School of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Course Outline for AGSC 145

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN RESEARCH II

Fall 2002

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

INSTRUCTOR:

GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:

AGSC 145 is the second of two courses in the laptop curriculum of Agricultural Science involving introductory statistics and regression analysis and the application of computers in research.  The course provides an introduction to regression analysis coupled with the application of MS Excel and other computer software to the solution of statistical problems in agricultural science, dairy management, and agricultural business.  Also, it allows the student to apply the basic statistical analyses covered in AGSC 135 through three case studies that utilize experimental data collected by the faculty of the Agricultural Science Department at Morrisville State College.  The case studies will be presented by the faculty of the Department who have expertise in the given area or conducted the experiment.  Emphasis will be placed on the needed analysis to make the data useful in decision making.  Students are expected to gain practical knowledge on analyzing data using MS Excel and pertinent software with assignments being completed on their laptop computers.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To acquaint the student with computer software and analyses of experimental data.
2. To provide the student with an appreciation of the types of problems in agriculture that can be analyzed statistically.
3. To acquaint the student with the use of computer technology in interpreting research data and making presentations.
4. To get the student acquainted with using the laptop in his/her courses and making PowerPoint presentations.

OFFICE HOURS:

The instructor has the following designated office hours per week:

• Mondays: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
• Tuesdays: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
• Thursdays: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Fridays: 1:00 to 2:00 p.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 145 is a one-credit hour course.  It includes one contact hour per week.  The class meets on Fridays from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m. in Room 201, Charlton Hall.

TEXTBOOK(S):

There is no textbook to buy.  Handouts and reading material will either be made available on-line or placed on reserve at the library. The following publications may serve as references:

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

Shayya, W.H. 2000. Using Excel to Analyze Data: An Introductory Tutorial (web tutorial). 

CLASS POLICIES:

• Attendance: Given the nature of the course, students are urged to attend all classes.  Attendance will be taken during each class session and appropriate actions will be taken when students are absent for more than 20% of the course.  Very few or no absences will be considered during the grading process when the student is close to receiving the next higher letter grade.

• Assignments: This course will include several case studies and homework assignments (to be turned in electronically, except when indicated otherwise) that will account for 65% of the final grade.  Therefore, it is important that students complete their assignments accurately, neatly, and submit them on time.  Assignments received past the due date will be devalued 5% for each school 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.

• Examinations: There will be no class examinations in this course.

• Academic honesty policy: The College imposes specific actions in response to incidents of cheating and academic dishonesty. These procedures will be followed and appropriate actions will be taken if these events were to occur.

• Class behavior: Good behavior in the classroom is expected from all students.   Students who engage in unacceptable behavior will be asked to leave the class.

• Things to remember: The material covered in AGSC 145 focuses on case studies and class assignments.  Students are urged to spend the time in completing their course assignments on time (and independently).  Completing assignments well before the due date will give the student a chance to ask questions should s/he 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.

GRADE COMPOSITION:

• Class participation, attendance, and work ethic ==> 10% of final grade
• Case studies ==> 50% of final grade
• Other assignments ==> 15% of final grade
• Student presentation ==> 25% of final grade

GRADING SCHEME:

The distribution of grades in this course will be based on the A-F University 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 and corresponding dates listed in the tables above are tentative and may be subject to change during the semester.