EC334 BUSINESS STATISTICS I Course Syllabus - Dr. Steve Szeghi

Term
Fall 2026
Section
M1
Course Delivery
ln person­[FTF]
Class Program
Credits 4.00
The course is particularly focused on descriptive statistics, probability, sampling, inference, and simple regression and correlation. Additionally, a focus is placed on utilizing statistics to make business decisions and the interpretation of the data beyond the calculations.
Prerequisites
Completion of the mathematics competence requirement of General Education

Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details

Meeting Days:
MWF
Meeting Times:
9:10 - 10:10
Location:
Bailey 309
Delivery Details

The class is in person. A typical class will consist of a combination of lecture, the Professor working problems, students taking notes, followed by some in classroom exercises for students, followed by professor answering student questions and students answering questions posed by the professor.

Contact Information

Instructor:
Dr. Steve Szeghi
Instructor Email:
steve_szeghi@wilmington.edu
Office Location:
Bailey 202
Phone Number
937 481 2387 The preferred form of communication is email
Social Media
https://www.wilmington.edu/faculty/steve-szeghi
Office Hours:
Monday and Friday 2 - 4:30 (after 3:30 by appontment only)
Course Materials

Text: Business Statistics Techniques in Business and Economics, by Lind et al, 19th edition or later

Instructor's Course Objectives

Course Description and Prerequisites: The course is particularly focused on descriptive statistics, probability, sampling, inference, and simple regression and correlation. Additionally, a focus is placed on utilizing statistics to make business decisions and the interpretation of the data beyond the calculations.

Prerequisites

Completion of the mathematics competence requirement of General Education

More about the Course including objectives and skills: The student will become familiar with and able to use and apply simple statistical calculations such as mean, median, mode for a variety of types of data. They will be able to evaluate and analyze various counting techniques to establish probabilities of particular events. Students will be able to list and explain the assumptions for normal distributions as well as the use of standard simple linear regression and be able to calculate the alpha (intercept) and beta (slope) of a simple linear regression.

Course Schedule

Week One August 24 – 28th MWF

Week Two August 31, September 2,4 MWF

Week Three Holiday Labor Day Monday September 7, Class WF 9/9 & 9/11

Week Four September 14 – 18th MWF

Week Five September 21 – 25 MWF

Week Six September 28 – October 2 MWF

Week Seven October 5 – October 9 MWF

Week Eight October 12 – 16 MWF

Week Nine October 19 Monday Fall Break no class; Class on October 21, 23 WF

Week Ten October 26 – 30 MWF

Week Eleven November 2 – 6 MWF

Week Twelve November 9 – 13 MWF

Week Thirteen November 16 – 20 MWF

Week Fourteen Monday November 23 Class, W 25th and F 27th no class Thanksgiving Break

Week Fifteen November 30 – December 4th MWF

Week Sixteen December 7,9th Monday and Wednesday

Final Exam As scheduled by the time and place by the College, December 11,14,15th

 

TENTATIVE Schedule

Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given at least twice during class Tentative Course Timetable

Week One

Read chapters 1 and 2 (Introduction to Statistics and Data Presentations)

Week Two

Read chapters 3 and 4) (Measures of Central Tendency and Measures of Dispersion)

Week Three

Re-Read chapter 3 and 4, Read chapter 5 (Probability Concepts)

Week Four

Re-read Chapter 5 (Probability Continued)

Week Five

Probability Concepts Continued

Project Depictions of Data

Week Six

Elementary Project Depictions of Data Presentations by students

Week Seven

 Review of Statistics Introduction, Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion, Basic Probability Concepts

Test One on Friday of Week 7 on Introduction, Measures of Central Tendency, Measures of Dispersion, Basic Probability Concepts

Week Eight

Read Chapter 6 Discrete Probability Distributions

Week Nine 

Re-Read chapter 6 and Read Chapter 7 Continuous Probability Distributions

Week Ten

Read chapter 8 Sampling Methods and the Central Limit Theorem

Week Eleven

Read Chapter 9 Estimation and Confidence Intervals

Week Twelve

 Review of Probability Distributions, Central Limit Theorem, Estimation and Confidence Intervals

Test Two on above review probably on Friday of Week 12

Week Thirteen

Read chapter 13 Correlation and Simple Linear Regression

Week Fourteen

Re-Read chapter 13 Correlation and Simple Linear Regression

Week Fifteen

TEST 3 Correlation and Simple Linear Regression (probably on Friday of Week 15)

Week Sixteen

Spend class time on Monday December 1 and Wednesday December 3rd to finish up Individual and Group Statistical Projects, Zoom Conferences with your Professor will be scheduled as needed

Final Exam Friday December 11, at 8-10 AM Transmission to Professor of Final Individual Projects

Course Assignments

The Tentative Schedule of assignments is listed above but repeated here:

TENTATIVE Schedule

Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given at least twice during class Tentative Course Timetable

Week One

Read chapters 1 and 2 (Introduction to Statistics and Data Presentations)

Week Two

Read chapters 3 and 4) (Measures of Central Tendency and Measures of Dispersion)

Week Three

Re-Read chapter 3 and 4, Read chapter 5 (Probability Concepts)

Week Four

Re-read Chapter 5 (Probability Continued)

Week Five

Probability Concepts Continued

Project Depictions of Data

Week Six

Elementary Project Depictions of Data Presentations by students

Week Seven

Review of Statistics Introduction, Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion, Basic Probability Concepts

Test One on Friday of Week 7 on Introduction, Measures of Central Tendency, Measures of Dispersion, Basic Probability Concepts

Week Eight

Read Chapter 6 Discrete Probability Distributions

Week Nine

Re-Read chapter 6 and Read Chapter 7 Continuous Probability Distributions

Week Ten

Read chapter 8 Sampling Methods and the Central Limit Theorem

Week Eleven

Read Chapter 9 Estimation and Confidence Intervals

Week Twelve

Review of Probability Distributions, Central Limit Theorem, Estimation and Confidence Intervals

Test Two on above review probably on Friday of Week 12

Week Thirteen

Read chapter 13 Correlation and Simple Linear Regression

Week Fourteen

Re-Read chapter 13 Correlation and Simple Linear Regression

Week Fifteen

TEST 3 Correlation and Simple Linear Regression (probably on Friday of Week 15)

Week Sixteen

Spend class time on Monday December 1 and Wednesday December 3rd to finish up Individual and Group Statistical Projects, Zoom Conferences with your Professor will be scheduled as needed

Final Exam Friday December 11, at 8-10 AM Transmission to Professor of Final Individual Projects

Course Final Exam
December 11, Friday, 8 - 10 AM, electronic submission of final project will occur at this time in place of a standard exam.
Evaluation of Work

There will be three tests plus the final project. This will be what your course grade will be determined by. Each test plus the final will constitute 1/5 of your course grade. Classroom exercises, participation, homework, and professional judgement will constitute the remaining 1/5 of your course grade.

The Final Project will consist of the following. Each individual student will conduct a sample survey where n = at least 30, on a topic of interest to be chosen by the student in consultation with the professor and perform some type of statistical analysis which must include a linear regression analysis in addition to some sort of simple statistical description of the data including measure of central tendency and measures of dispersion. The design of the project must be approved by the professor prior to October 1st and the final project is due to the professor at the time of the Final Exam.

The grading scale will be as follows:

93%-100% A 90-92% A minus

86% - 89% B+

80% - 85% B

76% - 79% C+

70% - 75% C

66% - 69% D+

60% - 65% D

below 60% F

Classroom Policies including determination of course grade:

A minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time

See the current Student Handbook for the college's Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.

See the current Student Handbook for the college's Attendance Policy, especially as it pertains to excused absences.

This Professor does not take off points for absences be they excused or un-excused. In other words, there is no penalty for absences. However, this professor reserves the right to award students extra points on the basis of professional judgement. Students who have excess absences (more than 4 within a semester be they excused or un-excused) will become ineligible for these extra points at the discretion of the professor. Professional Judgement includes classroom attendance, punctuality, engagement in the course, displaying of interest, participation, giving the professor your undivided attention, et al.

See the current Student Handbook as it pertains to the College wide policies on Academic Dishonesty. Any manner of cheating on exams or tests will result in a grade of zero on the exam or test, and subsequently failure in the course.

Artificial Intelligence

You will take all tests and exams with pen and paper, no electronic devices such as cell phones, computers will be allowed at test or exam time. There will be no opportunity to use artificial intelligence or computer software at these times. The use of these during tests will be determined to be cheating. There will be occasions when a simple calculator may be used. This will be indicated prior to test or exam time.

The use of standard statistical software will be permitted in construction of the student’s final project. The use of artificial intelligence will be permitted provided the details of its usage are divulged to the professor and are determined by the professor to be appropriate.

Any use of cellphones and any and all other electronic devices is prohibited during class, as is talking and non-verbal communication with classmates. The Professor needs your undivided attention during class time. You may use a computer during class time to take notes during lectures, but it is better to use pen and paper.

Instructor Course Policies

Instructor's Course Attendance Policy

This Professor does not take off points for absences be they excused or un-excused. In other words, there is no explicit penalty for absences. However, this professor reserves the right to award students extra points on the basis of professional judgement and to therefore grade them more highly than what may be indicated by their raw scores on tests. Students who have excess absences (more than 4 within a semester be they excused or un-excused) will become ineligible for these extra points at the discretion of the professor. Professional Judgement includes classroom attendance, punctuality, engagement in the course, displaying of interest, participation, giving the professor your undivided attention, et al.

Merely having one's body in the classroom without engaging, paying acute attention, taking notes, asking questions is not true attendance.

If you must miss a class for any reason,you are responsible for all of the material that you missed. You will have to acquire the notes of another student who attended and then if you have specific questions about what you missed, you can then come and ask your professor. But do not ask your Professor to fill you in on what you have missed and do not ask the Professor if anything important happend during the class you missed. You are also responsible to find out any changes announced in class that you missed in regard to alterations in course schedule or dates for tests. S once again, you may ask another student who attended to borrow their notes, or otherwise acquire the missing material.You may also ask a fellow student to Facetime (or equivalent) you into a class that you can not attend. Do not call, email, or ask your Professor for what you missed. The Professor will not be providing a Zoom or Facetime or other option but you may arrange one yourself through a fellow student.

Any use of cellphones and any and all other electronic devices is prohibited during class, as is talking and non-verbal communication with classmates. The Professor needs your undivided attention during class time.

Instructor's Academic Integrity Policy

Cheating on a test or final project will result in a grade of zero for that test or project and likely result in failure for the course.

Any manner of cheating on exams or tests will result in Failure on the exam, test, or assignment resulting in a grade of zero points and subsequently failure in the course. Cheating consists of using another students answers or thoughts during the time of the exam, the use of notes in any form not allowed by the Professor, communication in any form with other students or other individuals during the exam to discuss answers to questions on the exam.

You will take your tests and exams with pen and paper, no electronic aids such as cellphones or computers are permitted. The only exception would be if a student requires some sort of computer assistance due to a documented learning disability. There is no opportunity therefore to use artificial intelligence. Sorry you must rely on your own and only your own intelligence.

Any use of cellphones and any and all other electronic devices is prohibited during class, as is talking and non-verbal communication with classmates. The Professor needs your undivided attention during class time.

The use of simple calculators and allowable notes (to be explained prior to the first test) will be allowed.

The use of standard statistical software on the final project is not only allowed but encouraged, but the student must do her own work in gathering data and writing up their unique project. Submission of work not ones own or not giving proper attribution to the work of another is cheating.

Institutional and Program-Level Policies

Final Exam Schedule
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.

Undergraduate:  FA26 Final Exam Schedule    

 

Out-of-class Work Expectation

A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week.

Instructional Course Delivery                                                                                                            

Definition of Courses

Academic Integrity Policy

The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions.

Academic Integrity Policy

Class Attendance Policy                              

Institutional Class Attendance Policy