Syllabus#

Note

Access the most recent official course syllabus through the course Canvas page (UW NetID login required).

Course Overview#

The course will cover a number of fundamental topics related to data analysis including statistical inference testing and error estimation, use of linear and quantile-based regression models, Monte Carlo simulation, time series analysis, Bayes theorem, and data visualization using modern computer techniques.

Learning Objectives#

By the end of the course, students should be able to

  • Understand common terminology in statistics and data analysis and know how to search for more detailed information as needed

  • Read, modify, and write computer programs to analyze data

  • Apply statistics and computer-based data analysis techniques to real observations (sets of numbers) in order to solve real world problems

Office Hours#

Office hours are held weekly, or by appointment. Please see the course Canvas page (UW NetID login required) for office hours time and location.

Note

The UW eScience institute offers data science office hours which could be useful for your projects or your own research work.

Textbooks#

Logistics and Grading#

Computing Resources#

For lab activities and assignments, we will be using a JupyterHub computing environment, and programming with python. (While the course is taught using python, prior versions of the labs in MATLAB are also available by request.)

If you need access to a laptop computer you may check one out from the Student Technology Loan Program. Please contact the instructor or TA if you need help accessing a computer reliably.

Lectures#

The first half of each class period is reserved for lectures and discussions. Lecture slides will be available on Canvas prior to the lecture, along with any additional files for reading.

Labs#

Following a ~5 minute break after each lecture, we will reconvene for the lab portion of the class. Lab content (jupyter notebooks and data files) can be downloaded directly from the from class website. See more informaiton (here) about uploading files to our JupyterHub.

We will use classroom space and Slack to work in small groups on lab excercises. If you are not able to attend the lab in person, please reach out to others in the class for collaborative support. Contact the instructor or TA to be added to the Slack workspace.

Homework Assignments#

Homework assignments will be given out on Thursdays at the beginning of class, and will be due the following week on Thursday at the beginning of class (10:30 am, Pacific Time). Homework questions are posted on the class website along with links to any data files you might need.

You are encouraged to work together on homeworks and collaborate, but you must turn in your own assignments with your own work.

Make sure that your name and the assignment number are at the top of your notebook file in markdown text. Your answers should be clearly labeled and written in markdown cells of the notebook.

Submit your completed homework assignments via Canvas by uploading:

  • Your original .ipynb jupyter notebook file(s)

    • To download your notebook file, right click on the file in the navigation pane on JupyterHub, then click Download

  • A PDF copy of the jupyter notebook file(s)

    • To save your notebook as a PDF, go to File > Export Notebook As… > Export Notebook to PDF, this will download a PDF file copy of your notebook to your personal computer which you can upload to Canvas

Homework will be graded on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best. Homework handed in late will be accepted up to (but not later than) Tuesday at 5:00 pm (Pacific Time), but two grade points will be deducted from the grade for late assignments (i.e. a late assignment that would receive a 10 if handed in on time will be assigned a grade of 8). Late homework assignments will not be accepted after 5:00 pm (Pacific Time) on the Tuesday following the due date. Everyone’s lowest scoring homework assignment will be dropped at the end of the quarter.

Homework solutions will be posted in the Solutions folder on Canvas on the Tuesday (5:00 pm) after the assignment was turned in.

Final Exam (for CEE 465)#

The final exam will be take-home, and you will have one week to complete it. The final exam will be due before 5:00 pm (Pacific Time) on the day scheduled for the course final exam (see schedule on Canvas). The exam will ask a series of general application questions spanning all of the topics covered in the course. It will be open notes and online materials, but students must sign an honor statement that the work is their own and not done with consultation and/or help from other students, friends, or faculty. The final exam must be submitted electronically, via Canvas, before 5:00 pm (Pacific Time) of the day of the scheduled final exam.

Final Project (for CEWA 565)#

Final projects will be completed in pairs (or individually on request), and the topic will be selected by the students in consultation with the instructor. The topic should ideally involve data analysis related to a real-world engineering problem from within the student’s area of interest. Updates on the project are required as part of the 2nd, 5th, and 7th homework assignments, and each student will give a short overview of their research problem and project results to the class in weeks 9 and 10. The project will be graded on the basis of the presentation (20%) and on the report (80%), which should be less than 10 pages long. Final reports will be due on before 5:00 pm (Pacific Time) of the day of the scheduled final exam (see schedule on Canvas). Further details are provided on the Course Project page.

Grading Policy#

  • Class Attendance and Participation: 5%

    • Participation includes discussions in class, on Slack, and providing feedback on student presentations

    • If you plan on attending class asynchronously by watching the recorded lectures, please let me know.

  • Homework assignments: 70%

    • Each of the 8 homework assignments are worth 10 points (for a total of 80 points), however your lowest assignment will be dropped, and the overall homework grade will be evaluated out of 7 assignments and 70 points total.

  • Final Project / Final Exam: 25%

    • See the CEWA 565 course project page for grading rubric.

Schedule#

Note

See the detailed schedule in the syllabus on Canvas.

UW Academic Calendar

We will cover approximately one module per week.

Additional Information#

Campus Community Resources#

Conduct#

The University takes academic integrity very seriously. Behaving with integrity is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community. One example of misconduct I have observed in this particular class in the past is plagiarism (representing the work of others as your own without giving appropriate credit to the original author(s)). If you’re uncertain about if something is academic misconduct, ask me. I am willing to discuss questions you might have.

Community Standards & Student Conduct

The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/studentconduct/

Access and Accommodations#

If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course. If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.

Religious Accommodations#

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

Health and Safety#

Call SafeCampus at 206-685-7233 (206-685-SAFE) anytime – no matter where you work or study – to anonymously discuss safety and well-being concerns for yourself or others. SafeCampus’s team of caring professionals will provide individualized support, while discussing short- and long-term solutions and connecting you with additional resources when requested.

Mental health resources are available at wellbeing.uw.edu. The UW Counseling Center is also a good resource (206-543-1240). University of Washington students are eligible for services at the Counseling Center. Also see their flyer for tips on coping with COVID-19 related stress. Please review the COVID-19 face cover policy .

Additionally, if you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255), Forefront Suicide Prevention (866-598-3978), and Crisis Text Line (741741). If the person you are concerned about is in immediate danger of killing them self and/or refuses to stay safe with you, call or text 911.