Syllabus

This page contains the syllabus for the course.

  • This syllabus is an attempt early in the semester to plan for the course. This syllabus is subject to change at the Instructors discretion.

Course Information

PSQF 6243: Intermediate Statistical Methods - Spring 2024

Instructor Information

  • Brandon LeBeau, Ph.D.
  • Email: brandon-lebeau at uiowa.edu
  • Virtual Office Hours (Zoom): Tues 10 am to 11:30 am or by appointment
    • See ICON for office hours zoom link
  • Department: Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, 361 LC
    • Interim DEO: Dr. Dennis Martin Kivlighan,, 361 LC

TA Information

  • Alfonso J. Martinez
  • email: alfonso-martinez at uiowa.edu
  • Virtual Office Hours (Zoom): Mon / Wed 10 am to 12 pm or by appointment
    • See ICON for office hours zoom link

Course Quote

Data does not give up their secrets easily. They must be tortured to confess. – Jeff Hooper, Bell Labs

Course Description

The course aims to get students familiar with statistical reasoning, fitting and interpreting statistical models, and using data to make decisions. Students are assumed to have some background in statistical concepts and have a basic understanding of common descriptive statistics and bivariate association (e.g., Pearson correlation).

This course will focus on using statistical methods to answer research questions and make decisions from data. General linear models (i.e., regression) will serve as the fundamental building block that students will be exposed to answer questions about associations of quantitative outcomes with quantitative and categorical predictors. Statistical estimation, model building, and inference using statistical software will serve as primary topics which students will gain a stronger understanding by the end of the course.

Course Objectives

The course requirements and class materials are aimed to help students achieve the following course objectives:

  1. become more fluent in statistical terminology,
  2. use statistical software,
  3. turn research questions into actionable statistical methods,
  4. engage with statistical theory,
  5. connect model equations with statistical code,
  6. summarize uncertainty and variation in estimation.

Textbook

Course Requirements

  • Online Quizzes: There will be a total of 10 online quizzes taken through ICON. Each quiz will be available for 5 to 7 days and are open note/book, but should be completed independently and will need to be completed in a single occasion. Expect each quiz to be about 10 questions. The dates will be discussed in class and announcements will be sent by email to communicate when quizzes open and close. Quizzes will account for 40% of the course grade.

  • Assignments: 3 assignments spread throughout the course will be used to improve student understanding and give students practice to work with data. These assignments can be completed within small groups of no more than 3 students. If completed as a group, all students will receive the same score and only one assignment with everyone’s name on it needs to be turned in. Assignments will account for 40% of the course grade.

  • Practice Problems: Approximately 8 to 10 practice problems will be posted across the semester. These are complete/incomplete problems, therefore, completing these will give you 20% of the final course grade. Completion of these involve posting answers to the questions that show you interacted and engaged in the practice problem. Answers that are not on topic or missing will not count as “passing” for that practice problem. These practice problems are meant to be formative assessments to give you time to practice interpreting statistics. Similar to the assignments, you may work in groups of up to 3 to complete these practice problems, in which you would all receive the same pass/fail grade for the activity. The practice problems will be short problems that will ask you to use statistical software and answer questions about the output generate.

  • Absences: Absences happen. Therefore, I ask you to be as transparent as possible with me. I promise to be compassionate and understanding. If at any point in the semester you are having difficulties, please reach out to me and I will do my best to be accommodating and provide support, which could include an extension on course deadlines as necessary.

  • Grading: Final grades will be based on the following weighting scheme:

    1. 10 quizzes, equally weighted, 40% of total grade
    2. 4 assignments, equally weighted, 40% of total grade
    3. About 6 activities, equally weighted, 20% of total grade

  • Percentage Breakdown: Guidelines are given below, plus and minus grades will be given as well. Changes may occur to the grade percentage breakdown below, but the percentages will not get higher. For example, the lower percentage to get a B, could drop to 75%, but will never be higher than 80%. I will do my best to communicate any shifts to these grade ranges as the semester progresses.

    • A 94% and above
    • A- 90% to 93%
    • B+ 87% to 89%
    • B 83% to 86%
    • B- 80% to 82%
    • C+ 77% to 79%
    • C 73% to 76%
    • C- 70% to 72%
    • D+ 67% to 69%
    • D 63% t0 66%
    • D- 60% to 62%
    • F Below 60%

Course and University Policies

  • Announcements and Communication: Any announcements regarding the course will be communicated via email so please check it daily.
    • Email Expectations: I want to be transparent regarding course email. Email is not meant to be an instantaneous exchange, rather, email is asynchronous. I typically will respond to an email within one business day. Note, I typically will not respond to email over the weekend or during evening hours, but there could be exceptions to this. If I do send an email during the evening or weekend, there is no expectation that you reply immediately as well. If a reply is warranted, reply on your own time. Please be advised that this applies to all elements of the semester, even around due dates. If you email a question the day an assignment is due, I may not be able to get back to you until the next day
  • Course Materials: Course materials will be posted to ICON or the course website. Go to icon.uiowa.edu for access to the ICON site and the primary course website for PSQF 6243.
  • Adaptations and Modifications: Please inform me during the first two weeks if you require special adaptations or modifications to any assignment or due dates because of special circumstances such as learning disabilities, religious observances, or other appropriate needs.
  • Contesting a Grade: To contest a grade, please send me an email detailing your reason within 48 hours of receiving the grade. This allows both of us time to think, reflect, and discuss the matter without taking class time from other students. When contesting a grade, provide a copy of the graded assignment.
  • Academic Misconduct: Plagiarism and cheating may result in grade reduction and/or serious penalties. Unless you are otherwise instructed, your work should be entirely your own. Please take care in writing your final project. You should always be writing in your own words, citing others' ideas, and quoting text as appropriate. This link provides the College of Education policy on student academic misconduct.
  • Student Complaint Procedures: The College of Education policy on student complaints about faculty action
  • Use of AI: Students are invited to use AI platforms to help prepare for assignments and projects (e.g., to help with brainstorming or to test your own knowledge about specific course topics). I also welcome you to use AI tools to help revise and edit your work (e.g., to help identify flaws in reasoning, spot confusing or underdeveloped paragraphs, or to simply fix citations). If you use AI tools to aid in writing or editing any written material you submit for the course, please make sure you cite the tool and indicate how you fact checked the material.

University Policies

The following University of Iowa course policies are published by the Provost office.

At the University of Iowa, we strive for a classroom or laboratory climate that encourages learning while also protecting the freedoms and rights of our students and faculty.

Please review the following course policies, expectations, and resources. Visit the Dean of Students website for additional student policies and procedures.

  • Free Speech and Expression: The University of Iowa supports and upholds the First Amendment protection of freedom of speech and the principles of academic and artistic freedom. We are committed to open inquiry, vigorous debate, and creative expression inside and outside of the classroom. Visit the Free Speech at Iowa website for more information on the university’s policies on free speech and academic freedom.
  • Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: The University is committed to providing an educational experience that is accessible to all students. If a student has a diagnosed disability or other disabling condition that may impact the student’s ability to complete the course requirements as stated in the syllabus, the student may seek accommodations through Student Disability Services (SDS). SDS is responsible for making Letters of Accommodation (LOA) available to the student. The student must provide a LOA to the instructor as early in the semester as possible, but requests not made at least two weeks prior to the scheduled activity for which an accommodation is sought may not be accommodated. The LOA will specify what reasonable course accommodations the student is eligible for and those the instructor should provide. Additional information can be found on the SDS website.
  • Absences from Class: University regulations require that students be allowed to make up examinations which have been missed due to illness, religious holy days, military service obligations, including service-related medical appointments, jury duty, or other unavoidable circumstances or other University-sponsored activities. Students should work with faculty regarding making up other missed work, such as assignments, quizzes, and classroom attendance.
  • Absences for Religious Holy Days: The University is prepared to make reasonable accommodations for students whose religious holy days coincide with their classroom assignments, test schedules, and classroom attendance expectations. Students must notify their instructors in writing of any such Religious Holy Day conflicts or absences within the first few days of the semester or session, and no later than the third week of the semester. If the conflict or absence will occur within the first three weeks of the semester, the student should notify the instructor as soon as possible. See Operations Manual 8.2 Absences for Religious Holy Days for additional information.
  • Absences for Military Service Obligations: Students absent from class or class-related requirements due to U.S. veteran or U.S. military service obligations (including military service–related medical appointments, military orders, and National Guard Service obligations) shall be excused without any grading adjustment or other penalty. Instructors shall make reasonable accommodations to allow students to make up, without penalty, tests and assignments they missed because of veteran or military service obligations. Reasonable accommodations may include making up missed work following the service obligation; completing work in advance; completing an equivalent assignment; or waiver of the assignment without penalty. In all instances, students bear the responsibility to communicate with their instructors about such veteran or military service obligations, to meet course expectations and requirements.
  • Classroom Expectations: Students are expected to comply with University policies regarding appropriate classroom behavior as outlined in the Code of Student Life. While students have the right to express themselves and participate freely in class, it is expected that students will behave with the same level of courtesy and respect in the virtual class setting (whether asynchronous or synchronous) as they would in an in-person classroom. Failure to follow behavior expectations as outlined in the Code of Student Life may be addressed by the instructor and may also result in discipline under the Code of Student Life policies governing E.5 Disruptive Behavior or E.6 Failure to Comply with University Directive.
  • Non-Discrimination Statement: The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, associational preferences, or any other classification that deprives the person of consideration as an individual. The university also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to university facilities. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Director, Office of Institutional Equity, the University of Iowa, 202 Jessup Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1316, 319-335-0705, oie-ui@uiowa.edu. Students may share their pronouns and chosen/preferred names in MyUI, which is accessible to instructors and advisors.
  • Sexual Harassment/Sexual Misconduct and Supportive Measures: The University of Iowa prohibits all forms of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and related retaliation. The Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct governs actions by students, faculty, staff and visitors. Incidents of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct can be reported to the Title IX and Gender Equity Office or to the Department of Public Safety. Students impacted by sexual harassment or sexual misconduct may be eligible for academic supportive measures and can learn more by contacting the Title IX and Gender Equity Office. Information about confidential resources can be found here. Watch the video for an explanation of these resources.
  • Mental Health: Students are encouraged to be mindful of their mental health and seek help as a preventive measure or if feeling overwhelmed and/or struggling to meet course expectations. Students are encouraged to talk to their instructor for assistance with specific class-related concerns. For additional support and counseling, students are encouraged to contact University Counseling Service (UCS). Information about UCS, including resources and how to schedule an appointment, can be found at counseling.uiowa.edu. Find out more about UI mental health services at: mentalhealth.uiowa.edu.
  • Basic Needs and Support for Students: It can be difficult to maintain focus and be present if you are experiencing challenges with meeting basic needs or navigating personal crisis situations. The Office of the Dean of Students can help. Contact us for one-on-one support, identifying options, and to locate and access basic needs resources (such as food, rent, childcare, etc.). Student Care and Assistance, 132 IMU, dos-assistance@uiowa.edu, 319-335-1162. Basic Needs Info: Food Pantry at Iowa, Clothing Closet, Basic Needs and Support Resource
  • Sharing of Class Recordings: Students may be enrolled in a class where some sessions will be recorded or live-streamed. Such recordings/streaming will only be available to students registered for the class. These recordings are the intellectual property of the faculty and they may not be shared or reproduced without the explicit, written consent of the faculty member. Further, students may not share these sessions with those not in the class or upload them to any other online environment. Doing so would be a breach of the Code of Student Conduct, and, in some cases, a violation of state and federal law, including the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
  • This course is provided by the College of Education and cross-listed with the Statistics Department. Policies on matters such as course requirements, grading, and sanctions for academic dishonesty are governed by the College of Education. Students wishing to add or drop this course after the official deadline must receive approval of the Dean of the College of Education. See the College of Education policy on cross enrollments.

Last updated on Aug 17, 2022