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:
Dr. Walid H. Shayya |
Instructor Contact Information
|
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:
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:
GRADE COMPOSITION:
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:
Week |
Date |
Lecture Topic* |
1 | Aug. 30, 02 | Introduction to AGSC145 |
2 | Sep. 2, 02 | Introduction to WebCT and other Computer Software used in AGSC 145 |
3 | Sep. 9, 02 | Review of Descriptive Statistics |
4 | Sep. 16, 02 | Review of Excel (On-line Introductory Tutorial) |
5 | Sep. 23, 02 | Review of Common Excel Functions |
6 | Sep. 30, 02 | Correlation Analysis |
7 | Oct. 7, 02 | Regression Analysis Using Excel |
8 | Oct. 14, 02 | October Break (no class) |
9 | Oct. 21, 02 | Case Study 1: Maximum Economic Yield of Corn |
10 | Oct. 28, 02 | Analysis of Data of Case Study 1 |
11 | Nov. 4, 02 | Case Study 2: Price Sensitivity Analysis |
12 | Nov. 11, 02 | Analysis of Data of Case Study 2 |
13 | Nov. 18, 02 | Case Study 3: Dairy Feeding of Gamagrass |
14 | Nov. 25, 02 | Analysis of Data of Case Study 3 |
15 | Dec. 2, 02 | Using MS PowerPoint |
16 | Dec. 9, 02 | Student Presentations Using MS PowerPoint |
*The topics
and corresponding dates listed in the tables above are tentative and may be
subject to change during the semester.