Monday & Wednesday 4:00 - 5:50 PM
Meldrum 170
Jingsai Liang
I am available in my office Foster 115 during the following times:
I also regularly check email and make an attempt to respond to all email messages within a few hours on weekdays, and within a day on weekends.
We will use Discord for discussion and Q&A. Discord is an instant messaging platform. By using Discord, we can discuss questions and communicate with each other more efficiently. You can use it in a desktop app, web browser, or mobile app.
Click to Join Discord: https://discord.gg/AtsQT48G (Email me to request a new link if this link is expired.)
For the first time visiting, please go to #Registration channel and click on button DATA370-Statistical Learning to join our class channel #data370-fall24.
Statistical learning is a broad term that refers to any statistical technique that seeks to estimate the relationships among data. Modern advances in computational power allow us to use technology to build a wide array of models to analyze increasingly complex data sets. This course will explore the theory and application of statistical learning techniques such as clustering, regression, discriminant analysis, resampling, regularization, splines, generalized additive models, and Bayesian inference. We will use python and R for the presentation of statistical analysis.
As learning outcomes for this course, students will be able to
DATA 220
All email correspondence for the course should be conducted through JLiang@westminsteru.edu
Also note that math questions are very difficult to answer over e-mail. Please restrict those types of questions to class time and office hours. I would also ask that you check this syllabus and other resources on the Canvas site before emailing me; most of the common questions are addressed here.
Assignments cannot be turned in via email.
James, Witten, Hastie, Tibshirani, An Introduction to Statistical Learning with Applications in R (Second Edition) & in Python.
The pdf version of this book is free and can be downloaded from here.
We will cover most of the book (with the exception of a few optional sections)
This class is a participatory experience. As we discuss the material, I will ask many questions so that you, the student, will be involved in an active classroom discussion. Sometimes the participation will be voluntary. Other times I will call on specific individuals to contribute. You will not be able to listen and take notes passively. I firmly believe that the more you are engaged in the dialogue, the better your chances of success are in the course. It is critical that you become an active participant in the classroom. I will guide the direction of the course and play a steady supporting role, but the real work will—out of necessity—be in your capable hands.
You are required to be in class every day. If you know you are going to be gone or if there is an illness or other emergency, please send me an email or a message on Discord.
If you are not present when attendance is taken, you will be marked absent. Therefore, if you come in late and wish to be marked present, you must let me know in class or send me an email.
You will have multiple in-class activities. You will need to work on these activities with a partner in a way called as "parallel programming". I will call one or more groups to present the in-class activity at the end of class.
The homework will consist of two types of assignments. The first is a Python/R lab assignment. You will receive an HTML file that has exposition and code. You are required to create an R or Jupyter notebook into which you will copy and execute the code so that you can learn the syntax and see the output produced.
The second type of assignment is a set of problems from the book. Please write up thorough answers, using complete sentences, code chunks, and inline code as appropriate. Please check the assignment instructions on Canvas as there will be tips posted for certain problems that require Python/R code that is tricky or that you may not have learned before. All other problems should be completed using your prerequisite knowledge of R in combination with the commands learned in the lab assignments. While it is okay to use the internet to supplement your understanding of Python/R, you may not consult any online reference that provides direct solutions to the problems from the textbook.
Your lowest lab assignment score and your lowest written HW score will be dropped.
Your final project will be a modeling project for which you will choose a suitable data set, establish hypotheses about relationships among the variables, and then fit models using tools learned in the course. More information about this project is posted in the assignment instructions.
The grade distribution is as follows:
| Type | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Attendance/Participation | 10% |
| Labs | 30% |
| Homework | 30% |
| Project | 30% |
Your letter grade will be based on the following scale:
| Grade | Percentile |
|---|---|
| A | 93%–100% |
| A- | 90%–93% |
| B+ | 88%–90% |
| B | 83%–88% |
| B- | 80%–83% |
| C+ | 78%–80% |
| C | 73%–78% |
| C- | 70%–73% |
| D+ | 65%–70% |
| D | 60%–65% |
| D- | 55%–60% |
| F | 0%–55% |
The instructor reserves the right to alter the above grading scheme.
Please use computers responsibly during class - do not write personal emails, web surf for non-academic purposes, play computer games, etc. while in class.
If your computer suddenly does not work, we have a few laptops at the library to help you out. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are unable to borrow the laptop from the library when you need one.
All work shall comply with the Westminster College academic honesty policy. (See the relevant section in the Academic Catalog.) Cheating will not be tolerated. This includes—but is not limited to—copying assignments, using unauthorized materials in a test, looking at someone else's paper during a test, collaborating with another person during a test, plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, and other similar activities. You are all adults and you know what constitutes cheating; therefore, I will never accept an excuse of "I didn't know." If there's any question as to what constitutes cheating, please ask before it becomes a problem. I reserve the right to assess a penalty for cheating as the severity demands. The minimum penalty will be a zero on that particular test or assignment. More likely, though, is that you will receive an "F" in the class. You will also be reported to the dean for any violation. Having said that, I encourage you to work together on the assignments (this is not the same thing as copying another's completed assignment) and study together for tests.
Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973/ADA. Westminster University is committed to providing equal access in higher education and to creating a learning environment that meets the needs of its diverse student body. If you are a student with a disability, or you think you may have a disability, we encourage you to meet with the office of Student Disability Services, which you can reach at disabilityservices@westminsteru.edu or 801-832-2272. You can find more information, including how to request accommodations, at https://westminsteru.edu/student-life/student-disability-services/index.html
Title IX. Westminster University is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students that is free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment. This includes discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know you are not alone. Westminster University has staff members trained to support you in navigating campus life, accessing health and counseling service, providing academic and housing accommodations, and more.
Please be aware all Westminster University faculty members are “mandatory reporters” which means if you tell me about a situation involving sexual harassment or gender discrimination, I must report that information with the Title IX Coordinator. Although I have to make the notification, you will control how your case will be handled, including whether or not you wish to pursue a formal complaint. Our goal is to make sure you are aware of the range of options available to you and have access to the resources you need.
If you wish to speak to someone, you can contact any of the following on-campus resources. These resources are confidential:
• Counseling Center (egibson@westminsteru.edu or 801-832-2237)
• Student Health Services (801-832-2239)
• Victim’s Advocate- Stephanie Nolasco (advocate@westminsteru.edu)
If you wish to make a report directly to the Title IX Office, please complete the online reporting form located on www.westminsteru.edu/titleix or contact Mary Edmonds at 801-832-2496 or medmonds@westminsteru.edu . The Title IX website contains more information about resources, rights, policy and procedures, and updated information regarding our Title IX program at Westminster University.
Student Care. Westminster is committed to providing a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all members of the University community, including those whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. Harassment and discrimination based on gender identity or expression is prohibited by the University and will not be tolerated. This includes refusal to address an individual by the gender they identify with. If you experience or witness prohibited conduct, or any form of discrimination or harassment, you should contact the Director of Student Care and Conduct listed below.
Mary Edmonds (801-832-2496) or medmonds@westminsteru.edu )
As an instructor, just as with Title IX, I am required to report any information I obtain regarding discrimination or harassment to Mary Edmonds, Director of Student Care and Conduct/Title IX Coordinator for further review.
Westminster University’s integrated approach to wellness empowers students to live a healthy life and to develop self-efficacy toward their own wellness and the communities and social groups with which they are engaged. Through prevention and intervention programing, students learn how a holistic approach to well-being can help them discover health, contentment, purpose, and connection. Integrated Wellness at Westminster encompasses social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical, environmental, and financial aspects.
Westminster faculty care deeply about both your academic success and personal wellbeing. The University, and its faculty and staff, are all committed to advancing the mental health and wellbeing of students, while acknowledging that a variety of issues, such as stress, strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, and depression can directly impact students’ academic performance. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, and/or in need of support, services are available. For help, contact Westminster Counseling Center at (801) 832-2465 for more information or to schedule an appointment. The Counseling Center is located on the lower level of Shaw Student Center. Counseling Center Webpage
The L.S. Skaggs Integrated Wellness Center is open Fall 2024. Home to the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, and Financial Wellness Counseling. The center will add wellness-oriented space to accommodate classes and programming to the Westminster community. A teaching and demonstration kitchen, featuring multiple cooktops and stations, will create opportunities for nutritional education and instruction. The building will wrap around an inner courtyard with space for relaxation, meditation, gardening, and other mindfulness activities.
Resources:
Integrated Wellness at Westminster
Integrated Wellness Student Resource Guide
SafeUT - connect to a licensed counselor that are ready to help you and listen to any sized crisis or concern. Help is immediate and confidential, and as easy as reaching for your phone and sending that first text.
Purple Basket - The Purple Basket addresses the impact of hunger, nutrition, housing insecurity, and disparities in access to basic needs and is located on the lower level of Carleson Hall. Stop by anytime Monday – Friday from 9:00 – 5:00.
I reserve the right to change the syllabus as circumstances necessitate, but no new policy will be enforceable until after you have been notified in class.