Homepage for 17-803 "Empirical Methods" at Carnegie Mellon University
Basic knowledge of statistics and basic programming experience. For example:
Evaluation will be based on the following distribution:
This course does not have a fixed letter grade policy; i.e., the final letter grades will not be A=90-100%, B=80-90%, etc.
This course will assign some mandatory and some optional weekly readings (papers and book chapters), both of which will be provided in electronic format or can be accessed through the CMU library.
This is a 12-unit course, and it is my intention to manage it so that you spend close to 12 hours a week on the course, on average. In general, 3 hours/week will be spent in class and 9 hours on assignments. Please feel free to give the instructor feedback on how much time the course is taking for you.
I plan to give feedback on homework assignments within a week.
The Spring 2021 offering of this course will be taught remotely. I will try to be as accommodating as possible to different and difficult circumstances. Please don’t hesitate to talk to me about how I can better support you in remote learning.
In-class discussions are a very important part of the learning experience for this course. Even though lectures will be recorded, please make an effort to attend class “live”, rather than relying on recordings.
Please keep your camera on during class, because it provides a less anonymous and isolated experience and provides some feedback for the presenter. It is much easier and more natural to interact when the presenter can recognize nonverbal feedback, such as students nodding, looking confused, or raising their hand. You may use a virtual background for privacy if you wish.
I understand that normal life events, including research deadlines, deadlines in other courses, and technical difficulties out of your control, not to mention complications introduced by the pandemic, can interfere with your ability to complete your work on time.
However, homework assignments are designed to build on each other. Moreover, many assignments are expected to be completed in groups, so your late work will also impact your group members. Therefore, it’s best if you are on time with your submissions, to avoid a domino effect.
Extensions are possible at discretion of the instructor in important circumstances.
The usual policies apply, especially the University Policy on Academic Integrity. Many assignments will be done in groups or may be done in pairs. I expect that group members collaborate with one another, but that groups work independently from other groups, not exchanging results with other groups. Within groups and pairs, I expect that you are honest about your contribution to the group’s work. This implies not taking credit for others’ work and not covering for team members that have not contributed to the team. I expect that your work on assignments and the research project will be your (or your and your group members’) own work. For questions on this collaboration policy, please see the instructor.
It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups.
If you wish to request an accommodation due to a documented disability, please inform the instructor as soon as possible and contact Disability Resources at 412.268.2013 or access@andrew.cmu.edu.
For assistance with the written or oral communication assignments in this class, visit the Global Communication Center (GCC). GCC tutors can provide instruction on a range of communication topics and can help you improve your papers, presentations, and job application documents. The GCC is a free service, open to all students, and located in Hunt Library. You can make tutoring appointments directly on the GCC website: http://www.cmu.edu/gcc. You may also browse the GCC website to find out about communication workshops offered throughout the academic year.
When we say “your health matters” we mean exactly that: Your health matters. We don’t intend to imply that other peoples’ health does not matter, or that your health matters more or less than theirs. It’s just that we know that CMU can be a stressful, risky environment, and your health is the health that is relevant in this conversation.
Please 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. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.
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.