STAT4029 is a course that deals with two of the most important approaches to collecting research data - experiments and surveys.

The first part of the course will focus on experimental design and will cover topics such as the analysis of variance; the completely randomised design; the randomized complete block design; Latin squares; factorial designs; and if time permits nested designs.

Survey sampling topics will be covered in the second part of the course and may include: simple random sampling, with and without replacement; estimation of population total, mean, proportion and size; subpopulation inference; systematic sampling; stratified sampling; ratio estimation; regression estimation; unequal probability sampling, including the Hansen and Hurwitz estimator and the Horvitz-Thompson estimator; regression estimation; and if time permits, cluster sampling.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Select, design and show a deep understanding of an appropriate method of data collection for a research project;
2. Explain in detail the basic principles in the design of simple experiments;
3. Demonstrate a high level of understanding of statistical survey sampling techniques; and
4. Derive and apply suitable estimation procedures to analyse the results of a routine sample survey.

Research-Led Teaching

My teaching in this course in statistical design and modelling will draw on my extensive research in sample survey methods and experience in applied survey consulting.

Field Trips

Not relevant in this course.

Additional Course Costs

The application of modern statistical techniques requires familiarity with some statistical computing package and the assignments for this course will require some analysis on a computer. This course makes extensive use of the R computing package, which is freely available to download at http://www.r-project.org. Further instructions on R, including a series of revision workshops will be made available on the Wattle site for this course. If you attend face to face tutorials, you may also find it helpful to also bring a laptop with R installed to the tutorials.

Examination Material or equipment

The mid-semester and final exam will be administered online and be open book. Examination materials and conditions will be noticed to all students via Wattle and the examination

office. It is not permitted to access email (except to contact the lecturer), social media, online tutoring websites or ghost writing services during the exam.

Required Resources

Class materials, including detailed lecture notes, slides, lecture demonstrations, tutorials, assignments and other relevant materials, will be made available on the class web page on Wattle (which is shared for the co-taught courses STAT3012, STAT4029 and STAT7029). It is essential you visit the class Wattle site regularly, but you will need to be correctly enrolled in the course before you can access the Wattle site.

Recommended Resources

There is no prescribed textbook. I do recommend the following texts, and more references and recommendations will be made as the course progresses:

Lawson, John (2015) Design and Analysis of Experiments with R, (ANU Library INTERNET RES https://library.anu.edu.au/record=b5352931)

Lohr, Sharon L. (2010) Sampling Design and Analysis, 2nd Edn (ANU Library INTERNET RES https://library.anu.edu.au/record=b7330353 or 1 hard copy CHIFLEY HA31.2.L64 2010)

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Individual feedback will be provided online by the marker of your assignments.
• You are also welcome to ask questions of me at my zoom consultations, by email, or (preferably) on the Wattle Discussion Forum. Unless your emailed question is personal, I will most likely ask you to post it on the Wattle forum for the benefit of all students.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Matrix Algebra

The course uses the R statistical package, which applies matrix algebra to implement the statistical techniques. An understanding of matrix algebra (equivalent to an

introductory mathematics course such as MATH1113) would be helpful in understanding how the R routines work, but such knowledge is not a required prerequisite nor an

examinable part of this course.

Communication and Announcements

If the course instructors or anyone in the School, College or University administration, need to contact you, we will do so via your official ANU student email address, which you need to check regularly. Information from the Registrar and Student Services' office will also be sent to this email address. You are also expected to check the course Wattle site regularly for announcements about this course, e.g. changes to timetables or notifications of cancellations.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to data collection and the design of experiments.	Weekly tutorials commence
2	Completely randomised experimental designs and the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).
3	Blocking and random effects.
4	Factorial experimental designs.
5	Factorial experimental designs (continued); confounding	Quiz 1
6	Confounding (continued) and other advanced topics in experimental design	Assignment 1. Mid-semester exam (week 6 or 7).
7	Introduction to survey methods and simple random sampling.
8	Proportions, ratios and sub-population inference.
9	Systematic sampling and stratification
10	Stratification (continued), cluster sampling and two stage sampling
11	Two stage sampling (continued); ratio estimation.	Assignment 2.
12	Regression estimators. Models in sample surveys.

Tutorial Registration

Tutorials will be available on campus, live through scheduled zoom sessions, and as pre-recorded videos. Information regarding enrolments for these options will be provided on Wattle during O-week, prior to the start of the semester.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Quiz 1	5 %	25/03/2022	25/03/2022	1, 2
Assignment 1	15 %	01/04/2022	15/04/2022	1, 2
Mid-Semester Exam	30 %	22/04/2022	06/05/2022	1,2
Assignment 2	20 %	18/05/2022	27/05/2022	1, 3, 4
Final Exam (Surveys)	30 %	02/06/2022	30/06/2022	1, 3, 4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Course content delivery will take the form of pre-recorded weekly lectures (available via Echo360 on Wattle), an on-campus lecture (which will also be recorded), pre-recorded weekly workshops (available via echo360 on Wattle) and weekly tutorials, delivered in hybrid format (on campus, live through scheduled Zoom sessions and as pre-recorded videos). Consultations will be live through Zoom. Information regarding enrolments for these options will be provided on Wattle no later than week 1 of the semester

Examination(s)

Centrally scheduled examinations through Examinations, Graduations & Prizes will be timetabled prior to the examination period. Please check ANU Timetabling for further information. Exams are open book. It is not permitted to access email (except to contact the lecturer), social media, online tutoring websites or ghost writing services during the exam. It is not permitted to access past exams or exam solutions from this course at any time unless they have been expressly made available by ANU. Similarity between students' exams or assignment submissions due to common use of such online resources will be investigated as possible plagiarism or collusion.

Assessment Task 1

Quiz 1

An online quiz will be held via the Wattle site during Week 5, covering material from Weeks 1–4, inclusive. The quiz will be available in a short period of time in Week 5. Students have 30 minutes to complete the quiz from when they first open the quiz. Answers will be available to students after the due date. The final availability window of the quiz will be announced no later than Monday of Week 4.

Assessment Task 2

Assignment 1

Detailed assignment specifications will be made available on Wattle at least two weeks prior to the due date. The assignment must be completed individually or in student-selected groups of up to three students. The assignment will involve designing and conducting an experiment, analysing the results using R, and preparing a written report. If you submit as a group, you can submit a single report, but you must include a summary of each person's contribution. All students must adhere to the required social distancing requirements, for example using Zoom for meetings. Experiments must be safe and in accordance with Covid-19 guidance and lecturer advice should be sought (well in advance of the deadline) if needed.

Assessment Task 3

Mid-Semester Exam

A two hour open-book online examination to be scheduled during the mid-semester exam period (weeks 6 and 7). Students will be notified by the Examinations Office regarding examination dates, times and conditions. Centrally scheduled examinations through Examinations, Graduations & Prizes will be timetabled prior to the examination period. Please check ANU Timetabling for further information. Further information on exam format will also be provided on Wattle no later than week 4. The mid-semester exam will cover content from weeks 1-5 (if the exam is held in week 6) or weeks 1-6 (if the exam is held in week 7).

Assessment Task 4

Assignment 2

Detailed assignment specifications will be made available on Wattle at least two weeks prior to the due date. The assignment must be completed individually or in student-selected groups of up to three students. The assignment will involve selecting samples from a virtual population which will be available online, analysing the results using R and preparing a written report on your analyses. If you submit as a group, you can submit a single report, but you must include a summary of each person's contribution. All students must adhere to the required social distancing requirements, for example using Zoom for meetings.

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam (Surveys)

The final exam will be a two-hour open book exam conducted online. Students will be notified by the Examinations Office regarding examination dates, times and conditions. Centrally scheduled examinations through Examinations, Graduations & Prizes will be timetabled prior to the examination period. Please check ANU Timetabling for further information. Further information on exam format will also be provided on Wattle no later than week 10. The exam will cover content on survey topics only.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin. If group work is involved, then assignments may be submitted by just one member of the group, but must include a completed cover sheet clearly identifying all members of the group. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records.

Hardcopy Submission

There is no hardcopy submission.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Returning Assignments

Marked assignments will be returned online.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

There will be no resubmission of assignments.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students