing data, descriptive statistics, probability

                Chapters: 1-4

 

   Part 2   Probability distributions: discrete and random variables, sampling distributions,

confidence intervals for means

                Chapters: 5-8     

 

 Part 3   Hypothesis testing, chi-squared tests, linear regression

                Chapters: 9-11, 13

 

 

Grading

 

In this course, there will be a course project (that consists of seven labs) and three exams.  Your grade will be determined as follows:

 

Class participation: 5%

Test 1:  20%

Test 2:  20%

Test 3:  30%

Course Project / Other graded assignments: 25%

 

Your class participation grade will reflect class attendance (including promptness and having your clicker and calculator during each class) and contributions to class discussions.   Also, if you do well at answering the clicker questions, you can earn additional points that will help your grade.  However, you will not lose points by answering the clicker questions incorrectly.  Moral of the story: You do not need to stress out about how the clicker questions will affect your grade; they can only help your grade.  I use the clicker questions primarily so I can know what you are and are not understanding.

 

A.  Course Project:

There is a semester-long project in this course that consists of seven laboratory exercises which provide hands-on experience with collecting and analyzing data.  These labs must be handed in on time in a folder so that all prior labs are submitted with each new lab.  You will lose two points (out of 10) for each day that a lab is late, so it is in your best interest to hand in all of your labs on time.  You will receive an overall grade based on how well you do on all the assignments.

 

B.  Tests:

All of the tests are comprehensive.  Tests must be taken at the scheduled time unless extraordinary circumstances occur and written verification confirms those circumstances. 

 

Test 3 (also known as the final exam) will be held on Tuesday (May 1) from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

 

C.  Readings:

All readings for the course will be written on the board at the beginning of class.  If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the assignment from another student in the class.  Make sure that you know at least two students in the class who can help you in this regard.

 

I will also assign homework problems each week that you should do to make sure you understand the material.  The solutions to these problems will be posted on the course webpage in the Readings and Assignments section. 

 

 

Grading scale:

 

The grade scale for this class will be:

94-100: A  /  90-93: A-  /  87-89: B+  /  83-86: B /  80-82: B-  / 

  77-79: C+  /  73-76: C  /  70-72: C-  /  60-69: D  /  Below 60: F

 

 

Classroom Conduct Reminder: In order to provide the best learning environment possible for everyone, cell phones, iPods, etc., must be completely turned off and put away at all times during class.

Also, LMU’s policies on academic honesty are in effect at all times.

 

 

Using the computer: You will learn to do statistical analysis using Microsoft Excel.  Some of your homework assignments will require you to use Excel.  Microsoft Excel is on all computers in all computer labs throughout the university.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2012

M=Monday, T=Tuesday, W=Wednesday, R=Thursday, F=Friday, S=Saturday, U=Sunday

This Academic Calendar represents the University's best judgment and projection of the course of conduct of the University. It is subject to change due to forces beyond the University's control or as deemed necessary by the University in order to fulfill its educational objectives.
 

 

Jan 9                    

M

Classes begin

Jan 13

F                          

Last day to file application to participate in May Commencement

Jan 13

F

Last Day to add or drop a class without a grade of W

Jan 16

M

No Classes - Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

Jan 27

F

Last day for undergraduates to finish coursework for Fall grades of Incomplete

Feb 10

F

Last day for instructors to submit grades for undergraduates with Fall grades of Incomplete

Feb 24

F

Last day to submit mid-term deficiency grades

Feb 27-Mar 2

M-F.

No Classes - Spring Break

Mar 16

F

Last day to withdraw from classes or apply for Credit/No Credit grading

Apr 4-6

W-F

No Classes - Easter

Apr 9

M

Registration for Fall semester begins

Apr 16

M

Deadline for Dissertation Defense

April 27

F

Last day of classes

Apr 28-29

S-U      

Reading Days

Apr 30-May 4

M-F

Final Examinations

May 5-6

S-U

Commencement Weekend

May 9

W

Last day for instructors to submit final grades