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Download pdf of 2012 syllabus (pdf, 11 pp)

Instructor:
Carol Bigelow, PhD
School of Public Health
402 Arnold House
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
tel: 413/545-1319
email: cbigelow@schoolph.umass.edu

Teaching Assistant:
To be named
School of Public Health
Arnold House
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003


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Course Description
PubHlth 691F, Practical Data Management and Statistical Computing, Section 2, is an introduction to the design, maintenance and use of data management systems for the collection and analysis of research data, especially epidemiologic research data on humans. MS Excel, MS Access, and Stata are emphasized. Topics include: database development, Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, data manipulation and cleaning, data summarization, and selected topics in statistical analysis programming. This course is designed for the UMass SPHHS student who has completed PubHlth 540 - Introduction to Biostatistics and PubHlth 640 - Intermediate Biostatistics and who seeks training in data management and the use of STATA.

Prerequisites:
PubHlth 540 and PubHlth 640; or previous or concurrent PubHlth 540 plus permission of instructor.

Course Objectives and Outcome Competencies

Course Objectives:
The overall goal of this course is to develop a working knowledge of data manipulation, best practices for the ethical maintenance of human subjects data, data summarization and its communication to lay and professsional audiences and use of Stata for selected data management and statistical analysis. This course has three parts:

	I -	Database Development and Maintenance
	II -	Data Summarization and Reporting
	III -	Statistical Computing for Epidemiology

Outcome Competencies:
The specific outcome competencies include, but are not limited to the following:

1. The use of MS Access for the collection and maintenance of public health research data – You will acquire hand on experience in the design and use of a data entry system.

2. The organization and documentation of a data management system – You will learn how to design and document a data management system that includes, but is not limited to, specification of directory structure, file naming, and backup.

3. Best practices for the ethical maintenance of human subjects data – You will gain knowledge of the Health Insurance Portability Accountabililty Act (HIPAA) and will incorporate its understanding into the structure of a data management system.

4. The prepration of data that is ready for statistical analysis – You will gain experience in several steps related to compiling data that is ready for statistical analysis: error checking, audit trail creation, formatting, labeling, etc. You will also learn how to merge files.

5. Data summarization for presentation to professional and lay audiences – You will gain experience in using MS Word, MS excel and STATA for the production of tabular and graphical summaries of public health data. You will also write brief descriptions of these summaries.

6. STATA for basic statistical analysis of epidemiologic data – You will acquire hands on experience in using STATA for selected basic statistical analyses of public health data: multiple linear regression, stratified analysis of rates, and logistic regression. Time permitting, we all also explore the use of STATA for other types of analyses that might be of interest to you.

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Required Text:
Acock AC
A Gentle Introduction to STATA, Third Edition
Stata Press
2010
ISBN13: 978-1-59718-075-7 (Soft cover)

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How to Obtain Stata
You may purchase Stata online at a student discount any time between July 26, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Follow the instructions on pages 3-5 of the pdf of the course syllabus (click here)

Office Hours:
By appointment.
Please call for an appointment (tel. 413-545-1319) or email your request to me at cbigelow@schoolph.umass.edu.

This course has 11 units
1. Principles of Data Management
2. Ethical Management of Human Subjects Information
3. MS Excel for Epidemiology
4. Introduction to MS Access
5. Introduction to STATA
6. STATA for Data Description
7. STATA for Graphs
8. STATA for Analysis of One and Two Samples
9. STATA for Normal Theory Regression
10. STATA for Categorical Data Analysis
11. STATA for Logistic Regression


Examination Schedule
Note - There will be no examination of units 4 and 9-11.

Exam	Posting Date	Due Date	Units Covered
1	Monday October 8, 2012	Monday October 29, 2012	1- Principles of Data Management 2- Ethical Management of Human Subjects Info. 3- MS Excel for Epidemiology
2	Monday November 5, 2012	Monday November 26, 2012	5 - Introduction to STATA 6- STATA for Data Description 7 - STATA for Graphs
3	Monday December 3, 2012	Friday December 14, 2012	8- STATA for Analysis of One and Two Samples

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Grading Policy:

Your course grade will be based on completion of 10 out of 14 practice sets and three examinations, as follows:

	Percent of Course Grade
Practice Sets (Choose 10 out of 14)	25%
Examination 1	25%
Examination 2	25%
Examination 3	25%

Policy on Late Submissions of Practice Problems and Examinations
Sometimes, it is not possible to meet a class deadline. To accomodate this, I will accept late submissions for up to one week. Please be aware that, in consideration of your fellow classmates, a late submission carries a 20 point penalty. Thus, if you know you cannot meet a deadline, I encourage you to use the full week's grace time!

On Time	Full Credit for points scored
1-7 Days Late	Points scored - 20 points
8+ Days Late	0 points (no credit)

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Posting Schedule Policies
Sorry .... In general, course materials and examinations will not be posted ahead of schedule

Letter Grade Determination:

A	95 and over
A -	90 - 94
B +	87-89
B	83-86
B -	80-82
C +	77-79
C	70-76
F	Below 70

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Important Dates to Remember

• First Week of Class:
Week 1 of the course is September 3-7, 2012

• Last Day to Drop with no record - Monday September 17, 2012

• Last Day to Drop with “DR”- Monday October 15, 2012

• Last Day to Drop with “W”- Thursday October 18, 2012

• Last Week of Class
December 3-7, 2012

• Exam 3 Due - Friday December 14, 2012

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ADA Accommodation Policy
Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact me as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements.

Carol Bigelow, PhD
tel: 413/545-1319
fax: 413/545-1645
email: cbigelow@schoolph.umass.edu

Policy on Academic Dishonesty
The University of Massachusetts/Amherst Senate Document 89-026 defines academic dishonesty as including but not limited to:

a) Cheating – intentional deceit, trickery, or breach of confidence, used to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage in one’s academic work.
b) Fabrication – intentional falsification or invention of any information or citation in any academic exercise.
c) Facilitating dishonesty – knowingly helping or attempting to help someone else commit an act of academic dishonesty.
d) Plagiarism – knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own work in any academic exercise.
e) Submitting in whole or in part, without citation, prewritten term papers of another or the research of another (including but not limited to such materials sold or distributed commercially).

 

Visit the University of Massachusetts Website
Policy on Academic Dishonesty.

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