This document provides information about an economics course on financial data modeling. It outlines the learning objectives, class meeting locations, course materials, grading structure, attendance policy, and other policies. The key points are:
1. Students will learn statistical concepts and how to apply them to finance using software like Excel.
2. Classes meet twice a week, with locations varying by day of the week.
3. Grades are based on 10 quizzes worth 10 points each, with options to replace low scores on the final exam.
4. Course materials will be provided through online resources and class handouts rather than a textbook.
This document provides information about an economics course on financial data modeling. It outlines the learning objectives, class meeting locations, course materials, grading structure, attendance policy, and other policies. The key points are:
1. Students will learn statistical concepts and how to apply them to finance using software like Excel.
2. Classes meet twice a week, with locations varying by day of the week.
3. Grades are based on 10 quizzes worth 10 points each, with options to replace low scores on the final exam.
4. Course materials will be provided through online resources and class handouts rather than a textbook.
This document provides information about an economics course on financial data modeling. It outlines the learning objectives, class meeting locations, course materials, grading structure, attendance policy, and other policies. The key points are:
1. Students will learn statistical concepts and how to apply them to finance using software like Excel.
2. Classes meet twice a week, with locations varying by day of the week.
3. Grades are based on 10 quizzes worth 10 points each, with options to replace low scores on the final exam.
4. Course materials will be provided through online resources and class handouts rather than a textbook.
E‐mail: alex.lebedinsky@wku.edu Grice Hall 417 Phone: 5‐3150 Office hours: T: 1:00‐3:00 ; W 10:00‐12:00; Th: 1:00‐2:00 or by appointment.
Learning Objectives 1. Students will demonstrate the ability to strategically employ information technology. 2. Students will demonstrate the ability to solve problems through critical, reflective, and integrative thinking. 3. Students will demonstrate knowledge in various business disciplines including Business Statistics and Quantitative Methods, Economics, Finance and Information Systems.
In this course, you will learn how to apply statistical concepts you learned in Econ 206 (and the new techniques you will learn in this course) to finance. In the course will extensively use Excel and other software . The statistical concepts covered will include (but are not limited to) descriptive statistics, distributions, probability, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, regression analysis.
Classroom Locations On Tuesdays, the class will always meet in GH 437. On Thursdays, the class will be held in the computer lab GH 530.
Course Materials There is no textbook for the course. The course is a mixture of statistics, finance and Excel. For all three of those topics there are many books and plenty of information available on the Web but I have not found a single book that contains all the information you will need.
We will learn using class handouts, Excel examples and internet resources. Everything you need for class will be either distributed in class or posted on Blackboard (usually both).
For statistics references we will use a free on‐line text available at onlinestatbook.com. The material in this on‐line book can be read in a text format or it can be viewed in a form of a slideshow with a voiceover. If your stats knowledge from Econ 206 is a little rusty, I highly recommend listening to the slideshow format because the narrators do a good job of emphasizing what is important about a particular subject (you have to have a high‐speed internet connection to be able to view and listen to the slideshows). I will post links to the topics you should review.
8/20/2010 If you MUST have a book, Statistical Analysis with Excel for Dummies, 2005 (ISBN: 0764575945) is a good resource for a lot of stats/Excel related material we will cover in our class. If you need help with Excel itself, Excel 2007 for Dummies (ISBN 0470037377). If you still have your textbook from Econ 206, it might help as well.
To help you learn GRETL (regression software we will use later in the semester) , I will distribute a number of handouts.
Excel 2010 note: I don’t’ have Excel 2010 but from what I know, it’s backwards compatible. All of the formulas we use in the class should work in Excel 2010.
Grading Your entire grade will be based on ten quizzes each worth 10 points. So at the end of the semester you will have a maximum of 100 points (usually, I add a few bonus questions throughout the semester but that does not change how the grade is calculated ‐ 100% is still 100 points. In other words, if you ace every quiz and get all the bonus points you could earn more than 100%).
Quizzes will be in short‐answer format and will test your knowledge of Excel commands, statistical formulas and financial concepts. Quizzes will be administered on Thursdays in class using Blackboard. For most quizzes, I will post practice quizzes on‐line to help you study for graded quizzes.
There might be some assignments which will be given in place of the quizzes. For a typical assignment, you will be given a dataset which you will have to analyze in Excel and turn in the results. There might be several “combination” assignments – they will consist of homework assignment that does not have to be turned but based on which I will give a quiz in class and which will be graded.
If you are satisfied with your score you received on quizzes and assignments, that score will be your score for the entire course. Otherwise, you may take the optional final exam which will replace three lowest scores. Although technically it is possible to do worse on the final than on your three worst quizzes, not once has a student in my class made his/her grade worse by taking the final.
Make‐up quizzes and assignments Make up quizzes will be offered only in two cases: 1) Unforeseeable events (death in the family, hospitalization, car accident etc.) 2) Planned absences (travel due to work, athletic competitions etc.) In case of an unforeseen event, you will have to present me with evidence documenting the reason for your absence (hospital bill, police report, obituary etc.) In case of a planned absence you will have to notify me by e‐mail or in person at least a week in advance that you will not be able to take the quiz on a scheduled date.
The final exam will not count toward the quizzes you missed without an excuse. If you miss a quiz without a valid excuse, you will receive a zero for that quiz and that zero will not be dropped when you take the final. 8/20/2010 Attendance Attendance is not mandatory (although might be recorded.) However, I might use attendance to make grade decisions in borderline cases.
Grade assignment The grade will be determined according to this scale:
A = 90‐100 B = 80‐89.99 C = 70‐79.99 D = 60‐69.99 F < 60
Withdrawals and Incompletes You can find the official deadline for withdrawal from the course with a “W” on the university calendar (www.wku.edu Æ Calendar of Events Æ Academic Calendars). No “Incomplete” grade will be given solely due to poor performance – you will have to demonstrate (and document, if applicable) that there were unforeseeable circumstances that hindered your performance during the course. Quoting from Undergraduate Catalogue, “A grade of “X” (incomplete) is given only when a relatively small amount of work is not completed because of illness or other reason satisfactory to the instructor.”
Academic Honesty Students cheating on assignments, quizzes or final exam will earn “0” and could be subject to a disciplinary action (you might have to explain your actions at the Dean’s office). Repeat offenders will receive an “F” in the class.
See Undergraduate Catalogue for rights and regulations on these issues. The following acts will be considered cheating: ‐ Looking at your classmate’s answers during an exam or quiz; ‐ Providing a classmate with answers during an exam or quiz; ‐ Receiving assistance from anyone other than your professor during an exam or quiz; ‐ Helping another student cheat; ‐ Any use of technology to communicate answers during an exam or quiz; ‐ Receiving help from or providing help to another student on a graded homework assignment without instructor’s permission. ‐ Any other action that will yield unfair advantage over other students in the class.
Appropriate Behavior In class, students are expected to behave in a way that does not interfere with the process of teaching and learning. That means (but is not limited to): ‐ No chatting during class; ‐ Cell phones must be muted and may not be used during class; ‐ Arrive on time. If you arrive late, make as little noise as possible. ‐ No getting up and leaving in the middle of the class unless you notify me before the start that you will have to leave early. 8/20/2010 If your behavior in class is excessively disruptive, I will take off 2 points from your total quiz course score (which translates into roughly 2% of your grade) for every offense.
Students with Disabilities ʺStudents with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745‐5004 V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.ʺ
Other Things happen – if you are having problems, come talk to me as soon as possible, before the problems get out of hand. If a class is cancelled, check your e‐mail and/or the website for updates. This syllabus represents a general guideline and I reserve the right to change the rules during the class to deal with special circumstances. If you choose to ask me for special considerations, I will expect you to detail your reasons in writing and provide me with relevant evidence (arrest warrants, hospital bill, vehicle accident report etc…)