Main Content
Syllabus
The information presented here is reflective of the MBA version of this course. Content, assignments, and other aspects of the class may vary when offered in other programs.
MBADM 813: Data Analysis for Decision-Making
Prerequisite: none
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
Applying statistical concepts to quantify uncertainty and gain insights from data in business settings.
This course is designed to provide students with exposure to the most commonly used statistical concepts, methods, and techniques and their applications to business problems. It covers the basic concepts of business statistics and data analysis using appropriate statistical software. The course emphasizes practical applications and business decision-making under uncertainty.
This course provides a foundation in statistical concepts and methods including descriptive statistics, probability, statistical inference, hypothesis-testing, ANOVA, correlation analysis, contingency tables, and simple, multiple, and logistic regression. The approach to the course material will be both numerical and applied in an attempt to provide a conceptual understanding of statistics. Data analysis will be conducted using appropriate statistical software.
Objectives
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, you should be able to
- analyze data sets for descriptive purposes and determine the appropriate statistical methods for analysis;
- determine if the basic assumptions for particular statistical methods are met prior to analysis;
- apply data analysis for decision-making in whatever field of business endeavor desired; and
- select appropriate statistical software for data exploration and analysis.
Integration, Collaboration, and Engagement (ICE)
The OMBA is designed around the three-part ICE framework, a teaching and learning approach that incorporates the principles of integration, collaboration, and engagement (ICE). Learning and application of these essential business concepts through course content will provide students with a comprehensive and innovative outlook on the challenges in today's business environment. The OMBA program embodies the ICE framework in the following ways:
- Integrative learning: Unifies concepts across business disciplines, allowing you to engage in authentic problem-solving from a holistic perspective.
- Collaborative learning: Embraces hands-on projects that promote team-based problem-solving, decision-making, and project management.
- Engaged learning: Applies business concepts in an interactive and participative learning environment through the use of virtual classrooms and diverse multimedia forums.
Curricular Themes
The OMBA course design and instruction process is based on eight curricular themes that embody fundamental principles of business and industry. These themes are deliberately woven throughout the curriculum, and together they represent anchors for the OMBA program that fosters skill-based learning characterized by vision and transformation:
- Leadership: Understand how to empower and inspire people through a shared vision based on ethical decision-making and integrity.
- Innovation: Understand how to create new methods, products, and/or ideas in a way that generates added value, to solve a problem.
- Globalization: Understand the benefits of an integrated global economy by capturing diverse perspectives related to the interconnectivity of technology, products, services, goods, and knowledge.
- Collaboration: Understand how groups and individuals work collectively across functions to achieve a common goal.
- Ethics: Understand ethical principles and moral decision-making as they relate to business decisions and management doctrines.
- Sustainability/Community: Understand the management of financial, social, and environmental risks to ensure ongoing and responsible outcomes.
- Strategy: Understand the creation and implementation of a high-level plan that guides decision-making to ensure future success.
- Analytics: Understand how the collection, assessment, and application of digital data can be used for optimal decision-making and management.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Collaboration and Teams in the OMBA
Helping you to enhance skills and competencies related to group dynamics and teaming is a principle goal of the OMBA. Consequently, this course includes team activities and group work that allows for the application of teaming concepts that you learned in the Team Performance course (MBADM 810). You are expected to work in teams effectively and productively to complete all team assignments. Students may not request to work individually on team projects. Any adjustments to team composition are the sole right of the instructor. If you have concerns related to this commitment, please contact your instructor.
Team Projects
There will be three team projects throughout the course. You will form into teams at the beginning of the semester and work on the projects together. The projects are introduced at the beginning of related modules and have due dates listed. You will also complete milestone assignments along the way that reflect what was covered in that lesson. These non-graded assignments are suggestions to keep you on track for on-time completion of the project. For each project, all team members will receive one grade*, with an additional individual component that is based on peer evaluation results.
In case of disagreements within the team, members are encouraged to refer to the resources provided in MBADM 810. The instructional team will intervene only if necessary. In rare but extreme situations, if all team members unanimously complain that a specific team member made zero to minimal contribution towards the team deliverable, the instructional team will decide on the final project grade for the team member—after hearing from both sides.
Peer Evaluations
You will evaluate your team members (and be evaluated by your team members) on contributions and conduct while working on the team. The average of all your peer evaluation scores will be reported as part of the project score.
Problem Sets and Quizzes
There will be 10 required problem sets. Points will be awarded for completion. Solutions will be provided after you submit your work so you can see how you did. Timely completion of all problem sets is extremely important for grasping the concepts and doing well on the quizzes. All quizzes (one per lesson) are based on the problem set and material covered during each lesson. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and get clarification on the problem sets during (optional) virtual sessions held regularly. Each quiz will open after you have submitted your work for the associated problem set. You will have two opportunities to complete each quiz, and the highest score will be kept. If you take the second attempt, please read the questions carefully. All questions may not be the same as the first attempt.
Exams
There are three exams. These will be practical examinations where you will be given a data set and asked to demonstrate your ability to analyze it effectively. The final exam will be a cumulative examination covering material from the entire course.
The mid-term exams will open at 12:00 am ET on the first day of the lesson and close at 11:59 pm ET on the last day of the lesson they are assigned. The data sets and instructions will be provided before each exam. A student can take the exam during any 3-hour time window during that time period. While you are permitted to use your books and notes during the exam, it is best to prepare a cheat sheet for yourself with important formulas and concepts.
Synchronous Sessions (ungraded/optional)
Synchronous sessions will be held regularly via Zoom. An agenda will be posted in advance. Students also have the opportunity to submit questions and get clarification on the problem sets during virtual sessions held regularly. The synchronous sessions will be recorded and the recordings will be posted for viewing.
Due Dates - Late Policy
No assignments will be accepted after the due date unless arrangements have been made with the instructor before the close of the assignment. Any assignment submitted after the due date will receive a zero unless an agreement has been made in advance with the instructor.
Honor Code and Professionalism
Of course, adherence to the honor code is absolutely required. What does that mean for our class? Here are some applications:
| Assessment | Points | Weight/Percent of final grade |
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| Exam 1 | 100 | 10% |
| Exam 2 | 100 | 10% |
| Final Exam | 150 | 15% |
| Problem Sets (10) | 50 (10 at 5 pts each) | 5% |
| Quizzes (10) | 300 (10 at 30 pts each) | 30% |
| Team Project 1 | 100 | 8% |
| Team Project 2 | 100 | 10% |
| Team Project 3 | 100 | 12% |
| Total | 1000 | 100% |
| Points earned | Percentage earned | Letter grade |
|---|---|---|
| 930-1000 | 93-100 | A |
| 900-929 | 90-92.9 | A- |
| 870-899 | 87-89.9 | B+ |
| 830-869 | 83-86.9 | B |
| 800-829 | 80-82.9 | B- |
| 770-799 | 77-79.9 | C+ |
| 700-769 | 70-76.9 | C |
| 600-699 | 60-69.9 | D |
| 0-599 | 0-59.9 | F |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies. If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
- Spring and Fall Semesters: 16 weeks
- Summer Semester: 12 weeks
Module 1: Collecting and Describing Data
Lesson 1: Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
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Lesson 2: Distributions
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Module 2: Statistical Inference: Hypothesis Testing
Lesson 3: Quantifying Uncertainty
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Lesson 4: Hypothesis Testing
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Team Project 1 and Exam 1
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Module 3: Describing Relations: Regression
Lesson 5: Regression I
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Lesson 6: Regression II
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Lesson 7: Regression III
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Team Project 2 and Exam 2
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Module 4: Experiments
Lesson 8: One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
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Lesson 9: Design of Experiments
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Harvard Business Review
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Module 5: Describing Relationships Between Categorical Variables
Lesson 10: Chi-Square Tests
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Team Project 3 and Final Exam
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Intent to Graduate
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Turnitin
If you have never used Turnitin before, it is a program that looks to see if your paper is like other documents. Throughout this class, you have the opportunity to practice proper citing and paraphrasing from your source material. After you submit your work, a similarity score will appear next to your paper - it may take a few minutes to one day depending on how many times you have submitted your work. The higher the percentage, the more similar your paper is to other papers, books, research articles, etc. You may be wondering what your percentage you should be. There is no right number. Some papers with a very low percentage are paraphrased poorly or even plagiarized. Click on the percentage score to view your report. Turnitin explains how to navigate the report.. You are encouraged to review your report and understand why you got the score that you did. Use Turnitin as a tool to improve your paraphrasing and citing abilities. Please remember that citing properly is a rubric item for all of your written work.
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Values.
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
- All written assignments should be free of plagiarism. Plagiarism includes copying ideas, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs from other sources, such as previous class assignments, other teams' assignments, websites, books, and so on.
- Don’t be a “social loafer” in your group (doing less work in a group than you would on your own)—you’re getting a grade and a degree, so do your share of the work. This includes reading thoroughly for each class, coming to group meetings prepared, and actively participating in group discussions and assignments.
- Hold each other accountable for your actions, and report abuses to your instructor or the Academic Integrity Officer.
- If you're ever in doubt about anything, feel free to ask me.