School of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Course Outline for AGSC 137

Analysis and Interpretation of Agricultural Data

Spring 2008

WebCT Access of Course Material On-line (for students enrolled in the course)

INSTRUCTOR:

GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:

AGSC 137 involves the application of procedures and techniques for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting agricultural data. The course encompasses an introduction to statistical methods using examples and applications to which students can easily relate.  The course also focuses on teaching students basic statistical analysis using the MS Excel spreadsheet program and other pertinent computer tools.  Students enrolled in AGSC 137, which is part of the laptop curriculum, will be introduced to these important concepts through lectures and exercises that they may complete on their laptops.  Emphasis will be placed on providing the student with problem-solving skills and the ability to interpret the results of basic agricultural statistical analysis.

Following a brief introduction to statistics and statistical inference, students enrolled in AGSC 137 are introduced to common measures of central tendency and dispersion used in summarizing agricultural data followed by an introduction to the main concepts of probability and probability distributions and their potential applications in agricultural sciences.  Additional topics to be covered include correlation analysis as well as simple and multiple linear regression.

EXPECTED COURSE OUTCOMES:

At the successful completion of AGSC 137, the student is expected to have:

1. Developed a basic understanding of statistical methods, probability, correlation analysis, and linear regression as related to agricultural science.

2. Developed an appreciation of the types of problems in agriculture that can be analyzed statistically.

3. Been acquainted with the use of computer technology in interpreting research data.

4. Developed the basic skills for using the laptop in his/her courses.

OFFICE HOURS:

The instructor has the following designated office hours per week:

• Mondays: 1:00 to 1:50 p.m.

• Tuesdays: 9:00 to 9:50 a.m.

• Wednesdays: 10:00 to 10:50 a.m.

• Thursdays: 10:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

If necessary, students are also encouraged to make appointments to see the instructor at other times. Students with disabilities who require accommodations to fully-participate in the course activities are requested to contact the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester.

CONTACT HOURS AND CLASS SCHEDULE:

AGSC 137 is a two-credit hour course.  It includes two contact hours per week for 15 weeks.  Only one section of the course is being offered during the 2008 Spring semester.  The schedule of the offered section is as follows:

• AGSC 137 - Section 2:  Meets on Mondays (8:00 to 9:50 p.m.) in Room 102, Marshall Hall.

TEXTBOOK(S):

Davis, B. 2000. Introduction to Agricultural Statistics. Delmar, Albany, New York.

Shayya, W.H. 2008. Using MS Excel 2007 to Analyze Data: An Introductory Tutorial (on-line tutorial). 

Shayya, W.H. 2003. Using MS Excel 2003 to Analyze Data: An Introductory Tutorial (on-line tutorial).

CLASS POLICIES:

• Attendance: First and foremost, students must always plan to be in class on time.  Given the nature of the course, students are also required to attend all classes. Attendance will be taken during each class session and appropriate action will be taken when any given students has more than 3 unexcused absences during the semester. Very few or no absences will be considered during the grading process when the student is close to receiving the next higher letter grade. No make-up examination will be given without a written medical excuse, family emergency, or prior permission from the instructor. Students are responsible for all materials covered in the class whether assigned or presented orally during the lectures.

• Student Behavior: As students in a technical program are preparing for a professional career, all students are expected to conduct themselves as professionals (in both manner and dress).Good behavior in the classroom is expected from all students.  Students who engage in unacceptable or disruptive behavior will be asked to leave the class.

  • Eating, drinking, or the consumption of any tobacco products is prohibited in the classroom situation (lecture hall, classroom, laboratory, or field). Doing so may result in the student's dismissal from that class period and will count as an unexcused absence.

  • Cell phones and pagers must be turned off during instruction time. Use of or disruption of class by these devices will result in the student's dismissal from that class period and will count as an unexcused absence. Laptop computers may not be used during the lecture.

• Assignments: This course will include at least eight homework assignments of equal weights.  At the end of the semester, the assignment with the lowest grade for each student will be dropped.  Class assignments will account for 20% of the final grade.  Therefore, it is important that students complete those assignments accurately, neatly, and on time. Assignments received past the due date will be devalued 5% for each day that the item is late.  No class assignment of any student will be graded (for credit) once the same assignment is corrected and returned to the class.  A student missing an assignment will receive a grade of zero on that assignment.  

• Examinations: There will be two class examinations and a comprehensive final in AGSC 137.  Class examinations will cover class material, homework assignments, and assigned readings.

• Honesty Policy and Discipline (Due Process): Honesty and integrity are major elements in professional behavior and are expected of each student. Any assignment (including those in electronic media) submitted by a student must be of the student's original authorship. Representation of another's work as the student’s own shall constitute plagiarism. Cheating, in any form, is an unacceptable behavior within all College courses. Students having academic problems should consult with their academic advisor or a college counselor. Instances of cheating will be dealt with in accordance to College policy. Standards of academic honesty and due process procedures for Morrisville State College are located in the Rules, Regulations, and Expectations section of the Student Handbook. 

• Safety Guidelines: Certain class assignments may require the student to be absent from the professor's immediate supervision. Whether the student is under immediate supervision or not, safe conduct and safe use of equipment shall be the ultimate rule. Failure to comply with prudent safety practice and/or willful disregard for class participants and/or equipment may be cause for immediate dismissal from that particular class session by the professor(s). Subsequent similar activity may be cause for dismissal from the course by the Dean.

• Things to remember: The material covered in AGSC 137 will require a consistent effort from each student (understanding earlier lectures will be crucial to grasping concepts presented in subsequent lectures).  Each student should plan to spend at least two hours per week for every lecture convened in class.  Students are also urged to spend the time in solving problems and completing the required homework assignments on time (and independently).  Solving additional problems from the text and revisiting the problems solved in the class will be very helpful.  Completing assignments well before the due date will give the student a chance to ask questions should he/she encounter problems.  Students also should remember to ask questions of the instructor when they face difficulties, whether inside or outside the classroom.  The instructor has an open-door policy and welcomes the opportunity to visit with students whenever needed.

GRADING/EVALUATION OF STUDENT:

Evaluation is a shared responsibility between the teacher and the student. The purpose of the evaluation is to demonstrate how well the professor has taught and the student has learned specific course materials, the principles, concepts and terms relevant to the covered topics, and to determine the students' ability to apply that knowledge to specific situations.

The breakdown of grading in this course will be as follows:

• Class Participation, Attendance, Work Ethic ==> 5% of final grade

• Homework Assignments ==> 20% of final grade

• First Examination (during the second lecture of the 5^th week) ==> 20% of final grade

• Second Examination (during the two lectures of the 11^th week) ==> 20% of final grade

• Final Examination (comprehensive) ==> 35% of final grade

The distribution of grades in this course will be based on the A-F College grading scheme. The letter grades correspond to the following percentage scale: A (90-100%), A- (87-89.9%), B+ (83-86.9%), B (80-82.9%), B- (77-79.9%), C+ (73-76.9%), C (70-72.9%), C- (67-69.9%), D+ (63-66.9%), D (60-62.9%), and F (<60%).

OUTLINE OF TOPICS:

*The topics listed in the table above are tentative and may be subject to change during the semester.