Statistics M11/Economics 40
Introduction to Statistical Methods for Economics and Business
Fall 2000 Syllabus

INSTRUCTOR
Vivian Lew, Ph.D.
Office: 8142D Math Sciences
Phone: (310) 206-6474
Email: vlew@stat.ucla.edu
Mailbox: 8142 Math Sciences (usually open between 8:30am-4:30pm M-F)
Office Hours: Monday 2:30-4:00pm,Wednesday 10:00am -11:30am and by appointment

MEETING TIMES & PLACES
Lecture Section 1: Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays, 9:00am - 9:50am, Dodd 161

SECTIONS:

TEXT
Introduction to the Practice of Statistics (3rd edition), by David S. Moore and George P. McCabe. The text can be found in the "Stat" textbook area of the store in Ackerman Union

SUMMARY
In this course, you will learn about the statistical methods commonly used in Economics and Business, but we will spend time on basic issues and concepts in Statistics. Topics covered include data presentation and interpretation, descriptive statistics, theory of probability, basic sampling distributions, statistical inference (including principles of estimation and tests of hypotheses) and a introduction to regression and correlation.

You will have access to Stata to complete your homework and lab assignments. You can purchase your own version if you wish, for $55, please see htt p://www.ats.ucla.edu/training/stata/how_to_get_stata.htm or use any of the versions available on campus (see the above web page for access on campus). Your Tuesday discussion is held in the Statistics Department's Instructional Computing Lab and Stata is available there and you all have accounts if you are enrolled in the course. It is strongly suggested that you own a calculator with a square root key at minimum for examinations.

SECTIONS, LAB and HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Sections are your opportunity to work through statistical issues, raise questions, and tackle the lab and homework assignments.

You will have six homework and six lab assignments. These are both due at the start of lecture on Fridays. They should be turned in as separate assignments, please do not staple them to each other if they happen to be due on the same date.

Homework problems are assigned during lecture. Laboratory assignments are also given out during lecture. You can always get the assignments from the course's web page (see the next page).

Only your best 5 of the 6 assignments will count towards your final grade. Missed/late homework and lab assignments will not be accepted unless you have made prior arrangements with me. Please do your homework, it cannot hurt you but only help you. Homework and labs are graded on a plus (full credit: complete and correct), check(60% credit: either partly complete or partly correct), minus (20% credit: neither complete nor correct), or zero (no credit: not turned in) system. Not all homework questions assigned are graded. Questions are randomly selected for grading therefore, beware of incomplete assignments, they might be worth less than you think if we select questions for grading that you did not complete. Lab assignments are fully graded.

Get help from people (me, your TA, classmates, friends, tutors) on your assignments. All I ask is that you attempt to solve them on your own and please turn in your own copy. Photocopied assignments will not be accepted.

EXAMS
You will have two midterms exams and a final exam. The final exam code is 2 and it will be given on Monday, December 11, 11:30AM - 2:30PM. The final exam is cumulative. Always bring a calculator and your student photo ID or some other form of photo ID (e.g. driver's license, passport) to all exams. Identification will be checked and attendance will be taken. I will provide all answer forms and scratch paper. You will not need to purchase scantrons or bluebooks.

MISSED EXAMS and GRADE APPEALS
Make-up examinations are given only when circumstances beyond a student's control make attendance during the scheduled examination period impossible. Documentation will be required to verify a student's claim and permission to take a make-up examination must be obtained from the instructor. If a make-up exam is permitted, it will be written individually for that student and will have a different format that the regular examination. In all cases, final determination of whether or not to give a make-up examination rests with the instructor.

There may be a time when we make a mistake grading one of your exams. If you think this is the case, write a note describing the error, attach it to the original exam, and give it to me within 3 working days of the return of your midterm. We will review your argument and our initial grading decision and return a decision to you in a timely manner.

FINAL GRADE
Your grade is based on your best 5 of the 6 lab assignments (total 10%), your best 5 of 6 homework assignments (total 10%), the 2 midterms (Midterm 1 15%, Midterm 2 25%, total 40%) and the final (40%). The course is usually graded on a "curve". Grades are not e-mailed, posted, or given out over the phone, they can be found on URSA in a timely manner. If you believe your final grade is not correct after it has been issued, please contact me before the end of the second week of the next quarter. Requests for corrections after that time period will be denied unless it was due to a procedural or clerical error.

STATISTICS M11/ECONOMICS 40 WWW PAGE
Class related material is available to you via the World Wide Web. The URL ("address") of this course's page is: http://www.sscnet.ucl a.edu/00F/econm40-1/ or http://www.st at.ucla.edu/courses/statm11/statm11_1/