ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information.

Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

The University of the West Indies

OPEN CAMPUS
ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics
COURSE GUIDE FOR STUDENTS
Semester 2: 2009/2010

Welcome to Semester 2 of teaching and learning in ECON1005. I am Rudrunath Singh,

your Course Coordinator.

As you know, open and constant communication is critical to success in the online
learning environment. I therefore urge you to ensure that you play your part to develop
and maintain a very interactive relationship with your e-tutor.

I can be reached via email at rudranath.singh@dec.uwi.edu.

Thank you for your commitment as your tutors and I work together to make Introduction
to Statistics (ECON1005) a meaningful learning experience.

Rudrunath Singh
January 2010

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction 3
Course Outline 4
Course Topics/Units 4
Study Schedule 11
Coursework Assignment and Guidelines 15

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Course Code: ECON1005

Course Title: Introduction to Statistics
Course Discipline: Economics (Social Sciences)
Credits: Three (3)
Prerequisite/s: None
Co-requisite: None
Academic Year: 2009/2010 (Semester 2)
Course Coordinator: Rudrunath Singh

INTRODUCTION

General Information
Some important information to keep in mind:
1. Your picture uploaded on the Learning Exchange must conform to the following: a profile of just
your face, it should be a close up image that allows you to be recognized.
2. The Department in the Open Campus (OC) ultimately responsible for the delivery of this course
is: The Undergraduate Programmes Department. View the OC Web Site for information on
your programme at http://www.open.uwi.edu/
3. There are different avenues available to you as a student to receive support. The avenue you take
is dependent on your particular need. View the QUICK LINK in your course for Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs ).

Purpose of this Guide

This course guide provides details on course delivery, course units, assessments,
references/resources, as well as timelines for your different study milestones and
assignments. It is very important and all students should download and print a personal
copy for themselves.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Course Coordinator’s Expectation

I know that you are all familiar with our online environment where course materials are
provided and e-tutors are assigned to help facilitate the learning process as well as your
assessment activities. My role as coordinator, besides organizing your course content and
learning and assessment activities, will include the monitoring of this whole learning
process up to the final examination.
I am here to facilitate and guide you through an interesting journey that requires hard
work. One compulsory requirement is that all students make themselves available to my
teleconferences (usually about 3 or 4) where I will be interfacing with you and engaging
in guided discussions (and at times clarifying some essential concepts of the course).
My expectations are for you to be fully aware at all times where you stand with the
course and where the course expects you to be. We all have challenges that place us in
circumstances that are not ideal but I expect hard work and commitment and with that
comes a commitment from our end to ensure that your journey is both rewarding and
successful. Remember, learning can be fun, but you need to participate in the game.

General remarks about the course in the context of the discipline

This course is widely considered to be a most important one, not only because it’s a
compulsory requirement for your degree programme, but also one that prepares students
for their journey towards any goal requiring research and analysis. There are no course
pre-requisites but a basic understanding of mathematics is necessary (and most of you
would already have your C.X.C. OR G.C.E. O’level pass in Mathematics). Remember,
even if you have forgotten certain facts and procedures you already have the logical
thinking skills that will take you through!
ECON1005 is an introductory course that looks at how data/information is collected,
processed and presented in such a manner as to enable someone (like a manager, say) to
make sound decisions in a given context or environment. Yes, the course is simple but
becomes challenging when we lose our momentum by not staying throughout the journey
without giving up. Unlike many other courses involving mathematics, this one consists of
topics that are sequential and hierarchical in nature. That is, each topic prepares you for
the next level and ALL the skills learnt earlier will be necessary up to the end.

Academic Honesty
Students must present work that is his/her own. Cheating on assignments or the
presentation of another person's work will be severely penalized. Plagiarism in other
forms such as not referencing an author’s ideas or down loading Internet information into
text, which you present as your own, are not allowed.
For additional information on plagiarism and Netiquette please go to the Quick Link in
the left column of the course page.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

COURSE OUTLINE

Course Description

This course is designed to provide students with a sound introduction to concepts within
statistics as well as provide them with an opportunity to link the concepts with uses of
statistics in their daily lives, in economics and the management sciences and in academia.
Emphasis will be on the understanding of fundamental statistical concepts and methods
and not on the sterile learning and application of complicated formulae. Every effort will
be made to de-emphasize mathematics although some basic amount of mathematical
knowledge (to the level of CXC General) will be of some benefit to the student.

Course Aims

This course aims to

ƒ Provide students with an introduction to the art and science of data collection,
descriptive statistics and inferential statistics;
ƒ Assist students in interpreting and using basic statistical data, symbols and
terminology;
ƒ Guide students in utilizing the rules of logic in the application of statistical
concepts;
ƒ Provide the basis to help students recognize the appropriate mix of statistical
procedures for a given situation.

Course Units

Though the materials reach you in the form of booklets, what should guide your process
of preparing them is the learning time. Each unit is designed to guide you through
approximately one week’s work (assuming you put in around 2 to 3 hours per day for 5
days). The content of the course is divided into smaller units of course materials for easy
comprehension. Nine (9) units constitute this course.

1. Explaining Statistics: The meaning and scope of "statistics"; The distinction between
data and information; The generation and collection of data by individuals, firms, the
government and specialised agencies; Sources of published data in the Caribbean;
The role of the computer and Statistical Software Packages like MINITAB.

2. Data Collection: Sampling - The distinction between data and information; Primary
and Secondary Data; Sample design and surveys.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

3. Summarising Data: Charts and Tables - Tabular presentations; Grouping data:

histograms and frequency distributions; Saying it with pictures: the use of Pie Charts,
Bar Charts and other pictorial presentations.

4. Summarising Data: Averages and Dispersion - Measures of Central Tendency:

mean, median, mode and trimmed mean. Measures of Dispersion (variability): range,
interquartile range, variance, standard deviation; Symmetry, Skewness and Kurtosis.

5. Understanding Probability - Probability as relative frequency and subjective

(intuitive) notions of probability; Basic Axioms of Probability; Mutually exclusive
events and independent events; Addition and Multiplication Rules.

6. Probability Distributions: The idea of a random variable; Binomial, Poisson and

Normal distributions; Rules of Expectation and Variance.

7. Statistical Inference: Estimation Sample and Population. Sample Statistics. From

sample to population: estimating means and proportions by point and interval
estimators; Desirable properties of estimators. Student –T and Chi Square
distributions.

8. Statistical Inference: Hypothesis Testing - Testing means and proportions;

Contingency Tables.

9. Looking for Relationships: Correlation and Regression A tale of two (or more)
variables: in what sense are they "related"? In what sense does one "cause" the other?
Measuring the relationship.

Course Delivery:

As distance students you are required to read for a degree. There is no replacement for
your reading activity in this course. Further, as distance students, you MUST take
responsibility for your own learning. Your reading must be guided by the schedule of e-
tutorials and teleconferences and supplemented by the tutorial assignments and online
self assessment quizzes.

This course will be delivered over 12 weeks in the online blended mode using the
following strategies:
ƒ E-tutorials and face-to-face tutorials;
ƒ Teleconferences
ƒ Assignments
ƒ Online Student Forum Activity
ƒ Online Graded Quizzes
ƒ Conventional Mid Term Examination & Final Examination

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Some of these are discussed below.

E-tutorials and Face-to-Face tutorials

Each student will be assigned to one e-tutorial group which will comprise of no more
than 25 students drawn from the various sites in the OPEN CAMPUS system and will be
facilitated by an e-Tutor. Each group will set out time and day for its weekly e-tutorial. In
addition, students are expected to engage the e-tutor and other members of their group by
making regular postings that contribute to the exchange of ideas, clarification of concepts
and approaches, and problem solving within the group. Your e-tutor will post
presentations on a weekly basis and provide feedback to students on their solution
attempts to questions in the assignments.
In addition to your e-tutorials, up to six (6) hours of face-to-face tutorials sessions will be
made available to each tutorial group. These sessions will be used to complement the
teleconference sessions in explaining certain challenging concepts as well as in the
working out of examination type problems. Your face-to-face tutor may be different from
your e-tutor.
Attendance at all tutorial sessions is also compulsory. Tutorials are not lectures. They
allow the Tutor to make value-added interventions to problems experienced by students
in following the course. They do not replace initiative on the part of the student in terms
of reading the materials and getting together with other students either face-to-face or
online in the Student Forum to discuss the material, attempt learning exercises, and
brainstorm solutions. Such efforts predispose the distant student to participate in the
tutorials.

Tutorial Assignments
Tutorial assignments are designed to help students practice. These are important in this course
since they provide a formal drill that will help to reinforce concepts that have been introduced in
the course materials. You will be provided with a tutorial sheet at the end of each unit as part of
the course materials. Every effort should be made to complete each tutorial sheet within the time
period indicated by your Tutor. Solutions to these tutorial sheets are provided as part of the
course materials. Please make use of the solutions.

Teleconferences
Three (3) teleconferences will be scheduled over the duration of this course. These
teleconferences allow the Course Coordinator to simultaneously direct ALL students to
the key concepts and solution approaches in the course regardless of the location of the
student. Teleconference sessions are not intended to be lecture/teaching sessions, but
the Course Coordinator may choose to utilize his session to develop and explain certain
‘challenging’ concepts from the course material.

Students are to use the tutorial plan as their study guide and complete the required
readings prior to the tutorials and the teleconferences. DO NOT use the teleconference
schedule as your reading guide. Attendance at all teleconferences conducted by the
Course Coordinator is mandatory; in addition, students should make every effort to be
punctual for these teleconferences.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Online Self Assessment Quizzes

A self assessment quiz is provided for each Unit. It is intended that you would use these
quizzes to assess your own assimilation of the concepts after reading each Unit. You can
do these as often as you wish. You can stop and restart as often as you wish.

Online Graded Quiz

The online graded quiz is similar to the online self assessment quiz except for the fact that it will
be graded online and the mark transferred to your coursework mark.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment will take the form of Coursework and a Final Examination at the end of the Semester.
The Coursework will comprise three (3) Graded Quizzes, two (2) Essay Assignments and a Mid
Term Examination.

The midterm examination will be based on the first 5 units of the course.
The form of this examination will consist of multiple choice questions and some questions that
require students to develop and present complete solutions.

The Final Examination at the end of Semester will be predominantly Probability Distributions
and Inferential Statistics but knowledge of earlier topics will be assumed.
For examination purposes, knowledge of MINITAB (Release 13 or higher) and familiarity with
the output from the program will be assumed.

The examinations will test the ability of students to:

a. Interpret and use basic statistical data, symbols and terminology

b. Implicitly utilize the rules of logic in the application of statistical concepts
c. Recognize the appropriate mix of statistical procedures for a given situation
d. Make inferences from summary data provided in MINITAB outputs.

The distribution of marks for the Coursework Component is as follows:

Two (2) Essay Assignments @ 6 marks each = 12

Three (3) Graded Quizzes @ 6 marks each = 18
Mid Term Examination = 10
Total = 40

The overall mark in the course will therefore be a composite of the marks obtained in the
coursework and the final examination; the relative weights being:

Coursework 40%
End of Semester Final Examination 60%

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Weighting Due Date / Submit By

Assessment Item
Assignment #1 (Essay) 6 marks February 21st 2010
Graded Quiz #1 6 marks March 7th 2010
Mid Term Exam 10 marks March 8 – 12th 2010

(date TBA)
Assignment #2 (Essay) 6 marks March 28th 2010
Graded Quiz #2 6 marks April 11th 2010
Graded Quiz #3 6 marks April 25th 2010
Final Exam 60 marks To Be Announced

Requirement: Students are required to submit a Coursework Accountability Statement

This form is found in your course space under Quick Links….

READINGS

Course Material Notes (Unit 1-9): ECON1005 are provided to students.

RESOURCES

Recommended Texts - These resources are useful but they are not compulsory.

1. P.S. Mann, Introductory Statistics, John Wiley & Sons (4th edition or later).
2. Blaisdell, E. Statistics in Practice, Saunders College Publishers.
3. Keller, G and B. Warrack, Statistics for Management and Economics (5th edition),
Duxbury Thomson Learning, 2004.
4. Anderson, D, D. Sweeney and T. Williams, Essentials of Statistics for Business and
Economics, South Western College Publishing, 2000.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

There are introductory statistics and probability texts in the library which students can
consult. Books on marketing research usually have a lot of statistics. The Internet also has
some excellent sources of information. Some of the more popular online statistics texts
are:

Statistica’s Online textbook: http://www.statsoftinc.com/textbook/stathome.html

David Garson’s online text: http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/statnote.htm

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Surfstat: http://www.anu.edu.au/nceph/surfstat/surfstat-home/surfstat.html

GUIDELINES /INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS COURSE

Prerequisites:
You should read the Prerequisites for the course carefully and make every effort to
evaluate your own proficiency vis a vis these prerequisites. At the end of the evaluation,
identify the gaps in your preparation for this course and take the necessary remedial
action by the first week of the semester.

Unit Overview:
Beside giving the overview of the topics to be covered in the unit, it provides you with a
link across units. It is important that you read the overview for each unit.

Unit Objectives:
The unit objectives spell out what you must be able to do after working through each
unit. You should compare your progress with these expected outcomes for each unit. If
you could not achieve any of the objectives, reflect on why you could not achieve them.
Interaction with your Site Tutor, fellow students and the Site Coordinator can assist you
in identifying the problem and /or the solution.

Session Objectives:
The session objectives spell out what you must be able to do after working through each
session. You should compare your progress with these expected outcomes for each
session. If you could not achieve any of the objectives, reflect on why you could not
achieve them. Interaction with your Site Tutor, fellow students and the Site Coordinator
can assist you in identifying the problem and /or the solution.

Numbering Scheme:
Each unit is divided into sessions; the sessions are further divided into sub-sections. The
first digit always refers to the Unit; the second digit refers to the session and the third
digit refers to the sub-section of the session.

Learning Exercises:
These exercises appear at different points in each unit. It is intended that you attempt
each of these exercises after reading the materials that precede it. Solutions to these
exercises are provided at the end of each unit so that you can derive immediate feedback
on your solution approach. If at end of the comparison, you cannot comprehend the
solution, you should read the materials that prefer the exercise one more time and make
another attempt at the solution. If after this step you still have a problem with the solution
consult with your fellow students or your Site Tutor.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Unit Summary:
The summary recaps what was covered in the Unit. The summary also gives an indication
of the topic to be covered in the forthcoming unit(s). It ends with a restatement of the unit
objectives so that you are reminded to evaluate what you have learnt vis a vis these
expected outcomes.

Important dates to keep in mind:

SEMESTER 2
JANUARY-MAY
2010

Registration January 11 – 23, 2010

Semester Begins January 24, 2010

Teaching Begins January 25, 2010

Mid-Semester Examinations March 8 –12

Teaching Ends April 23, 2010

Examinations Begin April 26, 2010

Examinations End May 12, 2010

Semester Ends May 12, 2010

TELECONFERENCE PLAN

The plan for these teleconferences is as follows:

WEEK DATE TIME TOPIC

3 8th Feb., 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Overview of Units 1-6. Mid-Semester Exam
2010 EC
9 22nd Mar., 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Overview of Units 6/7
2010 EC
13 19th Apr., 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Overview of Units 8, 9; Wrap-up of course, examination
2010 EC matters, including main topics for study

There may be a 4th teleconference depending on scheduling availability.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

COURSE DELIVERY SCHEDULE

WEEK DATES MAIN TOPIC OBJECTIVES - At the end of these Units Teaching IMPORTANT
students will be able to: Strategy/Tec DATES AND
hnology
ACTIVITIES

1 January Orientation • Familiarize themselves with course materials Online Forum Participation -
24 -30 • Access and discuss some online resources open for posting: Jan
Teaching • Demonstrate an understanding of the 24 - 30
begins expectations for this course
January
25, 2010
2 Jan 31 – Unit 1: • Demonstrate an understanding of what is Discussion
Feb 06 Introduction & Statistics Forum
Explaining • Describe and differentiate between descriptive
Statistics and inferential statistics with relevant eTutor
examples Presentation
• Describe and differentiate between population
and sample
• Outline the conceptual stages of problem
solving in statistics
3 February Unit 2: Data • Discuss the importance of data in statistical Discussion Teleconference #1
07 - 13 Collection: processes Forum (Monday Feb 08 at
Sampling • Distinguish between primary and secondary 5:30-7:30 p.m. EC)
data sources eTutor
• Discuss why sampling is often favoured over Presentation
census
• Differentiate between random and non-
random sampling methods
• Define sampling frame and discuss possible
sources of error
• Discuss the stages involved in a sample
survey design.
4 February Unit 3: Data • List the general principles required to present Discussion Assignment #1 - Essay
14- 20 Presentation: data in the form of tables and charts, and Forum Given: Feb 14th
Tables and Charts suggest the factors to be considered in Due: Feb 21st
selecting presentation styles eTutor (6 Marks)
• Use pie charts and bar charts to present data Presentation
and explain the limitations of their use Topic for the
• Compare the use of bar charts and histograms Assignment #1 is
in presenting data drawn from Units 1-2.
• Discuss the problems of creating frequency
tables with quantitative data only and explain
the associated concepts of class, class limits,

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

class marks and class width

• List the different types of summary tables
• Discuss the use of frequency charts including
the ogive;
• Create pie charts, bar charts, histograms,
frequency charts, stem and leaf displays, box
plots and scatter-graphs using MINITAB.
5 February Unit 4: • Discuss the mean, median and mode as Discussion
21 - 27 Summarizing measures of central tendency in statistics; Forum
Data: Measures • Calculate the mean, median and mode of a
of Central given data set; eTutor
Tendency and • Describe the relationship among the measures Presentation
Dispersion of central tendency;
• Explain the concept of ‘skewness’ in statistics;
• Discuss the standard deviation and variance as
measures of dispersion in statistics;
• Determine the semi inter-quartile range of a
given data set;
• Determine standard deviation (SD) and
variance from a set of data.
6 Feb 28 - Unit 5: ƒ define the sample space for an experiment Discussion Graded Quiz #1
Mar 06 Probability: An ƒ identify events within the sample space; Forum
Exposition ƒ discuss the concept of probability and make (Opens from Sun Feb
use of its axioms; eTutor 28 – Sun Mar 07@
ƒ compare and contrast the three approaches to Presentation
11:55 p.m. (6 marks)
probability: the classical approach, the relative
frequency approach and the subjective
Questions for the
approach; Graded Quiz #1 are
ƒ identify the probability of an event from the drawn from Units 3-4.
results of an experiment;
ƒ identify the conditional probability of an event
from the results of an experiment;
ƒ distinguish between mutually exclusive and
mutually independent events;
ƒ apply the addition and multiplication laws of
probability.
7 March Unit 6: • recognize and define random variables in a Discussion Mid-Term
07 - 13 Probability given situation; Forum Examination is due!!
Distributions • distinguish between discrete and continuous (Date to be
random variables; eTutor announced)
• construct discrete random variables; Presentation [10 marks]
• create cumulative probability distribution from
a probability distribution for a discrete random
variable; Questions for the
• define and interpret Expected Value and Mid-Term
Variance of a discrete random variable; Examination are
• select and utilize the Binomial Distribution drawn from Units 1-5
appropriately;
• select and utilize the Poisson Distribution
appropriately;
8 March Unit 6: • recognize and define continuous random Discussion
14 - 20 Probability variables; Forum
Distributions • work with probability density function for a
(con’d) continuous random variable; eTutor
Presentation

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

• link the Probability Distribution Function to

the Probability Density Function for a
continuous random variable;
• define and interpret Expected Value and
Variance of a continuous random variable;
• interpret and apply the Properties of Expected
Value and Variance for both discrete and
continuous random variables;
• select and utilize the Normal Distribution
appropriately
9 March Unit 7: Estimation • distinguish among Estimation, Estimator and Discussion Teleconference #2
21 - 27 Estimate; Forum (Monday Mar 22 at
• distinguish between a Pont Estimate and an 5:30-7:30 p.m. EC)
Interval Estimate; eTutor
• distinguish between biased and unbiased Presentation
Assignment #2
estimators (Essay)
• select estimators correctly and use them to
find estimates of unknown parameters; Given: Mar 21
• Identify the error in an estimate and
distinguish between the two components of Due by: Mar 28 @
the error; 11:55p.m. (6 Marks)

Topic for the graded

discussion #2 is drawn
from Unit 6.

10 March 28 Unit 7: Estimation • define the sampling distribution of the mean; Discussion
– April 03 (con’d) • define the sampling distribution of the Forum
proportion;
• identify the characteristics of the sampling eTutor
distribution of the mean; Presentation

• identify the characteristics of the sampling

distribution of the proportion;
• define the term ‘interval estimate’;
• compute and interpret interval estimates for
the sample mean; population mean;
population mean and population proportion;
• identify the maximum error in an interval
estimate.
11 April Unit 8: • identify when a hypothesis needs to be tested; Discussion Graded Quiz #2
04 - 10 Hypothesis • formulate the null and alternative hypotheses; Forum
Testing • link the alternative hypothesis to the type of (Opens from Apr 04 –
test to be performed; eTutor Apr 11 @ 11:55 p.m.
Presentation
• discuss the requirements of one-tailed and (6 marks)
two-tailed tests of hypothesis;
• identify these requirements in a brief for the Questions for the
test; graded quiz #2 are
• link these requirements into a logical sequence drawn from Unit 7.
of steps in undertaking a test of hypothesis;
• make a decision based on either a one-tailed
test or a two-tailed test;
• communicate that decision;

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

• interpret a MINITAB output of a one-tailed

test or two-tailed test

12 See Next
Page

12 April Unit 8: • interpret contingency tables to identify the Discussion

11 - 17 Hypothesis null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis of Forum
Testing(con’d) the test of independence;
• identify the requirements of a test of eTutor
independence; Presentation
• link these requirements into a logical sequence
of steps in undertaking a test of independence;
• interpret a MINITAB output of a test of
independence;
• discuss the limitations of the Chi Square Test
of Independence.
• discuss the shortcomings of the scatter-plot;
• define regression and correlation and discuss
the role of these concepts in addressing the
shortcomings of the scatter-plot;
• distinguish between independent and
dependent variables;
• distinguish between positive and negative
correlation;
13 April Unit 9: • distinguish between the regression model and Discussion Teleconference #3
18 - 24 Regression regression equation; Forum (Monday April 19 at
• distinguish between a linear and a non-linear 5:30-7:30 p.m. EC)
& regression model; eTutor
• interpret the content of MINITAB outputs for Presentation
Graded Quiz #3
Wrap-up regression and correlation;
• identify and undertake significance testing of a (Opens from Apr 18 –
regression equation; Apr 25 @ 11:55 p.m.
• use the regression equation to predict the value (5 marks)
of the dependent variable;
• discuss the limitations to using the regression Questions for the
equation to predict the value of the dependent graded quiz #3 are
variable; drawn from Unit 8.
• discuss the concept of causality between
variables
• make a conclusion as to whether there is a link
between Causality and Regression.
• Teaching ends. Feedback on all
assignments and graded activities
14 Apr 26 – . Online Evaluation of
Apr 30 the course
Examinations period
15 May 03 –
May 12

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment 1 – Analytical Mini-Essay

Suppose the Campus Coordinator at UWI OPEN CAMPUS wishes to determine how the
students at UWI OPEN CAMPUS would rate the quality of security at their respective
sites. Each and every site is to be included in this exercise. The Coordinator is presented
with four different ways of selecting the respondents for this exercise (given below) and
your task is to discuss these possible ways and advise her (the coordinator) on the best
possible approach, stating the main advantage and/or main limitation of each.

1. All the students from every site are asked to give a rating of the quality of security
at their site using a scale of 1 to 10.

2. The person responsible for polling stands outside the main entry for each site and
asks the first 10 students to give a rating of the quality of security at their site
using a scale of 1 to 10.

3. The person responsible for polling takes a random sample from a complete listing
of all UWI OPEN CAMPUS registered students at each site and asks them to give
a rating of the quality of security at their site using a scale of 1 to 10.

4. The person responsible for polling takes a random sample of all the sites and then
asks all the students at these selected sites to give a rating of the quality of
security at their site using a scale of 1 to 10.

Assume that all students selected are registered UWI OPEN CAMPUS students. In your
essay include about three (3) different variables that are relevant to this exercise, stating
whether they are primary, secondary, discrete, continuous, ordinal, nominal, etc.

Your essay must be limited to approximately 200 words and uploaded in the Assignments
area in The Learning Exchange by February 21st , 2010. This assignment has an
allocation of 6 marks.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Criteria Range of Points Score

5-6 3-4 2 1 -0 Rubric

Excellent Good Fair Argument is
expression of articulation articulation unclear. –
argument. Key of an of an There is little ECON1
Clarity of issues are argument. argument. or no 005 –
argument and clearly identified Some key Key issues reference to
Interpretation issues are and key issues Assignm
of question identified. definitions ent #1
are not
clearly
identified
All 4 approaches Only 3 of the Only 2 of the Either 0 or 1
are correctly approaches approaches of the
analysed in are correctly are correctly approaches is
terms of analysed in analysed in correctly
Level of
limitations terms of terms of analysed in
Analysis
and/or limitations limitations terms of
advantages and/or and/or limitations
advantages advantages and/or
advantages
Correct decision Correct Incorrect Incorrect
with appropriate decision decision but decision and
Decision justification. without with no supporting
appropriate reasonable justification.
justification. justification.
Clear Some Some Little or No
evidence of Indication of Logical
Logically logical Structure Sequencing
Sequenced sequencing
Transitions Transitions
Simple Simple and are Simple
Integrated transitions Obvious and Obvious
Organization Transitions
Introduction Introduction Introduction
Introduction and and and and
Conclusion are Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion
Well-Developed are are Minimal are Under
Somewhat Developed or
Developed non-existent

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

There are four (4) main criteria, each scored out of a maximum of 6 points. Find the
total score (out of 24) and divide by 4. The student’s mark will be out of 6 (to 1
decimal place).

Assignment #2- Analytical Mini-Essay

A company was contracted to do a feasibility study on the introduction of a toll charge

for the use of a particular highway from Mayaro to San Fernando. Part of this study
included the important task of determining the probability that a certain number of
vehicles will use the highway between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on a given weekday. Three (3)
employees of the company, Lincoln, Russ and Kevin were discussing this task and the
following points were noted:

1. They all agreed that they should let the random variable X represent the ‘number
of vehicles using the highway from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. on the given weekday’.

2. A research officer indicated that based on data previously collected, the average
number of such vehicles using the highway in that time interval was only 12.

3. Lincoln immediately indicated that the Normal probability distribution will have
to be used because it is a popular choice among researchers.

4. Russ suggested that from all available information, the probability distribution of
X will have to be a Binomial probability distribution since the random variable X
is discrete.

5. Kevin disagreed with Russ and suggested that based on all available information
and the nature of the occurrences of these vehicles on the highway, the probability
distribution of X will be Poisson.

Lincoln is definitely incorrect in his choice of the Normal distribution but either Kevin or
Russ is right. Discuss each suggestion by the three employees indicating where and why
they might be right or wrong and help them make the right decision.

Your analytical mini-essay must be limited to approximately 200 words and uploaded in
the Assignment area in Moodle. This assignment has an allocation of 6 marks and is due
by March 28st 2010.

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

All students are required to attach their Coursework Accountability Statement to

their papers on submission of an assignment. This form is can be downloaded from
the
Criteria Range of Points Score Quick
Link
5-6 3-4 2 1 -0 found in
Excellent Good Fair Argument is
expression of articulation articulation unclear. your
argument. Key of an of an There is little course
Clarity of issues are argument. argument. or no space.
argument and clearly identified Some key Key issues reference to
Interpretation issues are and key issues
of question identified. definitions
are not
clearly
identified
All 3 statements Only 2 Only 1 None of the
Level of are correctly statements statement is statements
Analysis analysed are correctly correctly are correctly
analysed analysed analysed
Correct decision Correct Incorrect Incorrect Rubric
with appropriate decision decision but decision and
Decision justification. without with no supporting –
appropriate reasonable justification. ECON1
justification. justification. 005 –
Clear Some Some Little or No
Organization
evidence of Indication of Logical Assignm
ent #2

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 ECON1005 – Introduction to Statistics – Course Information. Academic Year 2009/2010, Semester 2

Logically logical Structure Sequencing

Sequenced sequencing
Transitions Transitions
Simple Simple and are Simple
Integrated transitions Obvious and Obvious
Transitions
Introduction Introduction Introduction
Introduction and and and and
Conclusion are Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion
Well-Developed are are Minimal are Under
Somewhat Developed or
Developed non-existent

There are four (4) main criteria, each scored out of a maximum of 6 points. Find the
total score (out of 24) and divide by 4. The student’s mark will be out of 6 (to 1
decimal place).

Page 19 of 19