Syllabus

Learning Objectives

By the end of the semester, you will…

• learn to explore, visualize, and analyze data in a reproducible and shareable manner using R and RStudio
• gain experience in data wrangling and munging, exploratory data analysis, predictive modeling, and data visualization
• work on problems and case studies inspired by and based on real-world questions and data
• learn to effectively communicate results through written assignments and project presentation

Course Structure

This course is comprised of a variety of activities and materials to help you gain a better understanding of data science. All course materials can be found on the course webpage sta199-summer24.github.io/. A typical week is as follows:

This schedule will be modified slightly for weeks including exams. All assignments are due at 11:59 PM. No late work is accepted.

Activities

• Pre-lecture materials: Prior to lecture, watch and read all materials in the Prepare column of the class schedule.

• Live lecture and labs: Lecture and lab attendance is required. Both are designed to be interactive where you gain understanding through directly applying new concepts and problem-solving with your peers. As such, a laptop (or similar) is required for all lectures and labs.

• Application exercises: Application exercises (AEs) are short, individual assignments that you will work on during live lecture. They are due at the end of the week, on Sunday evening at 11:59 PM. To stay on top of the material in class, it is recommended that you complete and submit all AEs the same day they are covered in lecture. AEs will be graded based on a good-faith effort has been made in attempting all parts. AEs are submitted by pushing all work to your Github repository. Successful on-time completion of at least 80% of AEs will result in full credit.

• Labs: Lab attendance is required. Lab assignments are due 3 days after class at 11:59 PM. No late work will be accepted. To accommodate extenuating circumstances, the lowest lab grade will be dropped at the end of the semester.

• Exams: There are two exams in this course. Each exam will include an in-class component (with a cheat sheet) and an open-note take-home component. The content of the exam will be related to the content in videos and reading assignments, lectures, application exercises, and labs. More detail about the exams will be given during the semester.

• Project: A large part of this course will focus on completion of a data analysis project, completed in teams of 4-5 students. The project consists of finding a data set to analyze, determining a data-driven research question, and answering the question using tools learned in class. Each team will present their work during the final lab session of the semester, and the results will be compiled in a report that is due the same day at 11:59 PM. More information about the project will be provided during the semester.

Course Grade Evaluation

The final course grade will be determined as follows:

The final letter grade will be determined based on the following thresholds:

Regrade Requests

Regrade requests must be submitted in person to Dr. Bersson within a 3 days of when an assignment is returned. To submit a regrade request, print out the assignment and include a cover sheet identifying

1. the problem in dispute, and
2. the rubric item you believe was mis-marked.

Regrade requests will be considered if there was an error in the grade calculation or if you feel a correct answer was mistakenly marked as incorrect. Requests to dispute the number of points deducted for an incorrect response will not be considered. Note that by submitting a regrade request, the entire question will be graded which could potentially result in losing points.

Course Communication

Announcements will be emailed through Canvas Announcements periodically. Please check your email regularly to ensure you have the latest announcements for the course.

• If you have a question during lecture or lab, please ask it! Others most likely have the same question as you.
• You are encouraged to attend Dr. Bersson or TA Shuo Wang’s office hours to answer any questions or receive personalized computing help.
• Outside of office hours, all general questions regarding course content or assignments should be posted on the Ed discussion board.
• If there is a question that’s not appropriate for the public forum, please email Dr. Bersson directly.

Make-up Policy and Late Work

The assignment grading schemes are designed to provide flexibility while also helping you stay on top of the course work. Again, we recognize the extraordinary circumstances that many students are in, and have created these policies to help reduce some of the stress you may be experiencing. As such, no late work will be accepted.

Students who miss a class due to a scheduled varsity trip, religious holiday, or short-term illness should fill out the appropriate form. These excused absences do not excuse you from work; it will still be your responsibility to submit relevant assignments in accordance with the deadline. If you have a personal or family emergency or health condition that affects your ability to participate in class, you should contact your academic dean’s office. More information about this procedure may be found on the Personal Emergencies page or provided by your academic dean.

Project Participation

Owing to the nature of participation and teamwork exercises, there will be no late work accepted for project-related assignments, and the project assignment grades are not eligible to be dropped.

Exams

Exam dates cannot be changed and no make-up exams will be given. If you must miss an exam, the absence must be officially excused by your Academic Dean prior to the date the exam is due. If your absence is excused, the missing exam grade will be imputed at the end of the semester based on your performance on the other exam.

Student Success

If you are having trouble completing assignments or understanding the materials, please consult with me about appropriate course preparation and readiness strategies as needed. Either send me an email or visit office hours describing the personal or academic difficulties you are facing. I may also direct you to other resources on campus. The Academic Resource Center (ARC) offers services to support students academically during their undergraduate careers at Duke. The ARC can provide support with time management, academic skills and strategies, course-specific tutoring, ADHD/LD coaching, and more. ARC services are available free to any Duke undergraduate students, studying any discipline. Contact: (919) 684-5917 or theARC@duke.edu.

Diversity and Inclusion

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that the students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity and in alignment with Duke’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated; please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally, or for other students or student groups.

Furthermore, I would like to create a learning environment for my students that supports a diversity of thoughts, perspectives and experiences, and honors your identities. To help accomplish this, if you feel like your performance in the class is being impacted by your experiences outside of class, please don’t hesitate to come and talk with me. If you prefer to speak with someone outside of the course, your Academic Dean is an excellent resource.

I (like many people) am still in the process of learning about diverse perspectives and identities. If something was said in class (by anyone) that made you feel uncomfortable, please talk to me about it.~

Mental Health and Wellness Resources

Student mental health and wellness are of primary importance at Duke, and the university offers resources to support students in managing daily stress and self-care. Some resources are listed below:

DuWell provides Moments of Mindfulness (stress management and resilience building) and meditation programming (Koru workshop) to assist students in developing a daily emotional well-being practice. All are welcome and no experience is necessary.

If your mental health concerns and/or stressful events negatively affect your daily emotional state, academic performance, or ability to participate in your daily activities, many resources are available to help you through difficult times.

DukeReach provides comprehensive outreach services to identify and support students in managing all aspects of well-being.

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPs) services include individual and group counseling services, psychiatric services, and workshops. To initiate services, walk-in/call-in 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (M/W/Th/F) and 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesdays. CAPS also provides referral to off-campus resources for specialized care. Contact: (919) 660-1000.

TimelyCare is an online platform that is convenient, confidential, and free way for Duke students to receive 24/7 mental health support through TalkNow and scheduled counseling.

Academic Accommodations

If you are a student with a disability and need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to register with the Student Disability Access Office (SDAO) and provide them with documentation of your disability. SDAO will work with you to determine what accommodations are appropriate for your situation. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and disability accommodations cannot be provided until a Faculty Accommodation Letter has been given to me. Contact: sdao@duke.edu.

Academic Integrity

All students must adhere to the Duke Community Standard (DCS): Duke University is a community dedicated to scholarship, leadership, and service and to the principles of honesty, fairness, respect, and accountability. Citizens of this community commit to reflect upon and uphold these principles in all academic and nonacademic endeavors, and to protect and promote a culture of integrity.

To uphold the Duke Community Standard, students agree:

• 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.

Regardless of course delivery format, it is the responsibility of the student to understand and follow Duke policies regarding academic integrity, (e.g., completing one’s own work, following proper citations of sources, and adhering to guidance around group work, and more). Ignoring these requirements is a violation of the Duke Community Standard. Any questions and/or concerns regarding academic integrity can be directed to the Office or Student Conduct and Community Standards at conduct@duke.edu.