Syllabus

CJ/PSY/SOC 2302 – Statistics in the Behavioral Sciences

Spring 2008

 

 

 

Instructor:

Dr. Buxton Johnson

 

Office:

Room H204

 

Office Hours:

M F  2:00 – 5:00 PM

W Th  3:00 – 5:00 PM  

 

Phone:

852-3168

 

E-mail:

johnsonb@kwc.edu

 

 

 

 

PantherNet:

My Courses > CJ 2302 – Stats in the Behav Sciences

My Courses > PSY 2302 – Stats in the Behav Sciences

My Courses > SOC 2302 – Stats in the Behav Sciences

 

 

 

 

Description:

This course familiarizes the student with descriptive and inferential statistics.  Statistics will be studied within the context of research in criminal justice, education, psychology, and sociology.

 

 

 

 

Knowledge:

 

ุ     Develop a fundamental understanding of the various concepts encountered in the study of probability and statistics;

ุ     Understand the development of statistics from descriptive through inferential statistics;

 

 

 

 

Skills:

 

ุ     Perform and evaluate the validity of statistical studies, analyze collected statistical data using a variety of statistical techniques, develop summaries, make decisions, and suggest further action based on the results;

ุ     Learn to solve problems in probability and statistics.

 

 

 

 

Values:

 

ุ     Develop a sense of responsibility;

ุ     Develop an honest work ethic.

 

 

 

 

Content:

ุ     Collection, organization, summation, and presentation of statistical data;

ุ     Basic probability and probability distributions;

ุ     Normal distribution;

ุ     Central limit theorem;

ุ     Confidence intervals;

ุ     Hypothesis testing;

ุ     Analysis of variance;

ุ     Chi-Square.

 

 

 

 

Class Time:

M W F  11:00 – 11:50 AM   Room H208

 

 

 

 

Attendance:

Three (3) absences are allowed without affecting the student's grade.  Beyond this, each additional absence will result in a 20-point reduction unless the absence is excused through the Academic Dean’s office. 

 

Arriving late or leaving early is disruptive.  Each two times will count as one absence. 

 

 

 

 

Class Text:

Introductory Statistics For Criminal Justice And Criminology – Proctor and Badzinski

 

 

 

 

Class Schedule:

Ch 1/2/3 – Purpose of Statistics / Foundations of Research / Data Organization

Ch 4/5 – Measures of Central Tendency / Measures of Dispersion

Exam 1

Ch 6 – Probability Theory

Ch 7 – Sample Statistics to Population Parameters

Exam 2

Ch 8 – Statistical Analysis for a Population Mean: z Tests

Ch 10 – Statistical Analysis for Comparing Two Population Means: t Tests

Exam 3

Ch 11 – Statistical Analysis For Comparing Three Or More Population Means: ANOVA

Exam 4

Ch 9 – Statistical Analysis for Nominal & Ordinal Variables: Chi-Square

Final Exam

 

 

 

 

Exams:

Four exams and a cumulative final exam will be given during the semester.

 

 

 

 

Homework:

Homework will be assigned regularly to be due on a designated date.

 

 

 

 

Missed/Late Work:

Only excused exam absences can be made up for credit.

 

Only one late homework will be accepted for credit.

 

 

 

 

Grading:

Final grades will be based on the following:

 

Homework (8):

200 points

Exams (4):

480 points

Final Exam:

180 points

Total Possible:

860 points

 

Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

 

     A - 90% to 100%

     B - 80% to 89%

     C - 70% to 79%

     D - 60% to 69%

     F - less than 60%

 

 

 

 

Cheating:

The first time a student is found cheating, copying, etc., a zero will be given on the compromised work.  The second time will result in failure of the course.

 

 

 

 

Accommodations:

If you have a documented disability that may affect your performance in this class and you wish to request reasonable accommodations, please schedule an appointment with the instructor so that provisions can be made to assure you have equal opportunity to meet all the requirements of this course.

 

 

 

 

 

Send comments and questions to: johnsonb@kwc.edu
Last modified: 1-11-2008