Computational data analysis is an essential part of modern statistics. Competent statisticians and data scientists must not just be able to run existing programs, but to understand the principles on which they work. They must also be able to read, modify, and write code, so that they can assemble the computational tools needed to solve their data analysis problems, rather than distorting problems to fit tools provided by others. This class is an introduction to statistically-oriented programming, targeted at statistics majors, without assuming extensive programming background.
Students will learn the core of ideas of programming—data structures, functions, iteration, debugging, logical design, and abstraction—through writing code to assist in statistical analyses. Students will learn how to write maintainable code, as well as debug and test code for correctness. They will learn how to set up and run stochastic simulations, how to fit basic statistical models and assess the results, and how to work with and filter large data sets. Since code is an important form of communication among scientists, students will also learn how to comment and organize code.
The class will be taught entirely in the R programming language.
The course website is https://www.stat.cmu.edu/~arinaldo/Teaching/36350/F22/. The course schedule, lecture notes, labs, supplementary materials, etc., will be posted there.
This is an introduction to programming for statistics students. Prior exposure to statistical thinking, to data analysis, and to basic probability concepts is essential. Previous programming experience is not assumed. Formally, the prerequisites are “Computing at Carnegie Mellon”, 36-202 or 36-208, and 36-225.
This class will be run in a flipped format. Instead of having regular lectures during our scheduled class times, the week will be structured as follows.
Should there arises the need to switch to an online/remote modality during the semester, this change can be implemented in a straightforward manner and with minimal disruption: the lectures (first half of Tuesday’s class periods) will be broadcast on Zoom using the Zoom lectures room (see Canvas for the passcode) and the recordings will be made available on Canvas.
Grades will be calculated as follows:
Here are the cutoffs for letter grades, based on total percentages:
The Professor may adjust these cutoffs, but only in the direction that favors the students. For example, the cutoff for an “A” may end up being adjusted to be lower than 90%, but not higher.
R is a free, open-source programming language for statistical computing. All of our work in this class will be done using R. You will need regular, reliable access to a computer running an up-to-date version of R. If this is a problem, then let the Professor or TAs know right away.
RStudio is a free, open-source R programming environment. It contains a built-in code editor, many features to make working with R easier, and works the same way across different operating systems. Most importantly it integrates R Markdown seamlessly. You will use RStudio for the labs and final.
Attending labs are often the best way to get help. You will be able to ask questions of the Professor and TAs for the entire time (aside from the lecture recitation period, the first 45 minutes of Tuesday).
Office hours will be held by the TAs, and the times will be spread out over the week. The office hours are only conducted via Zoom. The timings and Zoom details are found on the course website.
In addition to the weekly lecture labs, the office hours (not Piazza) are your main source of help with the course materials. They are offered from Tue-Fri at various times for the convenience of the students. If you can’t attend any of the TA office hours, then you are advised to attend the lecture labs.
Note that some of these office hour timings may change slightly over the semester. Please check in regularly on the course website for the most up to date details.
IMPORTANT: In this course we will not use Piazza as a discussion forum for weekly labs or course materials. Such course related materials are meant to be discussed during office hours and lecture labs.
Instead Piazza will only be used by the course staff to make important timely announcements about the weekly lab and logistics. These announcements include:
R installation issues and
troubleshooting.It is your responsibility to regularly check Piazza for any posts and updates. We will in general not answer any questions on Piazza regarding specific lab questions, which are meant for office hours.
You are welcome to ask questions on Piazza about course logistics, e.g., if there are any issues with zoom links. You can also raise any bugs, typos, or errors in the lab materials you can also flag them on Piazza and we will update the lab FAQs accordingly.
If you post anything on Piazza, please keep in mind that content deemed inappropriate will be taken down by the course TAs, and reported to the course Professor.
Email will be used for questions on class administration (class policies, exceptional circumstances, etc.), rather than class contents. Please direct such inquiries to the Head TA. The subject line of all emails should begin with “[36-350]”. The Professor will be available for issues that cannot be resolved first with the Head TA.
Quizzes will be short (about 8 questions), and consist of true/false and multiple choice questions. They are supposed to be an easy recap of the material covered in the week’s lecture materials. Quizzes will be turned in via Gradescope, due 9pm on Wednesday each week. They are optional and will only count as extra credit towards your weekly lab score.
Labs will be completed in R Markdown format (file extension Rmd). They will involve writing a combination of code and written prose, and the R Markdown format is crucial since it allows for a combination of the two. Labs will be turned in via Gradescope, due 9pm on Friday each week, and they must be submitted only in PDF format, the result of calling “Knit PDF” from RStudio on your R Markdown document. Be careful that you do this, because work submitted in any other format will receive a grade of 0, without exception.
Note also: all code used to produce your results must be shown in
your PDF file (e.g., do not use echo=FALSE or
include=FALSE as options anywhere).
Students may choose to collaborate with friends on the labs, but must indicate with whom they collaborated. Also, be sure to carefully read the collaboration policy below.
Any regrade requests for labs and quizzes must be submitted on Gradescope within 24 hours of grade release. We will shut down the regrade release after 24 hours, no exceptions.
Note that we prepare detailed and consistent rubrics, so we expect minimal such requests. If we find you are over-submitting regrade requests despite us providing good feedback, your case will be flagged for the Professor to review.
There will be a final exam. It will be entirely similar in format to the quizzes (true/false and multiple choice questions), and will be comprehensive.
For quizzes no late days will be accepted.
For labs note the following late submission rules:
In case of truly exceptional situations—such as illness or other emergencies—the Head TA can make exceptions and allow late work (labs or quizzes). Note that knitting issues or technical difficulties with submission on your end will not receive extensions.
To submit an emergency extension request you must send an email to
the Head TA with the subject
[36-350] - Extension for Lab Z, where Z is the
relevant lab number. This must be provided by 3pm
Friday on the due date of the lab. Please provide a brief
reason for your request. Any extension requests after 3pm Friday for
that lab will not be considered. Please note that any suspicious
requests will be flagged with the Professor for review.
You are encouraged to discuss course material with your classmates. All work you turn in, however, must be your own. This includes both written explanations, and code. Copying from other students, books, websites, or solutions from previous versions of the class, (1) does nothing to help you learn how to program, (2) is easy for us to detect, and (3) has serious negative consequences for you, as outlined in the university’s policy on cheating and plagiarism. If, after reading the policy, you are unclear on what is acceptable, please ask the Professor.
If you have a disability and are registered with the Office of Disability Resources, please use their online system to notify us of your accommodations and discuss with us your needs as early in the semester as possible. We will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, consider contacting them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.
Take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress.
All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful. Check out the CMU Community Health and Well-Being website for a wealth of information and resources about wellness and mental health.
If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.
If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or in danger of self-harm, call someone immediately, day or night:
If the situation is life threatening, call the police:
If you have questions about this, then please let us know.
Please refer to the CMU COVID-19 update webpage for COVID-related information and resources for the CMU community.