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Unit outline_

MATH1005: Statistical Thinking with Data

Intensive January - February, 2021 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

In a data-rich world, global citizens need to problem solve with data and evidence based decision-making is essential in every field of research and work. This unit equips you with the foundational statistical thinking to become a critical consumer of data. You will learn to think analytically about data and to evaluate the validity and accuracy of any conclusions drawn. Focusing on statistical literacy, the unit covers foundational statistical concepts, including the design of experiments, exploratory data analysis, sampling and tests of significance.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Mathematics and Statistics Academic Operations
Credit points 3
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
MATH1015 or MATH1905 or STAT1021 or ECMT1010 or ENVX1001 or ENVX1002 or BUSS1020 or DATA1001 or DATA1901
Assumed knowledge
? 

HSC Mathematics Advanced or equivalent.

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Daniel Hauer, daniel.hauer@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Andy Tran, andy.t@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Revision Quizzes
10% Progressive Multiple choice revision questions
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10
Assignment group assignment Project 1
Data projects in a team.
20% Week 03
Due date: 31 Jan 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 07 Feb 2021
2 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO10 LO9 LO8 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2 LO1
Assignment Project 2
Data project.
20% Week 05
Due date: 15 Feb 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 19 Feb 2021
n.a.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10
Final exam (Open book) Type C final exam Final exam
Multiple Choice and Extended Answer Questions
50% Week 06
Due date: 22 Feb 2021 at 14:00
1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type C final exam = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

The better mark principle will be used for the weekly quizzes so do not submit an application for Special Consideration or Special Arrangements if you miss a quiz. The better mark principle means that the quiz counts if and only if it is better than or equal to your exam mark. If your quiz mark is less than your exam mark, the exam mark will be used for that portion of your assessment instead.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Representing complete or close to complete mastery of the material.

Distinction

75 - 84

Representing excellence, but substantially less than complete mastery.

Credit

65 - 74

Representing a creditable performance that goes beyond routine knowledge and understanding, but less than excellence.

Pass

50 - 64

Representing at least routine knowledge and understanding over a spectrum of topics and important ideas and concepts in the course.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Progressive Design of Experiments: Controlled Experiments + Observational Studies Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Data & Graphical Summaries: Qualitative Data + Quantitative Data Lecture (2 hr) LO3
Numerical Summaries: Centre + Spread Lecture (2 hr) LO3
Normal Model: Normal Curve + Measurement Error Lecture (2 hr) LO4
Linear Model: Scatter Plot & Correlation + Regression Line Lecture (2 hr) LO5
Understanding Chance: Chance + More Chance Lecture (2 hr) LO6
Chance Variability: Law of Averages + The Box Model Lecture (2 hr) LO6
Chance Variability / Sample Surveys: Normal Approximation + Sample Surveys Lecture (2 hr) LO4 LO6 LO9
Sample Surveys: The Box Model for Sample Surveys + Bootstrapping & Confidence Intervals Lecture (2 hr) LO6
Test for a Proportion: Hypothesis Testing + Proportion Test Lecture (2 hr) LO7 LO8
Tests for a Mean: Accuracy of Means + Z and T Tests Lecture (2 hr) LO7 LO8
Test for a Relationship: 2 Sample T Test Lecture (2 hr) LO7 LO8
Lab 1 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO10
Lab 2 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO3
Lab 3 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO3
Lab 4 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO4
Lab 5 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO5
Lab 6 (Project Work) Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO10
Lab 7 (Project Presentation) Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO10
Lab 8 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO6
Lab 9 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO6
Lab 10 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO7 LO8
Lab 11 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO7 LO8
Lab 12 Computer laboratory (2 hr) LO7 LO8

Attendance and class requirements

Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance requirements for this unit of study have been amended. Where online tutorials/workshops/virtual laboratories have been scheduled, students should make every effort to attend and participate at the scheduled time. Penalties will not be applied if technical issues, etc. prevent attendance at a specific online class. In that case, students should discuss the problem with the coordinator, and attend another session, if available.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 3 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 60-75 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

We will loosely follow Statistics, Freedman, Pisani, and Purves (2007). Examples of how to get access to the text book:

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. articulate the importance of statistics in a data-rich world
  • LO2. identify the study design behind a dataset and how the study design affects context specific outcomes
  • LO3. produce, interpret and compare graphical and numerical summaries in R
  • LO4. apply the normal approximation to data, with consideration of measurement error
  • LO5. model the relationship between 2 variables using linear regression
  • LO6. use the box model to describe chance and chance variability, including sample surveys and the central limit theorem
  • LO7. given real multivariate data and a problem, formulate an appropriate hypothesis and perform a hypothesis test
  • LO8. interpret the p-value, conscious of the various pitfalls associated with testing
  • LO9. critique the use of statistics in media and research papers, with attention to confounding and bias
  • LO10. perform data exploration in a team, and communicate the findings via oral and oral reproducible reports

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Weight of projects towards final mark increased. Weight of final exam decreased.

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.