General Information and Notes to the student:

JMP:

bulletYou will need to learn the software package, JMP, that came bundled with your textbook. We will rarely be calculating statistics by hand- we will instead use software to do involved calculations. 
bulletRather than doing tedious calculations by hand, USE THE TECHNOLOGY (because this is what statisticians do). The tests and final exam will stress conceptual understanding and interpretation of the computer output - not pencil & paper manipulation of the equations. 
bullet Excel is not an acceptable substitute for JMP! Do NOT USE Excel for data analysis or graphs. Excel is not a statistical analysis package (even though some teachers use it as such) and it will make mistakes.
bullet Use the software as much as possible when doing your homework. 
bulletStatsPortal includes a manual for learning JMP. 
bulletDo not wait until the day before a test to learn JMP!!!! 
bulletYou are expected to read the text before each lesson!

StatsPortal:

bulletStatsPortal is a powerful tool for you to succeed in the course. It contains:
bulletDatasets for the homework problems in the book
bulletPodcasts for each chapter
bulletPersonalized Study Plans for each chapter
bulletApplets
bulletStatstutor
bulletStudy Guide
bulletSelf-quizzes
bulletMake use of these resources!!
bulletTo find the personalized study plan, go to eBook, and click on the chapter you want to work on.
bulletYou will be assigned a Pre-test for each chapter. This Pre-test will be due BEFORE we cover the material in class. Your first attempt will be submitted to the gradebook, but you can take it as many times as you want for self-improvement. It can be found under Assignments and in the eBook.
bulletYou will be assigned a Post-test for each chapter. Like the pre-test, your first attempt will be recorded in my gradebook, but you can take it as many times as you want.  The Post-test will be due a few days AFTER we cover the material in class.
bulletFor all assignments, you may save your answers and return later to the assignment, before you submit it for a grade.
bulletThere is a General Chat room available for you to get help from your classmates or me.
bulletThere will also be Discussion forums for both general stats questions and discussion assignments.

Email, Phone, and Messaging:

bulletYou are expected to have your Clayton email set up and be able to access it. 
bullet You are expected to check your email daily. I send out emails to the class fairly regularly.  If you miss an important announcement that was sent through email, that is your problem, not mine!
bulletWhen emailing me, please include something in the title so that I know the email is coming from one of my students. Please feel free to email me with any questions about the class or the material!!
bullet If you send a content related question to me via email, I reserve the right to forward it to the class. Also, you can expect to receive hints, not answers. I'll give you a gentle push in the right direction and you are free to come back with another question. Dialogue is good.
bulletWhen writing a question about content to me or the class, it will be helpful if you follow two guidelines. First, assume I do NOT have my textbook handy. This means you have to give me an idea of what the scenario is all about. I don't want or expect you to re-type the problem. Paraphrase it so I'll have an idea of what is going on (I learn a lot about what your knowledge is and is not by this process). Second, please state YOUR problem. If you say, "I'm clueless," that doesn't give me enough information to help you out of you dilemma. Clearly state what your question is. 
bulletI will try to respond to emails as soon as I receive them. 
bullet You can call me at 678-466-4434.  
bulletYou may Instant Message me on AOL  IM at ProfMatos. Please let me know in your initial message to me who you are.
bulletEmails or Instant Messages are the best ways to contact me, rather than leaving a message on voicemail.

Questions in Class:

bulletPlease don't be afraid to ask questions in class, no matter what. If only one or two students are having difficulty grasping a concept, I will ask that you come and talk with me after class or during office hours to get the issue cleared up.  I will always be happy to spend however long with a student that he or she needs.   
bulletThe only "bad" question is the one that goes unasked!
bulletIf you're embarrassed about asking a question in class, remember that there are probably several other people in class having the same problem. Don't be afraid to raise your hand! 
bulletPlease feel free to make use of office hours- they are there for your benefit. I'm happy to make appointments for other times as well!

Makeup Tests:

bulletTests can not be made up without an excused absence!  
bullet If you have a valid excuse for missing the test, please let me know ASAP, and bring documentation (doctor's note, etc.). Do not simply wait until the next class period. 
bullet The majority of quizzes will be take-home and cannot be made up.

Turning in Quizzes and Homeworks:

bulletYou must turn in take-home quizzes on paper at the beginning of each class.
bulletI will not accept any assignments on disk or through email. 
bulletThere will be weekly graded homework assignments given during the course, in addition the daily assigned homework.
bulletGraded homeworks MUST be completed on StatsPortal. 
bulletStatsPortal has several other useful features for practice and studying, which you must explore on your own.
bulletDon't fall behind on your homework, or your test grades will suffer. 
bullet If you miss class, please don't call me asking what you missed. That is what your classmates are for, as well as the assignment sheet on this website.

Writing about Statistics:

bulletWhen writing about data, avoid words like "most" or "majority". These words mean different things to different people. Define what these would be mathematically. For example, instead of saying, "Most observations are between 2.8 and 5.3," write "64% of the observations fell between 2.8 and 5.3." 
bulletWhen writing up projects, do not tell me what you are going to do. For example, do not say, "Let's make a histogram." Use Data Desk to graph the data and then explain it (in context). 

Your Grade in this Class:

bulletYour grade in this class is earned by you, not given by me.
bulletIf you do the homework problems and the reading assignments, pay attention in class, and talk with me about any areas you don't understand, you should be able to make an A or B in this class. This may not be easy for all, but it is achievable for those who want it and are willing to put in the hard work necessary!!