MINITAB and Stat 100
Statistical software packages are a fundamental part
of contemporary statistics practice. One good
elementary package is MINITAB and there will be several
(probably six) MINITAB assignments over the course of the
semester.
There are several purposes to these assignments.
Concepts and definitions can be reinforced; you can "think
right" in thinking of having the computer do the grunt work
for large data sets; you learn some MINITAB, which is of
some use.
The text comes with discs and a manual for Student Minitab.
If you install the program on your PC, you can do assignments
in convenience and without OWL crowds, and you will learn more.
The great majority of Stat 100 students do
Minitab on their personal computers.
However, you can also do your Minitab
assignments in the Math OWL (Open Workstations Laboratory).
The Math Building OWL (Open Workstation Lab) is in the basement,
Room 0203. It is open 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday.
All the computers in this OWL run Windows NT.
I am told it can be crowded between 10 and 4. To use the OWL,
you need a WAM account. Also, you will need to print out, and
for this you need a Terrapin Express card print account. You
can arrange this at the South Campus Dining Hall office. They
require a minimum $25 to open the print account, and when
you open it you will get a password. I believe the cost per page
of a printout is ten cents.
All assignments and Minitab support will be posted on the class
web page. In particular, you can access these
from a netscape window
while you work on Minitab in the Math OWL.