Course Policies
Important Administrative Notes
We recognize the extraordinary circumstances that many students are in, and have created these policies and course schedule to help reduce some of the stress you may be experiencing.
There is no mandatory synchronous component in this course, but the live lecture sessions and lab sessions are highly recommended. This course makes use of a flipped-classroom format. Pre-recorded lecture videos will be posted via Warpwire prior to each live lecture session.
Live lecture sessions will be devoted to recapping the pre-recorded videos, dedicated Q&A time with the professor, and discussion of practice questions and examples contained in the pre-recorded lectures. Live lecture sessions will be recorded via Zoom, with links provided on Sakai after each live session. Live lab sessions will be an opportunity to work with your group and receive help from the TAs.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is of paramount importance in this class, and all work must be done in accordance with the Duke Community Standard, reproduced as follows:
To uphold the Duke Community Standard:
- I will not lie, cheat, or steal in my academic endeavors;
- I will conduct myself honorably in all my endeavors; and
- I will act if the Standard is compromised.
By enrolling in this course, you have agreed to abide by and uphold the provisions of the Duke Community Standard as well as the policies specific to this course. Any violations will automatically result in a grade of 0 on the assignment and be reported to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. Depending on the magnitude of the offense, a failing (F) course grade may be assigned.
Activities & Assessments
Lecture
All lectures will be pre-recorded and posted to the course Sakai page. Each live class session will be held on Zoom and consist of a lecture recap, a Q&A session, and discussion and demonstration of examples from the pre-recorded lectures. The recording of the live class session will be posted to the course Sakai page and made available for students who cannot attend synchronously. Attendance is not mandatory, but students are responsible for content contained the pre-recorded lectures and live Q&A sessions according to the course schedule.
Homework (20%)
Graded homework assignments focus on understanding methods, performing data analysis, and reinforcing concepts from lecture. Feel free to discuss homework with other students -- however, all work must be your own. Homework assignments must be typed as an R Markdown document and uploaded to Gradescope as a .pdf in order to receive credit. Unlimited resubmissions are allowed until the due date. Only the final version will be graded.
The lowest homework grade will be dropped automatically. See the late work policy for further COVID-related accommodations regarding late work.
Labs (20%)
Graded labs focus on the computing tools needed to tackle analysis of real-world datasets and may be individual or team-based. We have scheduled a wide variety of slots to accommodate different time zones; it is highly recommended that you attend the live sessions in order to work with your team and receive help from lab TAs. Lab assignments must be typed as an R Markdown document and uploaded to Gradescope as a .pdf in order to receive credit. Unlimited resubmissions are allowed until the due date. Only the final version will be graded.
The lowest lab grade will be dropped automatically. See the late work policy for further COVID-related accommodations regarding late work.
Exams (45%)
Three (3) asynchronous take-home midterm exams test understanding, analysis, and interpretation of methods. Each exam corresponds to one of the three units. You may use R as well as any notes, books, or existing internet resources to answer the questions. However, you are strictly prohibited from collaborating or communicating with anyone except the instructor regarding the exam (e.g., you may not communicate with other students, the TAs, or post/solicit help on the internet or via any other communication means). To accommodate students in different time zones, exams will be administered electronically on Gradescope: a 12-hour window will be provided during which students will have up to 2 hours (to allow for technical difficulties and slower typists!) to take the exam.
Exam dates cannot be changed and no make-ups will be given. You must take at least two exams to pass the course.
Project (15%)
The final research project is an open-ended team-based statistical analysis that answers a research question of interest using a real-world dataset. The project consists of a written analysis and a 10-minute virtual presentation of your work. More details will be provided during as the semester progresses.
No late projects are accepted; you must turn complete all project requirements to pass the course.
Grade Calculation
The grading basis for this class is a traditional letter grade according to the standard university policy. The following table presents the contribution of each component to a student's final grade:
| Homework | 20% |
| Labs | 20% |
| Midterm Exam 1 | 15% |
| Midterm Exam 2 | 15% |
| Midterm Exam 3 | 15% |
| Final Project | 15% |
A letter grade will be assigned as follows:
| 93 | ≤ | A | ≤ | 100 |
| 90 | ≤ | A- | < | 93 |
| 87 | ≤ | B+ | < | 90 |
| 83 | ≤ | B | < | 87 |
| 80 | ≤ | B- | < | 83 |
| 77 | ≤ | C+ | < | 80 |
| 73 | ≤ | C | < | 77 |
| 70 | ≤ | C- | < | 73 |
| 67 | ≤ | D+ | < | 70 |
| 63 | ≤ | D | < | 67 |
| 60 | ≤ | D- | < | 63 |
| 0 | ≤ | F | < | 60 |
I may assign an A+ grade in exceptional circumstances.
Note that I never "curve down." These posted cut points are guaranteed minimums. As well, this course is not graded to a pre-specified distribution (i.e., "curved"); if every student earns a 95 in the course, then every student will receive an A.
Regrade requests for homeworks, labs, and exams must be submitted within 48 hours of when the assignment is returned via Gradescope (e.g., regrade requests for a homework assignment returned any time on Wednesday will be open through Friday at 11:59PM). Regrade requests will be honored if there is an error in the grade calculation or a correct answer was mistakenly marked as incorrect. Do note that regrades may result in a lower grade than originally given. No grades will be changed after the final project presentations.
Grades can only be changed by the instructor. Teaching Assistants cannot change grades on returned assignments.
Software, Texts, and Technology
R is the software package for use in STA 102. The free user interface R Studio is highly recommended, and you will download these (free!) programs during the first lab period, which will take place on August 24. All homework and lab assignments are to be completed in a reproducible R Markdown document and uploaded as a .pdf document to Gradescope. More instructions will be provided on assignments.
No textbooks are required for this course, but the following textbooks may be used as supplemental resources. All lecture notes will be posted to the class website, and pre-recorded lecture sessions will be posted via Warpwire to the Sakai site in advance of each live lecture session.
| Principles of Biostatistics | Pagano and Gavreau | CRC Press, 2nd Edition, 2018 |
| OpenIntro Statistics | Diez, Barr, Çetinkaya-Rundel | CreateSpace, 4th Edition, 2019 |
| R for Data Science | Wickham and Grolemund | O'Reilly Media, 1st Edition, 2017 |
Absences and Late Work
If you have a personal or family emergency or chronic health condition that affects your ability to participate in class, please contact your academic dean's office. Review the Trinity excused absence policy for further details.
Homework and Labs
I recognize that this virtual semester presents some unique difficulties. Thus, you will have a 24 hour grace period after the due date of homework and lab assignments to turn them in with no penalty. I recommend using this policy as little as possible, but it is here to provide some stress relief. No late work is accepted after this grace period.
Exams and Project
Exam dates cannot be changed and no make-ups will be given. No late work is accepted on exams or the final project. You must take at least two exams and submit all final project components to pass the course. Exams missed in accordance with the excused absence policy will not count toward grade calculations; the other two exams will be up-weighted.
Testing Accommodations
I am always happy to provide virtual testing accommodations to students with documented needs. Please submit a Semester Request to the Student Diability Access Office (SDAO) as soon as possible if you may require them. For instructions on how to register with SDAO, visit their website here. Note that accommodations are not retroactive; please request an accommodation as soon as possible.
Inclusion & Class Etiquette
Behavior in and out of the classroom should enhance the learning process. At all times we will use common courtesy and respectful behavior. In this course, we will strive to create a learning environment that is welcoming to all students and that is in alignment with Duke's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion.
If there is any aspect of the class that is not welcoming or accessible to you, please let me know immediately. Additionally, if you are experiencing something outside of class that is affecting your performance in the course, please feel free to talk with me and/or your academic dean
Where to find help
If you have a question, ask! There are likely other students with the same question, so by asking you will create a learning opportunity for everyone. Occasionally, I may defer a question to office hours. Please be understanding -- it does not mean that I think your question is bad; we may simply be running behind.
- Office hours are a valuable resource for more individual attention. Use them!
- Outside of class and office hours, general questions about course content or assignments should be posted on the course Piazza site, since there are likely other students with the same questions.
- Sometimes you may need help with the class that is beyond what can be provided by the teaching team. In that instance, I encourage you to visit the Academic Resource Center (ARC). The ARC offers free services to all students during their undergraduate careers at Duke. Services include Learning Consultations, Peer Tutoring and Study Groups, ADHD/LD Coaching, Outreach Workshops, and more.