Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics

Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

Catalog Description:
Introduction to statistical methodology emphasizing applications in engineering. Topics include descriptive and
inferential statistics, regression, analysis of variance, and design of experiments. Includes applying course topics and
concepts to contemporary problems through lab activities and assignments that emphasize selection and application of
methods, interpretation of analyses, and effectively communicating and presenting findings. This course meets the
student learning outcomes in the Western Michigan University Essential Studies Level 1 – Foundations, Oral & Digital
Communication course category.

Prerequisites:
MATH 1220 or MATH 1700 (Calculus I)

Section Information:
This course is to be delivered as a hybrid + asynchronous format using WMU’s Elearning system. Certain lecture
sessions will be held in-person. There are no in-person lab sessions. Information for individual lecture section in-
person meeting dates/times are shown below. Make note of your lecture + lab ID (e.g., B6) because you may use this
occasionally during the course.

Type ID CRN Day Time In-Person Meeting Dates

A 43414 M 10:30am – 11:20am
9/14 9/21 10/19 10/26 11/16
B 43402 M 1:30pm – 2:20pm
Lecture
C 46530 W 10:30am – 11:20am
9/9 9/16 10/21 10/28 11/18
D 46529 W 1:30pm – 2:20pm
1 43422 M 6:30pm – 9:20pm
2 43421 T 8:30am – 11:20am
3 43423 T 12:30pm – 3:20pm Labs are fully asynchronous, meaning there
4 43419 T 6:30pm – 9:20am are no in-person meetings for labs.
Lab 5 43416 W 3:30pm – 6:20pm
The days and times shown are for the original lab
6 43994 W 6:30pm – 9:20pm day and time. You may think of this as time that
7 43424 R 11:30am – 2:20pm can be dedicated to this course if you wish.
8 43425 R 2:30pm – 5:20pm
9 43420 R 6:30pm – 9:20pm

Course Instructors & Teaching Assistants:

Dr. Jim Burns, Assistant Professor (Instructor) Kim Nagulpelli, Doctoral Student (TA)
IEE&EM Department IEE&EM Department
Email: j.burns@wmich.edu Email: kimberly.nagulpelli@wmich.edu@wmich.edu

Ms. Enas Aref, Doctoral Student (TA) Mohammad Majdfaghihi, Doctoral Student (TA)
IEE&EM Department IEE&EM Department
Email: enasosamaelsa.aref@wmich.edu Email: mohammadhossein.majdfaghihi@wmich.edu

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 Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics
Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

Course Schedule:
A course schedule is provided on Elearning. The schedule contains due dates for all of the major work that is to be
submitted. In the event schedule changes are necessary, they will be announced and a new schedule will be posted.

Under normal circumstances this course would meet for lectures twice per week and for lab once per week for a total
of 5 hours. While this course will primarily be conducted as an asynchronous, online class, you are encouraged to
develop a personal schedule that allows you to complete the coursework. Remember that the workload in an online
class is no different than a live class.

Required Course Materials:

Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers, 7th Ed., Montgomery, D., Runger, G., Wiley Publishing, 2018
ISBN #: 9781119456261 Print. 9781119400363 eText.
The Digital textbook is an Enhanced E-Text from Wiley which has many features to improve learning and studying. You
are not required to have a hard copy of the text.

Storytelling with Data, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Wiley Publishing, 2015. ISBN #: 978-1119002253
This is an inexpensive textbook that is available in paperback, kindle, and audiobook formats. See
http://www.storytellingwithdata.com/ for more information.

Minitab Software (Version 19)

Available in the CAE Center, downloadable for free using your goWMU account, or for purchase at Minitab.com.
Beginning with Minitab 19, there is a Mac version of the software. Minitab Express is also an option for most of the
homework assignments in this course.

Microsoft Excel
This is available for free to you through WMU. Excel or an equivalent spreadsheet tool is required for some labs
and is also very useful for statistics in general.

Microsoft Word or Equivalent Software

This is available for free to you through WMU. Some homework and lab assignments require the submission of
answers via an attached file. In these cases, all answers must be submitted in a single file. Microsoft Word is very
convenient for creating answer files and converting them into a pdf format, which is the most reliable way to submit
things electronically.

Microsoft PowerPoint or similar software

PowerPoint, or an equivalent program (or group of programs) that is capable of producing video presentations, is
required in this course. PowerPoint is available free to you through WMU.

Webex Videoconferencing Software

Webex is available free to you through WMU. See wmich.edu/webex for more information.

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 Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics
Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

Course Objectives:

Course Objective Student Learning Outcomes

1. To use graphical and descriptive statistics to summarize and display engineering
(3, 5)*, (4)+
problem information.

2. To employ inferential statistics to solve engineering problems.

3. To plan and conduct fundamental experiments of design, analyze the results, and
(1)*, (1) +
make recommendations based on the analysis.

4. To apply basic linear regression techniques in an engineering context.

5. To locate and evaluate information from a variety of sources regarding a relevant Demonstrate and apply
question, topic, or research need. Synthesize and use the information to create information literacy.
new insights that contribute to society and/or the engineering profession. (WMU Essential Studies SLO)

Demonstrate effective and

6. To construct a meaningful central message from synthesized information and
appropriate oral and digital
supporting material and to effectively communicate the message using oral and
communication abilities.
digital communication best-practices.
(WMU Essential Studies SLO)
*Denotes ABET EAC Outcomes, +Denotes ABET ETAC Outcomes

Course Grading Scale:

Approximate Percentile
Category Weight Grade
Points Range
Lab Assignments & Discussions 200 20% A 90-100
Homework & Misc. Activities 100 10% BA 85-90
Quizzes 150 30% B 80-85
Case Study Project 100 20% CB 75-80
Final Exam 100 15% C 70-75
Course Engagement 100 5% DC 65-70
Total 100% D 60-65
E < 60

Course Policies & General Information:

This section provides information and policies that apply to the course this semester.

Communication
The best way to reach the instructor or TAs with questions about the material is during the office hours listed on the
course schedule (we will be available by email or videoconference at these times). We will also regularly check email
Monday through Friday, and periodically during the weekend. We will make every effort to respond to email inquiries
within 24 hours.

You may also post questions to the Problem Solving discussion board. Doing so is encouraged gives students in the
course an opportunity to help one another and allows everyone to benefit from answers to a question. The instructors
will also monitor these boards and respond as soon as possible.
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 Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics
Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

When composing an email or posting to the discussion board your question should be stated clearly, concisely, and
professionally. Provide the information necessary to answer the question. If responding to a post on the discussion
board, be sure to answer the question being asked. However, do not provide direct answers to lab or HW questions in
the boards, and do not discuss quiz questions.

Learning Materials
This section provides a description of the primary course materials and assignments, and a description of how
assignments will be evaluated.

Lecture Videos & Notes

Lecture videos provide explanations of the most important concepts and techniques that are needed to be successful
in the course. The examples used and how they are explained are designed to introduce concepts and techniques,
and also to link content from the various modules. Lecture notes are pdf copies of the video content.

Lab Videos & Notes

Lab videos are tutorials that guide you through solving problems, primarily with software. Labs are designed to
provide an opportunity to engage with and learn the material in a guided manner that will enable you to more
effectively engage with the course concepts on your own.

Lab Assignments
Lab assignment will primarily reflect the content from the lab video and notes being studied, but may also include
content from earlier labs/modules since concepts build upon each other. Lab assignments are graded based on
correctness of the answers you provide and the clarity of your submission. Partial credit is available for most
questions. You may use any of the course materials or self-developed study notes as references during lab
assignments. The first few lab assignments will not be timed, but later lab assignments MAY be timed.

Homework Assignments
Homework assignments are designed to provide you with an opportunity to engage with and learn the material on
your own. The style of homework will vary by module and will include suggestions for how to do the homework
(e.g., by hand, Minitab, Excel, etc.). Solutions to homework problems will be provided immediately following the
due date so that you may review what you have submitted prior to receiving a grade. NOTE: You will frequently
take the module quiz before receiving a score for the HW. Homework is graded primarily on the basis of
completeness, apparent effort, neatness of the submission, but also on correctness. All homework submissions must
be organized presented in a clear and professional manner in 1 pdf file. Work should be shown in sufficient detail
to convey your understanding of the concepts involved.

Practice Problems
Practice problems are extra problems that you may work through to help build understanding of the course materials
and they will also provide a sense of what to expect on the module quizzes. Practice problems are available as a
pdf file and as an ungraded Elearning quiz. Answers for each question are provided and you may take the Elearning
quiz version as many times as you like. Additionally, specialized practice quizzes are available for some certain
course topics (e.g., calculating Normal Distribution probabilities).

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 Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics
Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

Quizzes
Quizzes are given to test your knowledge of a module’s content, which may include content from earlier modules
since concepts build upon each other. Quiz questions can include answering conceptual questions, performing
calculations to answer a straightforward problem, or application-based questions that combine concepts and
calculations. The use of software may be required in some cases. Quizzes have time limits that vary by module
and are graded on correctness. Partial credit varies from question to question. Solutions to quizzes are NOT
provided. You may use any of the course materials or self-developed study notes as references during quizzes.

Case Study
A case study will be assigned and completed in teams of two (max of three). Teams will select a contemporary, real-
world problem and use the concepts of this course to investigate and perform appropriate analyses of the problem
using multiple sources of data and information. Multiple mediated oral presentations related to the problem,
analyses, and findings are required. A written summary report of the final analysis is also required. Student teams
will deliver draft presentations that address the underlying problem and the progress of the analyses as indicated on
the schedule, as well as a final presentation. An assessment of the draft presentations and the final presentation will
be conducted using the WMU Essential Studies oral and digital communication rubric. Peer and instructor feedback
of the presentation, analytical approaches, and findings will also be provided to each team member. The process of
conducting this case study assignment supports attainment of the WMU Essential Studies SLO on information
literacy. The process of delivering draft presentations, receiving feedback, and then revising and presenting the
presentations supports the attainment of the WMU Essential Studies SLO on oral and digital communication.
Additional information will be provided when the case study is assigned.

Grading
Grading Policies provided in this syllabus are tentative and adjustments may be necessary in certain circumstances.
Any changes will be announced and an updated syllabus will be published. The official record for all graded work in
this course is Elearning, so be sure to review your scores to ensure they are accurate and accounted for. If you believe
an item has been scored incorrectly or there is an error for a score in Elearning, you must request that it be reviewed
within 7 days from the grade’s release on Elearning. Extra credit opportunities in this course are limited and any extra
credit will be available to all students (i.e., individual extra credit opportunities are not available). Any work not
completed by the due date will receive a score of zero with no makeup. The lowest lab and HW scores will be dropped
when calculating final grades.

Final Exam
A final exam will be given at the end of the semester. The exam will be similar in format to that of quizzes. An
exam study guide will be provided at least 1 week prior to the exam along with information about the exam logistics
(e.g., time allowed, due date, submission requirements). The final exam will be cumulative and will emphasize the
most important aspects of the material covered.

Engagement
Engagement is critical to your success in this course. Being engaged means to work to the best of your ability to
learn the required concepts, complete all assignments in a timely manner, work through the learning materials posted
online in a timely manner, working to the best of your ability to complete the case study project with your
teammate(s), ensuring you are reviewing any communications from the instructor(s) to stay up-to-date, and
communicating with the instructor(s) when necessary. Being fully engaged also means to act in a respectful,
professional, and civil manner in all aspects of this course. This is the expectation for student conduct and you can
expect that the instructor and TAs will be equally engaged.

Engagement is a graded component of this course. In general, if you view course materials in a timely manner, your
assignments are completed on time and are presented clearly, you participate in discussions, and you check in with
the instructors if you are having difficulty, and display professionalism in your conduct, then it is likely your
engagement score will be 100%. Failing to do any of these can reduce your engagement score.

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 Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics
Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

Collaboration & Outside Resources

Collaboration with peers (including a formal tutor, although your first choice should be to work with an instructor or
TA) is permissible and encouraged, but all work submitted must be your own. It is up to you to know the boundary
between acceptable conduct and cheating. You are permitted to freely discuss any aspect of this course with your
peers EXCEPT FOR QUIZ OR EXAM QUESTIONS BEFORE THE DUE DATE. Sharing of any assessment
question (labs/HW/quizzes/exams) contained in the learning materials of this course in a way that allows people
outside of this course to access the question (e.g., online) is strictly prohibited.

Statistics is a broad field and there are many resources that help support your learning that can be found outside of
this course. It is permissible to explore and use some of these outside resources to support your learning. Many
have found Khan Academy and certain YouTube channels to be helpful. However, be aware that such resources
generally cannot replace the learning materials for this course (for several reasons). There are resources that are
NOT permissible to use, including any resource that provides full or partial solutions to any assessment question
contained in the learning materials of this course. The use of such resources is generally considered to be a violation
of academic honesty policies and may result in further restrictions to the assessment procedures, retaking of
assessments, disciplinary action in accordance with university policies, or complete loss of points for the assessment.

University Policies & Guidelines:

Academic Honesty Policy

Students are responsible for making themselves aware of and understanding the University policies and procedures
that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple
submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. The academic policies addressing Student Rights and
Responsibilities can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog at http://catalog.wmich.edu/index.php?catoid=32 and the
Graduate Catalog at http://catalog.wmich.edu/index.php?catoid=33. If there is reason to believe you have been
involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the
opportunity to review the charge(s) and if you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a
hearing. You should consult with your instructor if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the
submission of an assignment or test.

The penalty for confirmed academic dishonesty ranges from reduction in grade to failure of the course.

Accommodations for Disabilities

Both in compliance with and in the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we would like to work with
you if you have a disability that is relevant to the work in this course. If you have a documented disability and wish
to discuss reasonable academic accommodations, please contact your instructor in a timely fashion at the beginning
of the semester. You may also contact the Office of Disability Services for Students at 269-387-2116 (or at
wmich.edu/disabilityservices).

Harassment, Violence, Stalking

Students and instructors are responsible for making themselves aware of and abiding by the “Western Michigan
University Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, and Stalking Policy
and Procedures” related to prohibited sexual misconduct under Title IX, the Clery Act and the Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA) and Campus Safe. Under this policy, responsible employees (including instructors) are
required to report claims of sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator or designee (located in the Office of
Institutional Equity). Responsible employees are not confidential resources. For a complete list of resources and
more information about the policy see www.wmich.edu/sexualmisconduct.

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 Course Syllabus: IEE 2610 Engineering Statistics
Course Syllabus – Fall 2020, Revision 01 (09/02/2020)

Civility
The WMU the Faculty Senate has approved a general aspirational statement related to civility. It may be found at
https://wmich.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/u370/2019/Civility%20Stmt.7-27-16.pdf.

Special COVID-19 Policies for Fall 2020

Due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic, and consistent with the State of Michigan* requirements and the WMU
Safe Return plan (https://wmich.edu/safereturn), safety requirements are in place to minimize exposure to the
Western Michigan University community. These guidelines apply to all in-person or hybrid classes held either inside
or outside a WMU building.

Facial coverings (masks), over both the nose and mouth, are required for all students while in class, no matter the
size of the space. This includes outdoor class settings where social distancing is not possible (i.e., at least six feet of
space between individuals). Following this recommendation can minimize the transmission of the virus, which is
spread between people interacting in close proximity through speaking, coughing, or sneezing. During specified
classes in which facial coverings (masks) would prevent required class elements, students may remove facial
coverings (masks) with instructor permission, in accordance with the exceptions in the Facial Covering (mask)
Policy** ("such as playing an instrument, acting, singing, etc.").

Facial coverings (masks) must remain in place throughout the class. Any student who removes the mandatory facial
covering (mask) during class will be required to leave the classroom immediately.

Facial coverings (masks) are not a substitute for social distancing. Students shall observe current social distancing
guidelines in all instructional spaces, both indoors and outdoors. Students should avoid congregating around
instructional space entrances before and after class sessions. Students should exit the instructional space immediately
after the end of class to help ensure social distancing and to allow for those attending the next scheduled class
session to enter.

Students who are unable to wear a facial covering (mask) for medical reasons must contact Disability Services for
Students (https://wmich.edu/disabilityservices) before they attend class.

These guidelines are in place to ensure the safety of all students, faculty, and staff during the pandemic.
Noncompliance is a violation of the class requirements and the Student Code of Honor
(https://wmich.edu/conduct/expectations-students).

*For current State of Michigan Executive orders, see:

https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705---,00.html

**For the WMU Facial Covering (Mask) Policy, see:

https://wmich.edu/policies/facial-covering-mask

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