Introductory Statistics

Overview

Remember that the five steps of statistical analysis are: framing the research, collecting the data, analyzing the data, interpreting the results, and presenting the results. I will usually do the first two for you in explaining the goals of the assignment. You need to successfully perform the remaining three. Remember: You are presenting your results to a business audience. Ensure that your writing style is appropriate for that audience. Also, ensure that you provide everything requested in your single submitted word-processed document. This is what your boss cares about.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you do these practicum assignments.

• The emphasis is on interpretation. Your interpretation will tell me how much you actually understand about the statistical procedures you are learning.
• The emphasis is on explanation. You need to be explicit about your procedures, changes, assumptions, etc. If you are not explicit, then I will understand that to mean that you are not sure. That means I cannot have confidence in your results.
• The emphasis is on communication. You are looking to enter the business realm. You will frequently be called upon to write. This writing needs to be clear and concise. The person you are writing for does not have the time to try to figure out what you mean. He/she also does not have time to read page after page of your writing or search for the requested information. Be clear and concise and complete and correct.
• The emphasis is on calculation. While interpretation, explanation, and communication are all very important, they are all very meaningless if the results or the procedures are wrong. Your recommendations will be based on data and analysis. Make sure that those data and those analyses are correct.

General Writing Requirements

In addition to the particular checklists, here is the general checklist for all practicum activities. Before submitting your practicum, make sure that it meets these requirements as well.

• The writing speaks to the needs of a business owner or manager.
• All requested information is present in the document.
• Statistics are provided to support your argument.
• The solutions are written using proper grammar and style.
• You proofread your work to ensure it makes sense.
• Graphics look professional and include descriptive captions.
• You provide a title page containing your name, the due date, the class name, and the assignment title.
• All relevant R code is included as an appendix to the document.
• Code should only exist in the appendix. In the narrative, use the name of the test, not the function you ran. Thus, you will discuss the Shapiro-Wilk test and not the shapiroTest.
• The document is physically handed in to the professor on time.

Here are some sources on how to perform the above:

• Changing margins in Word
• Changing font in Word
• Changing line-spacing in Word
• Creating graphics in R

Practicum Grading Note

If you do not meet the minimum requirements for the assignment (including the above formatting requirements), your practicum may earn a zero.