STAT441: Assessment Report

STAT441 Experimental Design

Assessment Coordinator: John Borkowski

According to the below description of Learning Outcomes and Assessment Contexts, 7 students were assessed for Outcomes 1 through 4 using signature assignments from STAT 441.

Outcome 1

Given a scientific question, students will design an appropriate sampling plan or experimental design.

Outcome 2

Given a sampling plan or experimental design, students will be able to execute the plan or design.

Outcome 3

Students will display competency in statistical computing.

Outcome 4

Given a scientific question and information about the study design used to collect data, students will be able to conduct an appropriate statistical analysis.

Results

Outcome 1: On a course final project involving the development of an experimental design, two pairs students worked together and were rated “Excellent”, while three worked alone with two rated “Excellent” and one “Acceptable”. Outcome 2: On a course final project involving the execution of an experimental design, two pairs
students worked together and the three worked alone were all rated “Excellent”. Outcome 3: On a course final project involving the analysis of experimental design data, two pairs students worked together and the three worked alone were all rated “Excellent”. Outcome 4: On a course final project involving the oral presentation of experimental results, two pairs students worked together and were rated “Excellent”, while three worked alone with two rated “Excellent” and one “Acceptable”.

Assessed	Excellent	Acceptable
LO 1	6	1
LO 2	7	0
LO 3	7	0
LO 4	6	1

Recommendations

No recommendations at this time. Faculty have reviewed the outcomes and determine the program is meeting the needs of students in this area.

Program Learning Outcomes

LO#	Students should demonstrate the ability to:
1.	Given a scientific question, students will design an appropriate sampling plan or experimental design.
2.	Given a sampling plan or experimental design, students will be able to execute the plan or design.
3.	Students will display competency in statistical computing.
4.	Given a scientific question and information about the study design used to collect data, students will be able to conduct an appropriate statistical analysis.
5.	Students will be able to explain and interpret the results of a statistical data analysis in a written report, and in a way that is consistent with research question and study design.

Curriculum Map and Assessment Schedule

Course	1	2	3	4	5	Assessment Schedule
STAT 408			X			Every odd year
STAT 411				X	X	Every even year
STAT 412				X	X	Every even year
STAT 436				X	X	Every even year
STAT 437				X	X	Every even year
STAT 439				X	X	Every even year
STAT 441	X	X				Every odd year
STAT 446	X	X				Every odd year
STAT 448				X	X	Every odd year

Rubric

The selection of the assignment that will serve as the signature assignment is left up to the discretion of the course instructor for that semester.

LO	Excellent	Acceptable	Marginal	Unacceptable
1	The initially proposed design is feasible, statistically valid and directly addresses the scientific question.	The initially proposed design has minor flaws and is revised, and the revision now satisfies the three criteria for excellence.	The revision of the initially proposed design is statistically valid but does not satisfy both of the other two criteria for excellence.	The proposed design is not statistically valid.
2	The student collects the appropriate data according to the design.	The student collects the appropriate data but fails to follow the design exactly. The failure to follow the design is a minor problem that does not invalidate the resulting data.	The student fails to follow the design in a minor way but the result is the data is not appropriate for the study.	The student fails to follow the design indicating they do not understand what the design is asking them to do. The resulting data is not appropriate for the study.
3	The student recognizes the best statistical method to use, chooses the correct approach to analyze the data, and arrives at the correct answer.	The student does not recognize the best statistical method but chooses one that can be considered reasonable. They implement the method they have chosen correctly and arrive at the correct answer for their method.	The student may recognize the best statistical method or chose a sub optimal but appropriate method, however they implement the method they have chosen incorrectly and arrive at an incorrect answer.	The student fails to recognize any appropriate method for question and data. The implementation does not matter.
4	The oral presentation is clear and concise. It is correct in terms of the statistical results, scope of inference, and vocabulary.	There may be minor flaws in terms of the statistical results, scope of inference, and vocabulary, but nothing that invalidates the conclusions. It may not be concise but the oral presentation is easily understandable.	There may be flaws in terms of the statistical results, scope of inference, vocabulary that invalidates some of the conclusions. The student displayed an understanding of what needed to be done but the execution was flawed. The oral presentation may ramble.	Major flaws in terms of the statistical results, scope of inference and vocabulary which invalidate the conclusions or the oral presentation is incoherent. The student did not display an understanding of what needed to be done.