Course Syllabus

ST231 Statistical Methods for Life and Health Sciences

Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Waterloo Campus, Wilfrid Laurier University
Winter | 2025

I acknowledge that in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Brantford we are on the traditional territory
of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Laurier's Milton campus is located on the
traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between
the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Instructor Information
ST231A: Di Meng | Office: LH3062 (Lazaridis Hall)
E-mail: dmeng@wlu.ca | Phone: TBA
Office Hours: See MyLearningSpace course website for hours, and updates.

ST231B: David Soave | Office: LH3071 (Lazaridis Hall)

E-mail: dsoave@wlu.ca | Phone: +1 548-889-3697
Office Hours: See MyLearningSpace course website for hours, and updates.

Lab Coordinator
Katie McGarry | Office: LH3074 (Lazaridis Hall)
E-mail: cmcgarry@wlu.ca
Office Hours: See MyLearningSpace course website for hours, and updates.

Course Information
Calendar Description: This course covers all basic statistical concepts, and includes relevant examples
for life and health science students. The course introduces descriptive and inferential statistics; basic
probability theory; discrete and continuous random variables with focus on binomial and normal
random variables; statistical inference for population means and population proportions, both for one
and two populations, with focus on confidence intervals and tests of hypotheses. Furthermore, simple
and multiple linear regression methods are covered as well as one-way and two-way ANOVA. Problems
are analyzed with the aid of appropriate software.

Prerequisites: One of: MA100, MA101, MA102, MA103, MA110.

Exclusions: EC205, EC255, EC285, MA141, MA240, MA241, PS296, ST230; prior credit for ST260; current
enrolment in ST260.
*Notes: This course may not count for credit in Honours Mathematics, Financial Mathematics, or Data
Science programs.

Mode of Delivery: In-person

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Lecture Times and Locations:
• ST231A Tuesdays & Thursdays: 8:30am to 9:50am, Science Building N1001
• ST231B Tuesdays & Thursdays: 11:30am to 12:50pm, Science Building N1001

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

This course will introduce statistical concepts and techniques in such a way that students can master the
material and gain the confidence to perform their own analysis. This course will provide sufficient
instruction in areas such as biology, chemistry, clinical trials, and epidemiology to enable students to
critically appraise published articles in life and health sciences research. Students will learn basic
statistical concepts (sampling and experimental design, probability, statistical inference etc.) and
techniques (descriptive and inferential statistics), and apply them to real world data examples from the
life and health sciences. Students also will learn the statistical computing language, R (RStudio) through
application.

Course Tools and Learning Materials

Item Required Cost Current or Notes/Features (i.e. physical copy, virtual

or Most copy, second-hand availability, special
Optional Recent features, etc.)
Cost*
Baldi, B., & Moore, D. S. Optional $202 Current Review exercises (and answers to odd-
The practice of statistics numbered questions) available on the
in the life sciences. WH Laurier electronic reserves (ST231) - Free
Freeman and Company;
4th edition.

Calculator – Scientific, Required $10 Current Cost may vary depending on brand.
non-programmable

Course Website: MyLearningSpace ST231 website - Material related to this course, including
announcements, homework, handouts and lecture notes, assignments, and test information, will be
posted on the ST231 website in MyLearningSpace. Students are expected to consult MyLearningSpace
regularly.

Calculators: Students may use a non-programmable, non-graphing calculator on the midterm test and
the final examination.

Computing Software: RStudio is a free, open-source software program (based on R) for statistical
analysis. RStudio will be used for in-class demonstrations and labs and will occasionally be required to
complete assignment questions.

Student Evaluation

Assessment Weighting Schedule

Webwork Assignments 15% Six (6) assignment (dates below)

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 Assessment Weighting Schedule
Laboratories 25% Six (6) labs (biweekly, see ST231 LABS MyLS
webpage)
Midterm Test 25% In-Person Thursday Feb 27 (75 min during lecture
time)
Final Exam 35% In-Person during the Final Exam Period; Date and
Time TBA (120 min)
Total 100%

Learning Activities, Labs, Assignments, Tests and Examinations

Labs: There will be one lab every other week, beginning with the second week of the term (Mondays:
beginning Jan 13). Lab sessions are designed to develop statistical problem-solving and computing skills,
as well as to investigate applications of the concepts covered in lectures and familiarize students with R
and other computer software.
During labs, students will practice some routine and some advanced problems. The goals of
these sessions include helping solidify the student's understanding of concepts in data, probability, and
statistical inference and introducing computer methods for solving problems. The software used
requires minimal computer skills but requires building up familiarity with the R language. The lab
assignments must be completed and submitted during your lab time slot. Students are to be present in
the Lab while working on the lab assignment. An Instructional Assistant (IA) will be available to answer
general questions. Discussion is encouraged, but labs are to be written by each student independently.
In preparation for each lab, students are expected to have attempted all the assigned practice problems
related to that week’s work and worked through the lab preparation for that week. Reviewing previous
material is essential: statistics as a discipline builds on the earlier material. The breakdown of the final
lab mark will be explained during your first lab session. Lab preparation materials and solutions to lab
reports will be available through the ST231 Labs MyLearningSpace page.

Practice Homework Problem (Ungraded): Practice problems from the Baldi (4th ed.) text will be
assigned. These questions (and answers) are available on the Laurier electronic reserves (ST231),
accessed through the ST231 MyLS webpage. Solutions to these problems are not to be handed in.
However, for most students, working on these problems regularly and diligently is essential to success in
the course. The relevant problems should be attempted immediately after the corresponding material
has been covered in class, preferably before the following lecture and the lab session to which they
correspond. You are strongly encouraged to attempt these problems for extra practice.

Bi-Weekly Online WeBWorK Homework: There will be six online homework assignments in the
WeBWorK system (see the link on the course page in MyLearningSpace, which will automatically log you
into WeBWorK). The assignments will be released on Friday at 12:01 am and due by Thursday at 11:59
pm two weeks later (the Thursday before each lab), when the homework set will be closed, and answers
will become visible. Depending on the problem, you will be allowed 1 to 3 attempts. Pay close
attention, as the number of attempts varies between questions.

WeBWork Assignment Dates:

WeBWork Assignment 1 2 3 4 5 6
Release Date Jan 10 Jan 24 Feb 7 Feb 28 March 14 March 28
Due Date Jan 23 Feb 6 Feb 27 March 13 March 27 April 3

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Tentative Course Schedule:

Month Tuesday Thursday

January 7 Introducoon, Ch9 9 Ch9
14 Ch10 16 Ch12

21 Ch12 23 Ch12,11

28 Ch11 30 Ch11

February 4 Ch11,1 6 Ch2

11 Ch13 13 Ch14

18 No Class 20 No Class

25 Midterm Review 27 Midterm Test

March 4 Ch14 6 Ch15,17

11 Ch17 13 Ch18

18 Ch19 20 Ch20

25 Ch22 27 Ch23

April 1 Ch24 3 Final Exam Review

Course Topics by Chapter (Baldi 4th edition):

Chapter 1 Picturing Distributions with Graphs
Chapter 2 Describing Quantitative Distributions with
Numbers

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 Chapter 3 Scatterplots and Correlation
Chapter 4 Regression
Chapter 7 Sample and Observational Studies
Chapter 7 Designing Experiments
Chapter 9 Essential Probability Rules
Chapter 10 Independence and Conditional
Probabilities
Chapter 11 The Normal Distributions
Chapter 12 Discrete Probability Distributions
Chapter 13 Sampling Distributions
Chapter 14 Introduction to Inference
Chapter 15 Inference in Practice
Chapter 17 Inference about a Population Mean
Chapter 18 Comparing Two Means
Chapter 19 Inference about a Population Proportion
Chapter 20 Comparing Two Proportions
Chapter 22 The Chi-Square Test for Two-Way Tables
Chapter 23 Inference for Regression
Chapter 24 One-Way Analysis of Variance:
Comparing Several Means

University and Course Policies

1. Late Assignment Policy: Webwork assignments are available for two weeks. The assignment
answers will be available immediately following the due date. There are no extensions for
assignments.

2. Marking: Any error in marking must be reported within one week of the date the work was
returned to the student. No marks will be changed after that time. Please see the solutions posted
on the MyLS website before using the re-grade request feature through Gradescope. The
instructor reserves the right to remark the entire paper.

3. Midterm: The midterm will take place on Thursday, February 27, 2025, during your scheduled
lecture section (75 min). There will be no make-up of midterms. Weight shifting (shifted to the
Final Exam) is only given to students with verifiable extenuating circumstances. An extenuating
circumstance is a rare and severe event over which a student has no control or cannot
anticipate (for example, a serious accident or emergent medical condition). If you are unable to
take the midterm for medical reasons, please complete this form: https://web.wlu.ca/illness/

4. Final Examinations: Students are strongly urged not to make any commitments (e.g., vacation)
during the examination period. Students are required to be available for examinations during
the examination periods of all terms in which they register. Refer to the Handbook on
Undergraduate Course Management for more information.

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5. Deferral of Final Exam: To request a deferred exam, students must fill out the form specific for
the Faculty of Science. If, instead, you are petitioning for a second attempt at a final exam,
please visit this website (https://students.wlu.ca/academics/calendars-and-policies/petitions-
and-appeals/index.html) for more information. Note that a second attempt can only be
petitioned for in the unlikely event of something drastic occurring during the exam itself that
makes completing the final exam impossible.

6. Plagiarism: Wilfrid Laurier University uses software that can check for plagiarism. If requested to
do so by course instructors, students are required to submit their written work in electronic
form and have it checked for plagiarism.

7. Academic Integrity: Laurier is committed to a culture of integrity within and beyond the
classroom. This culture values trustworthiness (e.g., honesty, integrity, reliability), fairness,
caring, respect, responsibility and citizenship. Together, we have a shared responsibility to
uphold this culture in our academic and nonacademic behaviour. The University has a defined
policy with respect to academic misconduct. As a Laurier student you are responsible for
familiarizing yourself with this policy and the accompanying penalty guidelines, some of which
may appear on your transcript if there is a finding of misconduct. The relevant policy can be
found at Laurier's academic integrity website along with resources to educate and support you
in upholding a culture of integrity. Ignorance is not a defense.

8. Academic Calendars: Students are encouraged to review the Academic Calendar for information
regarding all important dates, deadlines, and services available on campus.

9. Accessibility: Contact Accessible Learning Centre if you require academic accommodations

because of a disability. Review the registration page for information about intake and
documentation requirements. Deadlines: Students are responsible for meeting posted
deadlines for registering with Accessible Learning and booking accommodated exams.
Accessible Learning cannot guarantee accommodations for requests received after posted
deadlines.

10. Library Accessibility Services: The Library offers accessibility services for people with disabilities,
including alternate formats or remediation of Library collections and help accessing materials.
For information please visit the Library Accessibility Hub (library.wlu.ca/services/accessibility-
hub) or email libaccessibility@wlu.ca.

11. Religious and Spiritual Accommodation: The University welcomes students, staff and faculty
from a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs and traditions and has a duty to provide
accommodation based on creed (religion and spirituality) under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
This obligation requires the University to work with students to provide reasonable
accommodation when a student's religious observances or spiritual beliefs creates a conflict
with their academic schedule. In order for instructors to provide proper accommodations,
students have obligations to request accommodations in a timely manner. All policies,
procedures, timelines, and request forms are found on Laurier’s Religious and Spiritual
Accommodations and Supports webpage.

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12. Gender Inclusivity: This course will be conducted in an affirming and mutually respectful
atmosphere for people of all gender expressions and identities. I was provided with a class
roster with your name as it appears on the official enrollment information. If you use a name
different from the roster, please let me know at your earliest convenience. You can also share
your gender pronouns with me if you like. Members of the class are expected to refer to one
another by the name and pronouns identified by each student. If you are comfortable, you can
also let your classmates know about your name and pronouns. The Centre for Student Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion (CSEDI) has developed a website outlining how to request a different name
to appear on some university records and systems such as Zoom, MyLS and email. The website
also provides information about Laurier’s Inclusive Washroom Initiative, support resources at
Laurier, and more.

13. Use of Zoom for Instructional Purposes: Wilfrid Laurier University uses a range of technologies
to facilitate in-person and remote instruction. Zoom is currently used for remote course
delivery, including lectures, seminars, and group office hours, which may be recorded, stored
and shared through MyLearningSpace for access by students in the course. For these course
activities, students are permitted to turn off their cameras or use an alternative name to
maintain their privacy after they have confirmed this with their course instructors. Student
personal information is collected and used in the course in accordance with University policies
and the Notice of Collection, Use or Disclosure of Personal Information. All exams and mid-
terms in the course that are conducted online will be proctored using only technologies
approved for assessment at Laurier as outlined on this page.

14. Classroom Use of Electronic Devices: The use of electronic devices in the classroom is governed
by WLU Policy 9.3: Classroom Use of Electronic Devices. Details of this Policy and the
consequences of breaches are stated in the Academic Calendar.

15. Intellectual Property:

The educational materials developed for this course, including, but not limited to, lecture notes
and slides, handout materials, examinations and assignments, and any materials posted to
MyLearningSpace, are the intellectual property of the course instructors. These materials have
been developed for student use only and they are not intended for wider dissemination and/or
communication outside of a given course. Posting or providing unauthorized audio, video, or
textual material of course content to third-party websites violates instructors’ intellectual
property rights, and the Canadian Copyright Act. Recording lectures in any way is prohibited in
this course unless specific permission has been granted by instructors. Failure to follow these
instructions may be in contravention of the university’s Student Non-Academic Code of Conduct
and/or Code of Academic Conduct, and will result in appropriate penalties. Participation in this
course constitutes an agreement by all parties to abide by the relevant University Policies, and
to respect the intellectual property of others during and after their association with Wilfrid
Laurier University.

16. Hawk Walk, the Wellness Centre, and the Student Food Bank:

Multi-campus Resource:

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• Good2Talk is a postsecondary school helpline that provides free, professional and
confidential counselling support for students in Ontario. Call 1-866-925-5454 or through 2-
1-1. Available 24-7.

Kitchener/Waterloo Resources:

• Waterloo Student Food Bank: All students are eligible to use this service to ensure they’re
eating healthy when overwhelmed, stressed or financially strained. Anonymously request a
package online 24-7. All dietary restrictions accommodated.

• Hawk Walk: 519.886.FOOT (3668). A volunteer operated safe-walk program, available Fall
and Winter daily from 6:30 pm to 3 am. Teams of two are assigned to escort students to and
from campus by foot or by van.

• Waterloo Student Wellness Centre: 519-884-0710, x3146. The Centre supports the physical,
emotional, and mental health needs of students. Located on the 2nd floor of the Student
Services Building, booked and same-day appointments are available Mondays and
Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 am
to 4:15 pm. Contact the Centre at x3146, wellness@wlu.ca or @LaurierWellness. After hours
crisis support available 24/7. Call 1-844-437-3247 (HERE247).