Experimental Design
Richard Single
Innovation Hall, E414
Richard.Single(at)uvm(dot)edu
Text:"Design of Experiments: Statistical Principles of Research Design and Analysis" by Robert O. Kuehl, 2nd Edition
Prerequisites: STAT 221; or (STAT 211 and STAT 201).
This course has two major objectives. (1) You will gain an understanding of several experimental designs, the underlying statistical models, and how they relate to specific research questions. (2) You will also learn how to analyze results from these experimental designs. Putting this information together will allow you to formulate a research hypothesis, determine an appropriate design, carry out the analyses, and interpret the results. We will discuss ways of determining appropriate numbers of subjects/units to include in experiments and methods for verifying assumptions that underlie the statistical models.
The class will consist of a mixture of lecture, discussion, and projects to highlight particular topics. It would be impossible, however, for these to encompass all of the material for the course. There will be material in the text for which you will be responsible that we will not cover explicitly in class. I expect that you will read the material in the text before we discuss it in class.
The course will cover material from chapters 1-9 in the text and, as time allows, portions of chapters 11-15.
Assignments & Policies:
Reading the text prior to class will be an ongoing homework assignment throughout the course. Homework assignments will be listed on the class webpage (www.uvm.edu/~rsingle/stat231). Late assignments will not be accepted. Be sure to preface the subject of any email related to the course with "stat231:", otherwise I may not see your email (e.g., stat231: your subject here).
At least one of the assignments will involve collecting and analyzing your own data using techniques from this course. A written report will accompany these analyses and, if time permits, an oral presentation of the results will be made. A detailed description of this assignment will be given later. Toward the end of the course you will each present an advanced topic from the text to the rest of the class. This topic may be related to the methods used in your data analysis project, but it does not have to be.
You are encouraged to work together in groups. You will find this especially helpful in learning to use the software. Solutions to homework assignments, however, must be written on your own. This will help to clarify your understanding of the material by ensuring that you have thought through the ideas for yourself.
You must show your work for each problem. No credit will be given for simply writing the final answer. Most problems will require a brief (one or two sentence) interpretation. One-word and/or incomplete sentences are not acceptable. Your grade will be reduced by 10% for each of the following: no staple, messy, or no header
Your final grade will be determined by your exams, homework, and participation in class discussions.