Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2021 - EVSC 445 D100

STT-Environmental Data Analysis (4)

Class Number: 7969

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 11 – Apr 16, 2021: Tue, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Location: TBA

  • Prerequisites:

    STAT 100, 201, 203, 205 or 270 or permission of the instructor.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Intended to introduce environmental scientists to application of modern data analysis methods. Covers sampling, experimental design, and the analysis of quantitative data collected in the course of environmental monitoring, assessment and restoration programs. Students with credit for ENV 645 under the title Statistics for Ecological Restoration may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is intended to introduce environmental scientists to the statistical methods that will be useful for them in their work, and provide practical experience therein. This course covers the basic and most useful methods of sampling and experimental design, and the analysis of data collected in observational studies and designed experiments. Particular emphasis will be placed on practical aspects of sampling and experimentation in environmental applications. The course will also include some special topics including, for example, the statistics of environmental impactassessment and those of assessing site reclamation. Examples will be drawn from the literature, and from the instructors own experience. A lab tutorial accompanies the lectures that will include practical examples of the concepts presented in lectures and will give additional support for learning the R programming language.

Course Format
This course will consist of a weekly 2-hour lecture and a 2-hour interactive software tutorial wherestudents will apply the concepts learned in lectures.

Remote Instruction
Lectures will be recorded and offered both synchronously and asynchronously. Laboratory exercises will all be done synchronously. Lectures and laboratories will use Zoom, and relevant coursematerial will be posted to SFU’s CANVAS site. Students are expected to be available at thescheduled times for the laboratory for which students will be expected to participate and followalong on a laptop or desktop computer

Grading

  • Homeworks 30%
  • Mini Project 10%
  • Midterm 1 (open-book) 20%
  • Midterm 2 (open-book) 20%
  • Final 20%

NOTES:

This course outline is subject to change and the instructor will share the final course outline by the end of the first week of classes.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Software

The course will require the widely-used programming language Rf or statistical computing andgraphics. This will be required for both lab tutorials and for homework assignments. Students are expected to download and install R or RStudio onto their computer from this website:

https://www.r-project.org/
https://rstudio.com/products/rstudio

REQUIRED READING:

The required textbook will be “Learning Statitics Using R” by Randall E. Schumacker. The courseis based on several additional sources which will be assigned throughout the semester and added to the SFU Canvas link as the course progresses.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SPRING 2021

Teaching at SFU in spring 2021 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).