RES-ECON 213: Intermediate Statistics for Business and Economics

Example syllabus only – exact content subject to change. Please see your instructor’s syllabus for the current term for your specific course’s guidelines

Tu/Th 10:00AM - 11:15AM, Hasbrouck Lab Add room 126

Instructor: Prof. Jamie Mullins

E-mail: @email

Office Hours: Tuesdays 11:30am-1:00pm in Stockbridge Hall 205D

Teaching Assistant: Sparshi Srivastava

E-mail: @email

Office Hours: TBD

Prerequisite

Successful completion of Rec-Econ 212 or Stat 240 are appropriate prerequisites. Please talk to me if you are relying on any other coursework as a prerequisite.

Learning objectives

This is the second course in a two-course sequence. In the first course (ResEc 212) you learned to organize and summarize data, create confidence interval estimates and complete hypothesis tests for a single population. In this course you will learn how to compare different populations through hypothesis testing. You will also learn to estimate relationships among variables through regression analysis. You will develop a greater appreciation for the kinds of information presented daily in the press and the ability to use statistics to interpret and judge survey results and statistics presented in the media. Knowledge of statistics is becoming increasingly important in this information age. Statistics can be viewed as discovery through data.

Required Materials

1. Text: Applied Statistics in Business & Economics by David P. Doane and Lori E. Seward, 7th edition. An online tool called Connect comes with e-textbook access. Connect is an integral part of this course, and everyone must have it. A loose-leaf textbook is available after registration. You can purchase access to Connect (and the e-textbook therein) directly: https://connect.mheducation.com/class/j-mullins-resecon- 213-intermediate-stat---spring-2026.
2. Computer Access: It is extremely important that you have access to a personal computer and access to the Internet. Homework and quizzes in this course (described shortly) are given over the internet. In addition, data sets will be provided for statistical analyses that really cannot be completed on hand calculators.

Course Schedule

I plan to quickly review chapters 8 and 9 (“Sampling Distributions & Estimation” and “One- Sample Hypothesis Tests”), which are prerequisites to this course. We will then cover chapters 10 – 13. PDFs of Lecture slides will be posted by topic on Canvas. We’ll then spend 3-4 lectures on each subsequent chapter. The topics covered will include Hypothesis Testing (one and two sample), ANOVA, and Regression (simple and multiple). Textbook chapters covered are sections 8.1-8.5, 9.1-9.6, 10.1-10.7, 11.1-11.6, 12.1-12.9, 13.1-13.8.

Discussion Sections

Discussion sections will be hosted by the TA and will be used to guide your application of the methods and tools covered in class to analyze data. Each week the TA will review key terms and methods and illustrate data analysis using software, Excel. We will also use discussion sections to prepare you for the coming quizzes and exams using real data sets. NO DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS. The first discussion sections will be on February 6, 2026.

Course Requirements

1. Examinations: There are 2 mid-semester examinations and a final exam. Mid-term exams are scheduled for 3/5 (Thur) and 4/9 (Thur). Mark your calendars. A final exam, required of all students, will be administered at the assigned time and place. The final exam is comprehensive.

1. Discussion Sessions: you are each registered for a discussion session on Fridays. Attendance and constructive participation in your enrolled session is required and will account for 15% of your final grade. Full credit is possible if ≥80% attendance (with good participation) is achieved. This includes excused AND unexcused absences. All points for discussion sessions are at the TA’s discretion.
2. Assignments: There will be 12-15 assignments during the semester. (“Homeworks”). Each homework will be posted in Connect. I will do my best to announce when a new homework is available and when it is due, but it is your responsibility to observe when a homework opens and when it closes. Closing times do vary by day of week and hour. So, be vigilant regarding closing times. Questions are based on material in assigned readings. Your Connect Homeworks grade will be based on the points that you earn for answering questions correctly. Homeworks are worth 12% of your final grade. The link to Connect for this course is: https://connect.mheducation.com/class/j-mullins-resecon-213-intermediate-stat---spring- 2026 and is also available on Canvas. You are allowed infinite, untimed attempts for each homework. Only your best attempt for each homework will be counted into the final grade. No extension. Late submission is allowed (with 15% daily penalty).
3. Quizzes: There will be six online quizzes in Connect posted throughout the semester. Each quiz will remain active for at least 5 days. Quizzes are timed – you will have 2 hours. Once you click on a quiz, you cannot stop the clock! A quiz will consist of a number of questions – many will be selected from the homework questions. You can make two attempts at each quiz (only the best attempt per quiz will be counted). Additionally, we will drop your lowest quiz score when calculating your final quiz score.

Course scores are calculated based on the following weightings:
 

Final course grades will be curved up, but the following course scores will be used as references for cutoffs

Course Policies

Attendance: You are responsible for all material covered in lectures and discussions. We will cover a large amount of material. If your plan is to "only study before the exam," you'll be in trouble. Statistics requires regular practice, and more practice. To effectively use the statistical concepts taught in the course you need a steady exposure to readings, activities and problems. The course is set up with exercises that lead you through small amounts of material for each concept. Stay on schedule. Please!! Don't Fall Behind.

Community Respect: All students are expected to act professionally, showing utmost respect in all communication with each other, instructors, and university staff. Also, remember any honest question is a good question, whether it is yours or someone else’s. If you have a question, please raise it. It is likely that someone else has the same question.

Midterm Exams: contact Prof. Mullins/TA ASAP if you have a hard conflict and need to reschedule the midterms. Alternative exam time will be scheduled on the same day of Midterms but during earlier daytime (slots: 10am-12pm, 12-2pm, 2-4pm; specify it clearly in the request). Requests must be sent ≥ 48 hours prior to the scheduled exam time. Same-day request is strictly prohibited. This is to guarantee fairness to other students in the class. Special conditions will be accommodated (e.g., with doctor’s note).

No Make-up Exams. Missed exams get 0 points. If you have an excused absence and unable to take a midterm, I will shift the weight to the final exam. An excused absence is defined by the following: serious illness of the student or of a member of the student’s immediate family; death of a member of the student’s immediate family; University-sponsored trips; or major religious holidays. In any case, written verification will be required and permission to miss the exam must be secured before the scheduled exam time.

Email: Direct email should be used only after class resources have been referenced or for personal concerns. The TA is your primary contact if you have questions about course logistics, Connect assignments, Canvas, etc. If you have questions, do the following steps in order:

• Check the syllabus
• Check Canvas, slides on Canvas, and announcements
• Email the Teaching Assistant (include "ResEc213" in the subject line)
• Come to office hours or ask Prof. Mullins before/after class
  The best way to ask questions is to talk with Prof. Mullins/TA in OHs and show your thinking process. Emailing questions is NOT an effective way to understand the materials and improve your learning.

Accommodation Statement

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to making reasonable, effective, and appropriate accommodations to meet the needs of students with disabilities and help create a barrier-free campus. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please register with Disability Services, meet with an Access Coordinator in Disability Services, and send your accommodation letter to your faculty. Information on services and registration is available on the Disability Services website (https://www.umass.edu/disability/). If you have other questions about special accommodations, please don’t hesitate to talk with me at any time. If you want to schedule a distraction-reduced room via the exam center, please request via them directly at least 7 days ahead of time (otherwise you lose the privilege).

Academic Honesty Statement

UMass Amherst is strongly committed to academic integrity, which is defined as completing all academic work without cheating, lying, stealing, or receiving unauthorized assistance from any other person, or using any source of information not appropriately authorized or attributed. As a community, we hold each other accountable and support each other’s knowledge and understanding of academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the University and includes but is not limited to: Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, lying, and facilitating dishonesty, via analogue and digital means. Sanctions may be imposed on any student who has committed or participated in an academic integrity infraction. Any person who has reason to believe that a student has committed an academic integrity infraction should bring such information to the attention of the appropriate course instructor as soon as possible. All students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have read and acknowledged the Commitment to Academic Integrity and are knowingly responsible for completing all work with integrity and in accordance with the policy: (https://www.umass.edu/senate/book/academic-integrity-policy).

Title IX Statement

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that prohibits gender-based discrimination in educational settings that receive federal funds, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students, free from all forms of discrimination, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and retaliation. This includes interactions in person or online through digital platforms and social media. Title IX also protects against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or related conditions, including recovery. There are resources here on campus to support you. A summary of the available Title IX resources (confidential and non-confidential) can be found at the following link: https://www.umass.edu/titleix/resources. You do not need to make a formal report to access them. If you need immediate support, you are not alone. Free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week / 365 days a year at the SASA Hotline 413-545-0800.

AI is prohibited

This course assumes that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups. Students should not have another person/entity do any substantive portion of an assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write assignments and using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, etc. That said, feel free to learn from/with these tools and/or have them check your work. Just remember, you will not have access to them for exams.

Diversity and inclusion

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to policies that promote inclusiveness, social justice, and respect for all, regardless of race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, political belief or affiliation, marital status, veteran status, immigration status, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic or status protected by state or federal laws.

Student Learning Objectives and Experiential Goals

This course contributes to the following student learning objectives for undergraduate students in the Department of Resource Economics: