UoPeople Online Syllabus Repository (OSR)
General Studies
MATH 1280 Introduction to Statistics
MATH 1280: INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS
Prerequisites: None
Course Description: This course presents students with basic concepts in statistics and probability, and encourages statistical thinking. This course is intended to bring students to a level where they can carry out simple statistical analysis of simple data. Topics covered include descriptive statistics, probability, discrete and continuous random variables, the sampling distribution, and the Central Limit Theorem. The emphasis in the course is on the presentation of statistical methods and on the interpretation of the outcome. The philosophy of statistics, and not its mathematics, is at the center of this course; needed mathematical concepts are demonstrated via simulations rather than by abstract proofs.
Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed below and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course's General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.
- Illowsky, B., Dean, S., Birmajer, D., Blount, B., Boyd, S., Einsohn, M., Helmreich, J., Kenyon, L., Lee, S., & Taub, J. (2022). Introductory statistics. openstax. Please access it from the homepage.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes:
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Examine concepts of probability that are associated with statistics.
- Present and summarize probability and statistical data in mathematics
- Recognize and interpret different forms of variability.
- Use a computing program (spreadsheet or scientific calculator such as TI-83+ and TI-84 calculators) and carry out computations and produce plots associated with data and probability.
Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time).
Week 1: Unit 1 - Sampling and Data
Week 2: Unit 2 - Descriptive Statistics
Week 3: Unit 3 - Probability
Week 4: Unit 4 - Discrete Random Variables
Week 5: Unit 5 - Geometric, Hypergeometric and Poisson Distrubution
Week 6: Unit 6 - Continuous Random Variables
Week 7: Unit 7 - The Normal Distribution
Week 8: Unit 8 - The Central Limit Theorem
Week 9: Unit 9 - Final Exam
Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.
Unit 1: Sampling and Data
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 2: Descriptive Statistics
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Written Assignment
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 3: Probability
- Peer assess Unit 2 Written Assignment
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
- Take the Graded Quiz
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Written Assignment
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 5: Geometric, Hypergeometric and Poisson Distribution
- Peer assess Unit 4 Written Assignment
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 6: Continuous Random Variables
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
- Take the Graded Quiz
Unit 7: The Normal Distribution
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 8: Geometric, Hypergeometric and Poisson Distribution
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post and comment in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Learning Journal Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
- Read the Unit 9 Learning Guide carefully for instructions on the Final Exam
- Take the Review Quiz
- Read the Learning Guide and take the Review Quiz, if you haven't already done so
- Prepare for, take, and submit the Final Exam
- The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time); exact dates, times, and other details will be provided accordingly by your instructor
Course Requirements:
Assignments & Assessment Forms
Some units in this course require that you complete an Assignment. You are required to submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines and, in addition, to peer assess three (3) of your classmates’ assignments according to the instructions found in the Assessment Form, which is provided to you during the following week. During this peer assessment period, you are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the Assessment Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Failure to submit Assignments and/or Assessment Forms may result in failure of the course.
Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings
Some units in this course require that you complete a Discussion Assignment. You are required to develop and post a substantive response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by the instructor. In addition, you must extend the discussion by responding to at least three (3) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum and by rating their posts. Instructions for proper posting and rating are provided inside the Discussion Forum for each week. Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end. Failure to participate in the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum and responding to peers as required may result in failure of the course.
Learning Journal
Learning Journal Assignment is graded by your instructor. The grading rubric is listed under the assignment instructions. The grading rubric is a document that outlines the criteria that your instructor will use to grade your work.
Quizzes
This course will contain three types of quizzes – the Self-Quiz, the Graded Quiz, and the Review Quiz. These quizzes may contain multiple-choice, true/false, or short answer questions. The results of the Self-Quiz will not count towards your final grade. However, it is highly recommended that you complete the Self-Quiz to ensure that you have adequately understood the course materials. Along with the Reading Assignments, the results of the Self-Quiz should be used as part of an iterative learning process, to thoroughly cover and test your understanding of course material. You should use the results of your Self-Quiz as a guide to go back and review relevant sections of the Reading Assignments. Likewise, the Review Quiz will not count towards your final grade, but should also be used to assist you in a comprehensive review and full understanding of all course material, in preparation for your Final Exam. Lastly, the results of the Graded Quiz will count towards your final grade.
Final Exam
The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9, following the completion of eight units of work. The format of the Final Exam is similar to that of the quizzes and may contain a combination of different question types. You will have one attempt to take the exam, and it will be graded electronically. Specific instructions on how to prepare for and take the Final Exam will be provided during Week 8 (located inside the Unit 9 Learning Guide). Final Exams must be taken without the use of course learning materials (both those inside and outside the course). If particular materials are allowed for use during the exam, these will be noted in the exam’s instructions.
The Final Exam for this course must be done under the supervision of a proctor. Since you already secured your proctor before registering for this course, this is a reminder that you should coordinate with him/her before you take the exam. Please note, you will not be permitted to change proctors during the course. As a reminder, students are required to successfully complete proctored exams spaced throughout their program of study at UoPeople, in order to verify the student’s identity in confirming a degree and diploma upon graduation.
The following items are allowed during the Final Exam:
- Calculator use: Students are only allowed to use a basic or scientific calculator for the final exam. Calculators on the cell phone, iPad or similar devices are not allowed.
- Pen and Paper: Students may use pen and paper for this exam.
- Using Libre calculator: Read the instructions in the document.
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.
Course Policies:
Grading Components and Weights
Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:
| Learning Journal | 42% |
| Graded Quizzes (Unit 3 and Unit 6) | 20% |
| Discussion Forums | 20% |
| Written Assignments | 8% |
| Final Exam | 10% |
Grading Scale
This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the People, as indicated here:
| Letter Grade |
Grade Scale | Grade Points |
| A+ | 98-100 | 4.00 |
| A | 93-97 | 4.00 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.67 |
| B+ | 88-89 | 3.33 |
| B | 83-87 | 3.00 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.67 |
| C+ | 78-79 | 2.33 |
| C | 73-77 | 2.00 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.67 |
| D+ | 68-69 | 1.33 |
| D | 63-67 | 1.00 |
| D- | 60-62 | 0.67 |
| F | Under 60 | 0.00 |
Grade Appeal
If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please contact your course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the posted final grade. For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the University Catalog.
Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of peer feedback to Discussion/Written Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:
- Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is provided in the course schedule, and the instructor will specify deadlines for each assignment.
- Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is likely to automatically fail the course.
- Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of the time, late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no make-up assignments.
- All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences which may result in their non-participation.
Academic Honesty and Integrity
When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy in the University Catalog.
Any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several styles and citation formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Refer to the UoPeople APA Tutorials in the LRC for help with APA citations.
Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog.