Social Sciences (SOCS) 3305:

Introduction to Social Statistics

Fall 2005
Section 002: Mondays, Wednesdays 11:00am-12:15pm, SOM 1.102

Instructor: Dr. Karl Ho; 972-883-2017; kyho@utdallas.edu

Office Hours: GR 3.312, Tuesdays, Thursdays 2 pm – 4 pm, by appointment.
Teaching Assistants: Sarah Scott; 972-883-2994; sps023000@utdallas.edu
Office Hours: GR 3.220, Tuesdays, 2-3pm and Fridays, 3-3:30 pm, by appointment

Overview:
This is an introductory course for a social scientist and/or data analyst in statistics. It prepares students in application of statistics in
criminology, economics, sociology, public administration, GIS, political science, and other social science disciplines. In your part, you
are required to take the initiative to learn, understand and apply statistics to real world research data. At the end of this course, you
will:
• Be acquainted with the basic concept in sample and population
• Calculate, compute and interpret statistics in context
• Use statistics to describe samples and test hypothesis to make inferences about populations.

Examples using real research data will be provided to facilitate understanding and application of various quantitative methods. It is an
intensive course: we will complete eleven chapters and there will be a lab session every week. You are expected not only to
understand the mathematics but the rationale behind each statistical tool. Students in this class are highly encouraged to acquire
additional resources such as other textbooks, web notes and mathematical primers for reference and assistance if they are not confident
about the mathematical operations.

Prerequisites: MATH-1314 or equivalent

The topics discussed in this course are inherently mathematical. “College Algebra,” or the equivalent knowledge, is essential.
Although the level of math in this course is not advanced, the students are encouraged to explore supplementary resources early on.

Co-requisite: SOCS-3105 Social Statistics Laboratory

ALL students have to sign up with one session of SOCS 3105.

Required Text:
Levin and Fox, Elementary Statistics in Social Research, 9th Edition, Allyn, Bacon, & Longman, 2002 (ISBN 0-205-36270-2)

WebCT: The course web site serves several purposes. Mainly, it is a place to download study resources such as lecture
notes, practice questions, etc. Second, it provides up-to-date information such as announcements and grades. It is highly
recommended you use the mail function in WebCT to contact the instructor instead of direct email, which will delay the reply
given the high volume of emails he gets.

Attendance: Full attendance of all classes is required and imperative. The instructor will not call roll in class, but will pass
a sign-up list at the first five minute of class. According to previous class data, tardiness and absence are the main
contributing factor to poor and failing grades.

Assignments: Assignments will be given for practice purpose. Although they will not be graded, the assigned questions
resemble those in the examinations. You are encouraged to finish the assignments and bring questions to the lab sessions.

Grading and Requirements: There will be 4 equally-weighted examinations. The dates are listed on the schedule below.
All exams are open-book, open-note. Students need to bring a non-programmable calculator, a ParSCORE score sheet F-
1712-PAR-L (available at the bookstore) and necessary stationary. No computer of any type including PDA’s and cellphones
will be allowed. The average of the top three exams will be the final grade. Letter grades will be assigned on the following
point scale:

97% and above A+ 87% through 89% B+ 77% through 79% C+ 67% through 69% D+
93% through 96% A 83% through 86% B 73% through 76% C 63% through 66% D
90% through 92% A- 80% through 82% B- 70% through 72% C- 60% through 62% D-
59% and below F
Withdrawal:
Last day to drop class without a W is 9/2/05. Last day to withdraw with WP/WF is 10/20/05.

Academic Integrity:
Violations of academic integrity include cheating on tests or handing in assignments that do not reflect your own work. An
example of plagiarism is copying from your group member’s homework. Violations will be referred to the appropriate
university authorities. Typically, the punishment is an automatic “F” for the course. According to university policy,
students have the responsibility to report incidents of cheating to the professor or to a teaching assistant. Consult the catalog
for more details about academic dishonesty. The following is an extract from the university’s student conduct policy:

Academic Dishonesty. The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the
value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative
that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is
not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the
submission as one’s own work of material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty
are subject to disciplinary proceedings.
( http://www.utdallas.edu/student/catalog/undergrad04/app1.html)

Tentative Schedule (subject to changes):

1 8/22 M Introduction to the course

2 8/24 W Ch. 1: Why Researchers Use Statistics
3 8/29 M
Ch. 2: Organizing Data
4 8/31 W
9/5 M Labor Day
5 9/7 W Ch. 3: Measures of Central Tendency
6 9/12 M
Ch. 4: Measures of Variability
7 9/14 W
8 9/19 M EXAM I
9 9/21 W
Ch. 5: Probability and the Normal Curve
10 9/26 M
11 9/28 W
Ch. 6: Samples and Populations
12 10/3 M
13 10/5 W
Ch. 7: Testing Differences Between
14 10/10 M Means
15 10/12 W
16 10/17 M
Ch. 8: Analysis of Variance
17 10/19 W
18 10/24 M EXAM II
19 10/26 W Ch. 9: Non-parametric Tests of
20 10/31 M Significance
21 11/2 W
Ch.10: Correlation
22 11/7 M
23 11/9 W
Ch.11: Regression
24 11/14 M
25 11/16 W Review
26 11/21 M EXAM III
27 11/23 W EXAM IV