SPEA-V 506, Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making

Course Info

Summer 2026: May 18 to August 14

Class Number: 7746

Instructor

Becca Lewis

Office Hours: By Appointment

E-mail Address: mrl@iu.edu

Course Description

Non-calculus survey of concepts in probability, estimation, and hypothesis testing. Applications of contingency table analysis and analysis of variance, regression, and other statistical techniques. Computer processing of data emphasized.

This is a graduate level statistics course focusing on the analysis of quantitative problems and questions in public affairs. The class will teach you the skills necessary to carry out statistical analysis as well as the basic theory that enables and constrains the application of statistics to real world data. The course emphasizes on teaching the fundamentals of statistics, the practical application of statistics, the interpretation of statistical data, and the use of excel for statistical analysis. The course covers topics such as conditional probability, probability distributions, joint distributions, covariance, correlation, the law of large numbers, the central limit theorem, graphical and numerical summaries of data, simple and multivariate regression, hypothesis testing, sampling, estimation, and confidence intervals.

Required Course Materials

Berenson, M.,Baruch, B., Levine, D., Szabat, K. & Stephan (2019). Basic Business Statistics (14th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. ISBN: 9780134684840.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, a student should be able to:

• demonstrate a firm understanding of fundamental statistical terms,
• be able to derive univariate mea­sures of central tendency and variation,
• display and interpret data graphically,
• test and inter­pret hypotheses about sample means and goodness of fit,
• derive and interpret regres­sion analyses, and
• generate results using excel.

In the Masters of Public Affairs (MPA) program, courses have been designed to help you acquire several core competencies- both knowledge and behavioral. Students in this course are expected to:

1. Consume, critique, and understand the implications of evidence
2. Recognize and explain different frames for thinking about public affairs issues

IU Indianapolis Policies and Codes

Students are expected to adhere to all campus-wide policies governing the conduct of courses at IU Indianapolis, including maintaining academic and professional honesty and integrity, being responsible for their behavior, respecting the rights and dignity of others both within and outside of the university community, and others. These policies can be found at http://studentcode.iu.edu/about/index.html.

Instructor's Classroom Policies

Class Attendance & Participation

A basic requirement of this course is that you will participate in all class meetings and conscientiously complete all required course activities and/or assignments. Keep in touch with me if you are unable to attend, participate, or complete an assignment on time.

 Due Dates and Late Work

Late assignments will not be accepted without an extremely valid reason, which must be conveyed to your instructor BEFORE the assignment is due.

 

Assessment and Grading

Grading Scale

 

Summary of Course Grading

Course Components

 

 Exams

 

There will be four examinations. The questions will involve the calculation and application of statistics, definitions and explanations of statistical concepts and terms, and interpretation of statistical results, including the output from computer analyses using Excel. Students will be provided formulas for their reference. 

Exams will release Monday morning the week they are assigned and will be due by the following Sunday at 11:59pm. Tests must be completed in one sitting any time during that week and will be timed. Prior to each test a practice exam that mimics question time, length and timing will be available to help you study.

 

Quizzes

  

There will be timed, on-line assessment quizzes. Quizzes will release Monday morning the week they are assigned and will be due by the following Sunday at 11:59pm. Quizzes must be completed in one sitting any time during that week and will be timed. Students will have three attempts for each quiz and their highest score will be kept.

 

 

Assignments

 

There will be weekly homework assignments. Assignments will be due at11:59pm EST on Sunday.

 

Discussions

 

Throughout the course, there will be discussion posts that highlight the use of statistics through different industries or in everyday items. Students will be required to do a short reading or watch a video. After reviewing the material, the student will be required to respond to a series of discussion questions.

COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to change)

 

Additional Information

Copyright

Materials in this course, including lectures, notes, handouts, exams, and similar materials created by the instructor, are protected by U.S. copyright law.  Materials are used in an educational context for personal use and should not be reproduced, distributed, or sold in print or digitally outside the course without permission.  Students who are involved in unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material may be in violation of the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, & Conduct.

Accessible Educational Services (AES)

AES is the IU Indianapolis office dedicated to working with students with documented disabilities to ensure that these students receive the appropriate accommodations so they have an equal opportunity to be successful at higher education.  The AES Office is located in Joseph T. Taylor Hall, Room 100, and can be contacted by phone at (317) 274-3241 or email at aes@iu.edu.  For more information, visit the Accessible Educational Services website.

No Use of Generative AI
Students in this course are prohibited from using artificial intelligence or any related technology to complete assignments, projects, or exams. This includes using AI to generate answers or solutions, as well as using AI to perform research or gather information. Any use of AI in the completion of coursework will be considered cheating and will result in academic penalties, including but not limited to failing the assignment, failing the course, and being reported to the Dean's office. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they are not using AI in any way that would violate this policy.

Intellectual Diversity

This course includes assigned readings and other materials that address broadly accepted concepts, theories, principles, and methods central to the topics examined in this course.  These materials provide a foundation of knowledge that is necessary to both understanding and further study of the course topics.  With this foundational knowledge, students will be better prepared to evaluate new, complex, and emerging questions in the field.  As knowledge evolves, new ideas come forward for consideration.   A student who identifies materials that they believe are relevant and will enhance understanding of course topics is invited to email the work to the instructor for consideration of inclusion in the course discussion.