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BA 2300: QUANTITATIVE METHODS I:

Probability and Statistical Inference
Online Course
FALL TERM, 2022
Wayne State University
Mike Ilitch School of Business

Instructor: Toni M. Somers, PhD

Office Phone: 313-577-9594 Office: 419 MIKE
E-Mail: toni_somers@wayne.edu (Note: There is an underscore
between my first and last name in my email address )
or use: aa3808@wayne.edu

PREREQUISITES:
 This course requires that you earn a “C” or better.
 You are required to have your own calculator for this course. A basic calculator with square, square root
and memory functions is the minimum requirement.

INTRODUCTION: Some knowledge of statistics is almost essential for today's undergraduate student. Schools
of business integrate statistics throughout their courses, applying it to an extent rarely encountered in other
disciplines. Even those persons no longer working on degrees will find that a solid foundation in statistics
enhances their careers and better equips them to cope with the modern world, both on and off the job. In
today's world those who are uninformed about statistics are to a great extent "educationally handicapped."

The purpose of this course is to explain statistical methods by drawing on cases and problems from real-world
situations. We will cover many standard statistical topics using an applications-oriented approach. We will
discuss many important statistical concepts and procedures you are likely to need in order (1) to evaluate such
daily inputs as organizational reports, newspaper and magazine articles, and radio and television
commentaries, (2) to improve your ability to measure and cope with changing conditions both at home and on
the job. My goal is to provide a sufficient background in probability and descriptive and inferential statistics for
you to understand how managers and economists in problem solving and decision-making use them every day.
In explaining statistical concepts, common sense, real-world ideas, references, “patient explanations”, multiple
examples and intuitive approaches will help you achieve those computational skills needed to carry out
statistical procedures in practical settings and help you to learn and enjoy statistics.
The general methodology will be lecture, problem solving and use of Excel. The emphasis will be on the uses of
statistics in business.

OFFICE HOURS: I am always available to help explain problems and answer questions. Standing times are as
follows: Tuesday 1:00 to 3:00 pm and Wednesday from noon to 2:00 pm. Anytime by appt just email me for an
in-person meeting or on Zoom/Teams.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: BA 2300 fills a role at the University level - it satisfies the Quantitative Experience (QE)
General Education requirement for undergrads.

QE is a Foundational Competency requirement of the General Education program at WSU. The overall goal of
the foundational competencies courses is “to provide students with the fundamental skills that are the basis for
success in college and in their future careers” (see Academic Bulletin).

After successful completion of the Quantitative Experience requirement, students will be able to demonstrate
their ability to:
(1) Apply mathematical models to real-world problems.
(2) Carry out and justify calculations.

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(3) Draw conclusions based on quantitative evidence.
(4) Communicate arguments supported by quantitative evidence.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS: Commit yourself to the class on day one. If you devote ample time to working on homework,
reading the chapters, PowerPoint lectures, videos and your notes, and thinking about the concepts we are learning,
you will learn this material and you will learn it well. You will build a strong foundation for future statistics courses, as
well as good study and organizational habits, which will be essential throughout your college studies. And this will
enhance your leadership skills.

REQUIRED COURSE TEXT: Modern Business Statistics with Microsoft® Excel® 7th
Edition David R. Anderson; Dennis J. Sweeney; Thomas A. Williams; Jeffrey D.
Camm; James J. Cochran; Michael J. Fry; Jeffrey W. Ohlmann
Cengage Learning, 2020.
The materials required for this class—and any other classes using Cengage products—are
included in ONE Cengage Unlimited subscription.

Note: You only need to purchase one Cengage Unlimited subscription to add any Cengage
eTextbook or online homework for other classes to your dashboard at no additional cost.
Download the free Cengage Mobile App to get your Cengage eTextbooks and study tools on
your phone. Ask for Cengage Unlimited in the bookstore or visit cengage.com/unlimited to try
it for free.

Beware of sites that are selling discounted Cengage Unlimited subscriptions. These sources are
likely unauthorized sellers who have acquired access codes illegally, and transactions with such
sources may pose a risk to your personal information.

This is a video showing the login process:

https://play.vidyard.com/gssLzSQoPmR3cz1vhq5LDw

EVALUATION CRITERIA: Your grade in this course is based on the following— MINDTAP Chapter Assignments,
chapter exams and Final Exam.

WHAT IS MINDTAP? MINDTAP empowers you to produce your best work – consistently. MINDTAP is designed
to help you master the material. Interactive videos, animations, and activities create a learning path designed
to guide you through the course and focus on what's important.

MINDTAP CHAPTER ASSIGNMENTS (Total Points = 412). There are 57 assignments over Chapters 1 through 9
and worth 412 total points. All MINDTAP assignments can be found on the Canvas course, home page and
listed by weeks.

MINDTAP ASSIGNMENTS: How many “Try’s” can I take on each assignments

 Check-my-Work are set to 7 clicks on assignments (NOTE: For Excel activities, Check-my-Works are
enabled (there is no option to limit them)
 All Chapter Assignments and Exploring Stats activities are set to 2 takes (no update to algorithmic
questions per take, only once)
 Excel Activities EXCEPT those labeled “Tutorial” is set to 3 takes with Check-my-Work enabled
 Excel activities labeled “Tutorial” are set to unlimited takes
 All activities with “Practice” in the title are set to Unlimited takes.

They ARE set to Count towards Grade.

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Statistics, by its nature, goes well beyond descriptive material. It is exceptionally difficult to learn the material
solely by reading the text and/or listening to the lectures. For this reason alone, the MINDTAP chapter
assignments should be an integral part of your study work for this course. Working all the different types of
assignments will provide you with an assessment of your grasp of the concepts and procedures. It is advisable
that you practice your understanding of the concepts in each chapter by completing all the assignments by the due
dates.

All MINDTAP assignments for a group of chapters are due on Sunday evening at 11:59 pm (before each exam the
following day). Please don’t wait until the last minute to try and do them all at once. NO EXTENSIONS ON THE DUE
DATES for MINDTAP. Plan ahead and do a few each day.

TWO TESTS & FINAL EXAM POLICY (Total Points = 750): The in-class exams are a combination of multiple choice
and problems. Students will be expected to provide detailed information to make it clear that they understand the
questions asked. In most instances students will be expected to interpret the results of statistical analyses as well
as demonstrate decision-making ability. Students will be expected to identify and use the appropriate statistical
procedures based upon descriptions of decision problems. Each of the tests have assigned dates. The Final exam
is comprehensive and covers all the Chapters 1-9 but mostly 7,8 and 9.

TEST & FINAL EXAM -- MAKE-UPS: Make-ups for exams will be allowed only under special circumstances that
can be documented and must be taken within 48 hours from the scheduled date. It will not be the same exam
the class receives.

EVALUATION CRITERIA SUMMARY

POINTS
MINDTAP Chapter Assignments 412

2 Tests at 250 pts. each 500

1 Final Exam: 250 points 250

Total Points: 1162 pts.

STUDENT DISABILITY SERVICES

If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, you will need to register with
Student Disability Services for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Student Disability
Services (SDS) office is located at 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library in the Student
Academic Success Services department. The SDS telephone number is 313-577-1851 or 313-202-4216
for videophone use. Once you have met with your disability specialist, I will be glad to meet with you
privately during my office hours to discuss your accommodations. Student Disability Services’ mission
is to assist the university in creating an accessible community where students with disabilities have
an equal opportunity to fully participate in their educational experience at Wayne State University.
You can learn more about the disability office at www.studentdisability.wayne.edu.

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GRADING SCALE: The total number of points you receive determines your final grade in this course. The following
point scale will be used in determining your final letter grade in this course:

Percentage Total Grade in

Points Course
92% - 100% 1069—1162 A
90% - 91% 1046—1068 A-
87%- 89% 1011—1045 B+
82% -86% 953 —1010 B
80% -81% 930—952 B-
77% - 79% 895—929 C+
70% -76% 813—894 C
67% - 69% 778—812 C-
64%- 66% 744—777 D+
58 % -63% 674—743 D

ACADEMIC HONESTY: All assignments are to be completed by the student submitting them. While students
are encouraged to discuss the course materials and homework with other persons, the copying of homework or
any other materials is unacceptable. Any student found cheating would receive a failing grade for the
assignment. Further, any violations of the standards of academic honesty will be referred to the appropriate
University officials.

TUTORING: The Mike Ilitch School of Business provides tutoring services for free to all students enrolled in BA
2300. Early in the term, you will receive a Canvas invitation to join the BA Stats Tutoring - Fall 2020 site. Once
accepted, the site will appear on your Canvas dashboard. Each week, appointments will be posted so you can
schedule time to meet with one of our tutors. ALL TUTORING IS DONE ONLINE. You should accept the Canvas
invitation regardless of whether you plan to utilize tutoring so that you are aware of the resources available
should the need arise.

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MINDTAP ASSIGNMENTS AND TEST DATES: