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Introduction to Statistical Methods in the Social Sciences
Stats M12, Anthro M80, Geog M40, Soc M18

Instructor: Robert Gould
206-3381
rgould@stat.ucla.edu
MS 6151
Office Hours: Monday 10-10:50, Thursdays 11-11:50, or by appointment
TAs: Monica Arruda de Almeida and Yan Xiong

Click here for late-breaking announcements.

``The time may not be very remote when it will be understood that for
                                                       complete initiation as an efficient citizen of one of the new great
                                                  complex world wide states that are now developing, it is as necessary to be
                                                   able to compute, to think in averages and maxima and minima, as it is now
                                                                   to be able to read and to write."
                                                                 H.G. Wells, Mankind in the Making

You can now view your current "final" grade via my.ucla. The grade shown includes the homework bonus. These will be changed if your final exam affects your final score.

Review Session: Sunday, June 10, 3-5pm, Math Science 5118.

Got a question about the homework? Or the class? Go to the forum, read others' questions, post suggestions, elicit help from the TAs and instructor.

Midterm I Solutions now added. See Below.

Midterm II Solutions now added.
Midterm 2 Summaries. Check your score on my.ucla, then look here to see how it compares to the rest of the class.

Practice Final!!
Solution to Practice Final. Don't peak until you've at least tried the practice final. There might be mistakes in the solution. This is not deliberate, but should keep you on your toes none the less. If you get stuck or confused, send email to the "forum", which you can access by clicking on the link about five links above this one.

TIMES:

Lectures:     MWF 1pm in Public Policy 1222
Section1a, Xiong
        Discussion : Thursday, 2pm, MS 5128
        Lab:            Tuesday, 2pm, Boelter 9413
Section 1b, Xiong,
        Discussion: Thursday, 3pm,   MS 5128
        Lab:                Tuesday 3pm, Boelter 9413
Section 1c: , Arruda
        Discussion: Thursday, 4pm, MS 5128
        Lab:             Tuesday, 4pm, Boelter 9413

What Your Grade is Based On:

Homework is due every Friday at 2pm (including the first Friday). No late homework accepted for any reason. Homework is graded 0 (no homework or incomplete), 1 (partially completed), 2 (completed). The lowest score is dropped. If you score 17 or higher, your grade will be raised 1/2 grade. (Example: B to B+). The only exception is that A's will not be raised to A+. If you score 7 or lower, your grade will be lowered 1/2 a grade. This applies only to grades of C or higher. No make-ups or late homeworks accepted for any reason, no matter how unfortunate.

Quizzes: Quizzes will be given each week (except the first) in discussion seciton. They will count, collectively, for 20% of your grade. The lowest quiz will be dropped. No make-ups will be allowed. (If you miss a quiz, we will consider that your dropped score. If you miss two and you feel it will adversely affect your grade, you should consider dropping the course.) The purpose of the quizzes is to keep you current in the reading.

Labs: Labs meet every Tuesday in the Computer Lab (Boelter Hall 9413). They must be turned in the following Tuesday when the next lab meets. The lowest score will again be dropped. No late labs accepted. The labs count, collectively, for 20% of your grade. A bit of advice: Read the lab all the way through before showing up.

Midterms: There will be two. Collectively they count for either 60% (30% each) or 0%. No make-ups allowed. Whichever helps you most.

Final: They final counts for either 60% or 9% of your grade. Whichever helps you most.

Important Dates:

Midterm 1 is Monday, April 30. (5th week.) No make-ups are allowed!

Midterm 2 is Friday, June 1. (9th week.) Again, no make-ups for any reason.

Final Exam: Friday, June 15, 11:30am. Do not buy plane tickets for before this date or you will miss the final and not be allowed to make it up.

Outline of topics.

Every Friday you will have homework due.
Every Thursday (except for the first) you will have a quiz.
Every Tuesday you will have lab a due.

How to get the best grade possible:

1. Do the homework. You need experience solving problems, and the homework will help.
2. Read the book before lecture. Come prepared with questions.
3. Prepare for the labs.
4. Come to office hours. I count on discussions with you to help set the pace of the course. If no one shows up, the course just moves faster and faster.

Additional Information

For information regarding grading, assignments, and general course philosophy, please Read the Syllabus!

Handouts
These will be updated as they are introduced in class.

Midterms
Solutions and scores.

Quizzes Click here for last week's quizzes and their solutions.

Data A list of datasets referred to in class or the lab.

Lab Schedule: Gives times when the computer lab is available for drop-in work.

Purchase Stata for home use.