Sociology 201 – Introductory Statistics for Social Sciences

California State University San Marcos

Professor:  Donna Goyer

Office Hours: By appointment only

Email: dgoyer@csusm.edu to set up an appointment

Required Texts: 

Adventures In Social Research-W/2 CDS (SPSS), Earl BABBIE (6^th ed.)
Elementary Statistics, Levin and Fox (10^th ed)

 
Due to the devastating effects of current budget crisis in California, I have been furloughed nine days each semester of this academic year, 
representing a 9.23% reduction in both workload and compensation. A furlough is an unpaid day off on a faculty member's regularly-scheduled
workday. In order to satisfy legal and ethical requirements of the California Labor Code, I am required to submit formal certification that I
will not work on my furlough days. I am prohibited from teaching, conducting scholarly research, consulting with students, responding to
email or voicemail, providing assignment feedback, or participating in any CSU work-related activities on my furlough days. Furlough dates vary by
professor; my Fall Semester furlough dates are August 28th, September 18th & 22nd, October 16th & 21st, November 24th &25th, December 1st & 9th.
 
The CSU faculty agreed to take furlough days in order to preserve jobs for as many CSU employees as possible, and to serve as many students as
possible, in the current budget crisis. The agreement that governs faculty furloughs acknowledges that "cuts of this magnitude will naturally have
consequences for the quality of education that we can provide." Within the furlough context, I will make every effort to support your educational
experience at CSUSM. Visit CSUSM Budget Central [http://www.csusm.edu/budgetcentral/] to learn about the state budget
crisis and how it impacts your educational opportunities. To avoid the continued loss of higher education availability in California, exercise
your right to voice an opinion. Contact information for state legislators and the governor are provided at Budget Central.

Learning Objectives:  Through this introductory course, students are expected to gain a basic understanding of statistics and social science research methods. By the end of the course, students are expected to have gained the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct basic statistical tests and primary data analysis.   

Course Description: The course is designed to give students a basic understanding of descriptive and inferential statistics. Emphasis is placed on practical application. The student will learn to analyze and interpret basic statistical research and to use computer software to create their own statistical tables and charts. Since the class emphasizes practical application, part of the class time will be spent working on the computer. Students are encouraged to work in groups of two or three for the in-class computer exercises and to create outside study groups.

Preparation for Class: Students need to be proficient using computers and have a good working knowledge of mathematics (fractions, decimals, equations, etc.) in order to successfully complete the course. No statistical software experience is expected. Students may use a pocket calculator for homework and exams. Students need to provide their own disks to save their data files and homework assignments. Class/lab attendance is vital to your success.

Classroom Decorum:  All students are expected to arrive to class on time, not to disrupt the class and to treat each other with the utmost respect.  Disruptive behaviors that interfere with the instructor's ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to learn will not be tolerated.   Examples may include routinely entering class late or departing early; carrying on running conversations not related to classroom discussions; using beepers, cellular telephones or other electronics (including computers) during class, arguing with the professor or other class members during class.  If extraordinary circumstances exist where a student must carry a beeper/cell phone to class, prior approval of the instructor will be required.  DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS WILL LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN THE STUDENTS COURSE GRADE FOR PARTICPATION AND POSSIBLE EXPULSION (See the student code of conduct in the university catalogue for additional information and the university policy on plagiarism/cheating). 

Special accommodations: Students with disabilities who require academic accommodations must be approved for services by providing appropriate and recent documentation to the Office of Disabled Student Services (DSS). This office is located in Craven Hall 5205, and can be contacted by phone at (760) 750-4905, or TDD (760) 750-4909. Students authorized by DSS to receive accommodations should meet with me during my office hours or in a more private setting in order to ensure your confidentiality.

Assessment/Grading:

1st Mid-term Exam 25%

2nd Mid-term Exam 25%

Final Exam 25%

Lab participation 10%

Paper 15%

Total 100%

Late Assignments and Make-up Exams: Written assignments or homework that is turned in after the due date will be graded 50% lower than those turned in on time. Makeup exams will NOT be given except in the case of an emergency (supporting documents will be required).

Paper Assignment: One survey research paper will be due on the date of your final exam. The research paper should demonstrate your understanding of statistical concepts as applied to social research. The research paper should be 3-5 pages (double spaced typed) in which you demonstrate your ability to analyze variables from a data file, present and interpret a table and a graph. The assigned survey data file(s) and further information will be described and discussed during the lab. You are responsible for making sure that you understand the paper requirements and that you adhere to the grading criteria as discussed in class.

Course Schedule: (note: subject to change in order to accommodate learning outcomes)

Date:	Learning Objectives:	Assignments::
Sept 2nd	Course introduction: statistical concepts, variables, data and data measurement issues.	Levin Chapter 1 Babbie Chapter 1
Sept 9th	Percentages and Frequency Distributions, Exploring GSS data using SPSS. Summarizing data. Understanding tables and graphs. Survey Assignment.	Levin Chapter 2 Babbie Chapter 2 Homework as assigned
Sept 16th	Measures of Central Tendency: Exploring the mean, median and mode. Computer applications - creating and understanding crosstabs using SPSS. Survey Assignment.	Levin Chapter 3 Babbie Chapter 3 Homework as assigned
Sept 23rd	Lab – Survey Research Project and Paper Guidelines Data Collection	Levin Chapter 3 & 4 Babbie Chapters 4, 5 & 6 Homework as assigned
Sept 30th	Measures of Dispersion	Levin Chapter 4 Homework as assigned Review for Exam 1
Oct 7th	Exam	Levin Chapter 4 Babbie Chapters 7, 9 & 20 Exam 1
Oct 14th	Probability and the Normal Curve	Levin Chapter 5 Babbie Chapters 7 & 8, 9 &10 Homework as assigned
Oct 21st	Furlough Day-Library assignment	Levin Chapter 6 Homework as assigned Babbie Chapters 11 &12
Oct 28th	Inferential Statistics /Samples and Population Testing Differences Between Means Lab/Research Paper	Levin Chapters 6 & 7 Babbie Chapters 11 &12
Nov 4th	Hypothesis Testing/Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Review for Exam 2	Levin Chapters 7, 8 & 9 Babbie Chapters 13-15
Nov 11^th	Veteran’s Day – Campus Closed
Nov 18th	Statistical Inference and ANOVA Exam	Levin Chapter 8 & 9 Homework as assigned Exam #2
Nov 25th	Furlough Day-Library assignment
Dec 2nd	Correlation Multivariate Analysis Computer lab- open for paper discussion/analysis. Final Exam Review	Levin Chapter 10 Babbie Chapters 16 & 17 Homework as assigned
Dec 9th	Furlough Day-Library assignment	Levin Chapter 10 Babbie Chapters 16 & 17
Dec 14^th – 19th	Link to the final exam schedule: http://www2.csusm.edu/academic_programs/Final%20Exam%20Schedules/final_exam_f09.pdf Our final exam is scheduled from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on December 16th	Paper due! Students who wish to have their paper returned to them must provide a self addressed stamped envelope.