Math 447/547: Statistical Design & Analysis of Experiments, 3 Credits, Spring 2010, SDSMT

To consult the statistician after an experiment is finished is often merely to ask him [her] to conduct a post mortem examination. [S]He can perhaps say what the experiment died of.

R.A. Fisher, 1938


Finding Your Instructor

Roger Johnson ("Roger" or "Mr. Johnson" is fine), McLaury 314A
email: Roger.Johnson@sdsmt.edu,
web: http://www.mcs.sdsmt.edu/~rwjohnso/ (this page available via the link "Course Syllabi")
phone: 355-3450 (my office)

(Tentative) Office Hours

Monday 3-4
Tuesday 1-2
Thursday 10-12
Friday 3-4

& by appointment (catch me after class or send an email)

Class Meetings & Important Dates

Class meetings are 11:00 - 11:50 MWF in McLaury 310, Friday, January 15 through Friday, April 30 with holidays on January 18, February 15, March 8-12 and April 2,5 for a total of 39 class meetings. The last day to drop for 100% refund is January 22; the last day to drop with a 'W' is April 7. The final exam, which may not be taken early by department policy, takes place Tuesday, May 4 from 8:00 - 9:50.

Prerequisites

Math 381 or Math 441/442 or permission of the instructor (some prior exposure to probability and statistics including hypothesis testing and least squares will suffice).

Course Description

Review of two-sample tests on means - independent and dependent (paired) data. Experiments to compare several treatment means. Factorial and fractional factorial designs. Principles of blocking and randomization. Empirical models, regression, and response surface methods.

Textbooks

Required:

Fundamental Concepts in the Design of Experiments, Fifth edition, by Charles R. Hicks and Kenneth V. Turner, Jr., 1999, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 978-0-19-512273-2 (SDSM&T Bookstore prices: 129.00 new, 103.25 used).

Optional:

Applied Linear Regression, Third edition, by Sanford Weisberg, 2005, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN: 0-471-66379-4 (SDSM&T Bookstore prices: 135.00 new, 108.00 used).

Other Resources (not needed for the course but possibly helpful depending on your research):

Statisics for Experimenters, 2nd Edition, by Box, Hunter, Hunter, 2005, Wiley & Sons.

Design and Analysis of Experiments, 6th Edition, by Montgomery, 2004, Wiley.

Response Surface Methodology: Process and Product Optimization Using Designed Experiments, 2nd Edition, by Myers and Montgomery, 2002, Wiley.

Brief Summaries

Time Commitment

According to the 2007-2008 SDSMT Undergradute & Graduate Catalog, the average student enrolled in this course will need 6 hours of studying time for this class per week (note, for example, that this is 1 hour per day with 1 day off per week).

Grading

Grades will be determined using the following weights:

Homework (including Minitab Labs) - 25%
Exams - February 24, April 24 - 25% each
Final Exam (May 4 @ 8:00) - 25%

For the exams you may bring a single sheet 8.5" by 11" (both sides!) of notes and a calculator. No other materials may be brought in (e.g. exam is closed book). In borderline grading situations, attendance and class participation will be used in coming to a grade determination.

Accessing Minitab

More details will be given on Minitab during the term. For now, to access Minitab, use the path

f:\NetApps\minitab\15\program files\Minitab 15\Mtb.exe

If a "Find License" dialog opens, then enter 27000@foghorn.sdsmt.edu in the "Specify License Server System" box.

To enter Minitab Commands, click somewhere on the top ("Session") Window, then on Editor, then on Enable Commands. This will bring up the Minitab MTB> prompt.

You may download, for free, a 30-day demonstration version of Minitab at the web site http://minitab.com/products/minitab/demo/.

Some Statistical Websites

Suggestions

With apologies to David Letterman (and from fellow statistics educator Allan Rossman from whom I stole most of this), I offer you the following "Top Ten" suggestions as you approach this course:

10. Come to Class
9. Ask Questions
8. Use Office Hours
7. Don't Get Behind
6. Don't Get Overconfident
5. Work Together
4. Read Carefully
3. Get Comfortable with "Minitab"
2. Have Fun!
1. Think!

Homework Policies

Homework, in general, should be turned in at the beginning of class on the date requested. I will accept a late homework set only under the following two conditions: (i) the solutions to this homework set have not yet been passed out or discussed in class, and (ii) I have not yet graded the homework set for those people who turned it in on-time.

For homework that you are to work on as individuals, you may discuss methods and procedures openly with classmates. Once you begin to write-up the homework you are to turn in, however, this must be done alone.

Occasionally I may have you work on homework with others (e.g. in pairs). Again, you may discuss methods and procedures with other groups, but only group members may be involved in the write-up.

Freedom in Learning Statement

Under Board of Regents and University policy student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should contact the dean of the college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.

Electronic Devices Policy

Please turn off your cell phone before class starts. No text messaging in class. No headphones.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with policies stated in the SDSMT Undergraduate Catalog. In particular, "the penalty for any act of academic dishonesty . . . shall be at the discretion of the instructor and may . . . [result in] failure in the class."

Attendance

Attendance is expected and, as described in the SDSMT Undergraduate Catalog, "a student who fails to attend classes regularly [apart from school-sponsored activities] must satisfy such requirements as the instructor in a course may prescribe."

ADA Note

Students with special needs or requiring special accomodation should contact the instructor and/or the campus ADA coordinator, Jolie McCoy, at 394-1924 at the earliest opportunity.