STAT 527 — Introduction to Statistical Computing

Spring 2024

CRN (modality): 23381 (face-to-face)

Credit Hours: 3

Lectures: Tuesday & Thursday / 10:30AM - 11:45 AM / Helen B. Schleman Hall 113

Instructor Vinayak Rao

Office: MATH 212
webpage: varao.github.io
Office Hours: TBA
E-mail: [email protected]

Course Website: Brightspace is our course management system. You can access the
course website at https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/home/1108195. It is strongly
suggested that you explore and become familiar not only with the site navigation, but
with content and resources available for this course. For example, you will find your
course content and student resources in the left-hand course menu. To begin your
course, please read the items on the Content carefully. The Content serves as your
central resource linking you to important course deadlines, help files, and instructions
for how to get started.

Required Textbooks:

• Hadley Wickham, Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel, and Garrett Grolemund (2023). R for

Data Science: Import, Tidy, Transform, Visualize, and Model Data, 2nd edition
O’Reilly Media.
(Available online here: http://r4ds.had.co.nz)
• N. Matloff (2011). The Art of R Programming: A Tour of Statistical Software
Design. No Starch Press. (Available through Purdue Libraries)

Supplementary Textbooks:

• G. James, D. Witten, T. Hastie, and R. Tibshirani (2014). An Introduction to

Statistical Learning: with Applications in R. Springer Texts in Statistics. Springer
New York.
• Hadley Wickham (2019). Advanced R, 2nd edition CRC Press.
(Available online here: https://adv-r.hadley.nz/index.html
• Max Kuhn and Julia Silge (2023), Tidy Modeling with R, O’Reilly Media.
(Available online here: https://www.tmwr.org)

Course Description:
This course provides a thorough introduction to the R programming language, and
its use for statistical computing and data science. The course will first look at the
fundamentals of R, including different data-structures, control-flow, and the basic vo-
cabulary. An emphasis will be placed on learning idiomatic and efficient R, covering

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 ideas such as recycling, vectorization and functional programming. The course will
then look at principles and tools for tasks like organizing data (‘tidy data’), manipu-
lating data (‘data wrangling/feature engineering’), querying data (through topics like
regular expressions) as well as visualizing data (including interactive visualizations).
The material and the homework will encourage development of modular reusable
code and reproducible research through ideas such as object-oriented programming
and dynamic documents in R Markdown, as well as consistent workflows for machine
learning (‘tidy models’). The last part of the course will study statistical procedures
such as least-squares regression, LASSO, Monte Carlo sampling and Markov chain
Monte Carlo. Besides exams and homeworks, the course will involve a final project
that students can collaborate together on.

Course Work and Requirements:

Percentage of Grade
Homework 30%
Midterm 1 24%
Midterm 2 24%
Project 20%
Attendance 2%

ˆ Homework will generally be posted on a Thursday, and due two weeks later (be-
fore lecture begins). R Markdown should be used for homework submission.
A short tutorial can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/gqyoaxm.
ˆ Group projects will be due at the end of the semester. Specific details on the
project will be given in a separate handout.

Course Policies
Grading: Grades for this course will be curved, however a good performance will earn
you a good grade (so, while it is important not to fall behind your colleagues, there
is no competition for a fixed number of A’s).

Communication

Miscellaneous basic policy questions: Examples:

ˆ When is the midterm?
ˆ How do assignment due dates work?
Re-read this syllabus and the course website first to be sure it’s not already there.
If not, post to Brightspace Discussions so that all students can benefit from this
additional information
Help with assignments or course topics: Brightspace Discussions should be the
first place you turn to for assistance: if you face a problem, then the odds are
than someone else is encountering the same problem. Furthermore, someone
else might answer your question before an instructor/TA. If the matter should
be private from other students (e.g. something about your code, or a question
about your grade), then create a private post. Additionally, office hours are

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 available for direct assistance. If you learned something in the office hour that
might help other students - please post it back to Brightspace Discussions for
other students if appropriate.
Confidential issues: Do not hesitate to email me directly about more serious/confidential
issues at [email protected]
Addressing Questions via E-mail: Your first resource for asking questions should
be the class Brightspace Discussions page, where you are likely to get the fastest
response, and so other students can benefit from having questions answered.
We will prioritize Brightspace Discussions over email, but please do not expect
instantaneous answers, or even answers within 24 hours (e.g. by posting right
before deadlines). If your question involves debugging code, please be sure to
include a minimal working example of your code to the instructors. If your ques-
tion involves details of your solution, you can post it as a private question. Please
do not be offended if the instructor or a TA edits your question (often this is to
make a good private question available to other students).
If you send an email to us that would be better suited as a Brightspace Discus-
sions post - do not be offended if we ask you to repost there so we can answer it
for the good of all.
Netiquette When interaction online via email or the discussion boards, you are en-
couraged to comment, question, or critique ideas, but you should not attack
other individuals. Consider that sarcasm and humor can be misconstrued in on-
line interactionsand generate unintended disruptions. Please read the Netiquette
rules for this course:
ˆ Do not dominate any discussion. Give other students the opportunity to
join in the discussion.
ˆ Do not use offensive language. Present ideas appropriately.
ˆ Be cautious in using Internet language. For example, do not capitalize all
letters since this suggests shouting.
ˆ Avoid using vernacular and/or slang language. This could possibly lead to
misinterpretation.
ˆ Keep an open-mind and be willing to express even your minority opinion.
ˆ Think and edit before you push the “Send” button.
ˆ Do not hesitate to ask for feedback.
Missing Work
Late Policy Homework and Projects are to be submitted by the due date listed
in the assignment. You have a total of seven extension days, that can be ap-
plied any time to homeworks/projects, with no explanation needed. Its use
must be stated explicitly at the time of submission at the start of the home-
work or project. These cannot be rearranged after they are applied to a
submission, and cannot be used after the final day of classes. If circum-
stances arise where you know meeting a deadline will be impossible due to
previously unforeseen circumstances you must contact a TA as soon as you
can BEFORE the deadline, present the rationale for the extension, and a
proposed timeline. Additional extensions will be granted only due to serious
and documented medical or family emergencies. Other than this, no late
submissions will be accepted.

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 Quarantine: If you become quarantined or isolated at any point in time during
the semester, in addition to support from the Protect Purdue Health Cen-
ter, you will also have access to an Academic Case Manager who can provide
you academic support during this time. Your Academic Case Manager can
be reached at [email protected] and will provide you with general guide-
lines/resources around communicating with your instructors, be available
for academic support, and offer suggestions for how to be successful when
learning remotely. Importantly, if you find yourself too sick to progress in
the course, notify your academic case manager and notify me via email or
Brightspace. We will make arrangements based on your particular situation.
The Office of the Dean of Students ([email protected]) is also available to
support you should this situation occur.

Incompletes: Incompletes will only be given under emergency circumstances, e.g., a se-
rious auto accident, death of family member, etc. (see the grief absence policy for
further information). Incompletes will not be given to students failing the course.

Evaluation: Student feedback is essential for any course to be successful. Feedback ques-
tionnaires will be included in each assignment. These evaluations should be taken
seriously, and will be addressed directly by the instructor.

Re-grading: All grade disputes are to be made on paper, and submitted directly to Pro-
fessor Rao. Discussions or arguments for re-grades will not be done in person. A
student has until one week after receiving his/her grade to dispute the grade (in writ-
ing). Handling re-grades in this manner eliminates the “end of the semester” digging
for points.
When disputing a grade, you should state the question, the dispute, and the number
of points you feel you should have received for the question. If you do not state the
number of points you think are reasonable for the re-grade, zero points will be give as
the re-grade. Please note that when you ask for a question to be re-graded, the entire
assignment may be re-graded, and there is a possibility of losing points.

Dropping the Course: The instructors reserve the right to not sign anyone out of the
course once the deadline for dropping without the instructors signature has passed.
Please take care to pay attention to these dates.

Attendance and Participation: Students: You are expected to attend lectures. You
are expected to arrive on time, or before. You are expected to stay until the end
of lecture unless you have asked in advance to leave early. You are expected to be
prepared and participate.
Do not come to class if you are feeling ill, but DO email me at [email protected],
with the subject line: STAT656 absence. I do not need details about your symptoms.
Just let me know you are feeling ill and cannot come to class. Unless it falls under the
University excused absence regulations (see below), any work due should be submitted
on time via our course Brightspace (but see the class homework policy).
When conflicts or absences can be anticipated, such as for many University sponsored
activities and religious observations, you should inform the instructors of the situation
as far in advance as possible. For unanticipated or emergency absences when advance

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 notification is not possible, you should contact the instructors as soon as possible by
e-mail, or the Department of Statistics main office. When you are unable to make
direct contact with the instructors and unable to leave word with the Department of
Statistics because of circumstances beyond your control, and in cases of bereavement,
you or your representative should contact the Office of the Dean of Students. The
instructors will try to accommodate you either by excusing you or by allowing you an
extension when possible. Ultimately, you are responsible for all required coursework
and bear full responsibility for any academic consequences that may result due to
your absence.
Links to the complete attendance policy and implications can be found at
www.purdue.edu/advocacy/students/absences.html and
www.purdue.edu/studentregulations/regulations_procedures/classes.html.
Instructors: You can expect that we will attend lectures. We will arrive in the
lecture room prior to the start of lecture, and will end lecture on time. You can
expect that we will be prepared for lecture, try our best to convey the information for
the course, and show respect for all students.
If we are unable to attend lecture you will know in advance, and we will either cancel
class or provide a guest instructor. We will be present for our office hours, and
available for scheduled appointments.
The amount of material covered in each lecture is governed by the speed with which
we complete the material. Every group of students is different, and we would rather
teach the material well (and have you learn it) than speed through the topics for
the purpose of covering a preset number of topics. Accordingly, the course outline is
subject to change as the course progresses.

University Excused Absences: The University Senate recognizes the following as types
of absences that must be excused:

ˆ Absences related to those covered under the Grief Absence Policy for Students
(GAPS)
ˆ Absences related to those covered under the Military Absence Policy for Students
(MAPS)
ˆ Absences related to those covered under Jury Duty Policy for Students
ˆ Absences related to those covered under the Parenting Leave Policy for Students
ˆ Absences related to those covered under the Medical Excused Absence Policy for
Students (MEAPS)

These policies apply to all students currently enrolled on the Purdue University West
Lafayette campus and State-Wide Purdue University locations. Details can be found
here: https://catalog.purdue.edu/content.php?catoid=17&navoid=21832#a-attendance
and www.purdue.edu/advocacy/students/absences.html.

Counseling and Psychological Services Information: Purdue University is commit-

ted to advancing the mental health and well-being of its students. If you find yourself
beginning to feel some stress, anxiety, and/or feeling slightly overwhelmed, try Well-
Track. Sign in and find information and tools at your fingertips, available to you at

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 any time. If you need support and information about options and resources, please see
the Office of the Dean of Students for drop-in hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00
PM). If you or someone you know is feeling depressed and/or in need of mental health
support, services are available. For help, such individuals should contact Counseling
and Psychological Services (CAPS) at (765) 494-6995, and www.purdue.edu/caps
during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or by going to the CAPS office
on the second floor of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) during
business hours.

University Emergency Information: In the event of a major campus emergency or

temporary suspension of classes, course requirements, deadlines and grading percent-
ages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or
other circumstances beyond the instructors’ control. You can get information about
changes in this course by means of the course web page, or contacting the instructors
via e-mail or phone. You are expected to read your Purdue e-mail on a frequent basis.

Violent Behavior Policy: Purdue University is committed to providing a safe and secure
campus environment for members of the university community. Purdue strives to
create an educational environment for students and a work environment for employees
that promote educational and career goals. Violent behavior impedes such goals.
Therefore, violent behavior is prohibited in or on any University Facility or while
participating in any university activity.

Academic Dishonesty: Purdue prohibits “dishonesty in connection with any University

activity. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the Uni-
versity are examples of dishonesty.” [Part 5, Section III-B-2-a, University Regulations]
Furthermore, the University Senate has stipulated that “the commitment of acts of
cheating, lying, and deceit in any of their diverse forms (such as the use of substi-
tutes for taking examinations, the use of illegal cribs, plagiarism, and copying during
examinations) is dishonest and must not be tolerated. Moreover, knowingly to aid
and abet, directly or indirectly, other parties in committing dishonest acts is in itself
dishonest.” [University Senate Document 72-18, December 15, 1972].
Academic integrity is one of the highest values that Purdue University
holds. You are encouraged to alert university officials to potential breeches
of this value by either e-mailing [email protected], calling 765-494-8778,
or contacting the Office of the Dean of Students (www.purdue.edu/odos).
While information may be submitted anonymously, the more information
that is submitted provides the greatest opportunity for the university to
investigate the concern. Bonus points will be given to students who report
instances of cheating.
Incidents of academic misconduct in this course will be addressed by the
course instructor and referred to the Office of Student Rights and Respon-
sibilities (OSRR, www.purdue.edu/odos/osrr) for review at the university
level. Any violation of course policies as it relates to academic integrity
will result minimally in a failing or zero grade for that particular assign-
ment, and at the instructor’s discretion may result in a failing grade for the
course. In addition, all incidents of academic misconduct will be forwarded
to OSRR, where university penalties, including removal from the univer-

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 sity, may be considered. Use of instructor solution manuals or related
resources will not be tolerated.

Use of Artificial Intelligence The use of artificial intelligence, generative models or large
language models as supplementary tools to prototype and explore code, and to explore
tone and organization of reports and presentations is allowed. It is important to be
aware of the limitations of these tools, and you are fully responsible for the contents of
your submissions. Copy-pasting or making minor tweaks to AI-generated reports for
homework submissions, project reports and paper reviews is prohibited, and counts as
plagiarism: these should be written by you and should reflect your understanding of
the problem and material. It is important to be transparent in your submissions about
what tools you used and how, keeping records of AI-generated content used along the
way. You should also ensure any code you submit follows guidelines about program
structure, packages used etc. It is important that your code is liberally sprinkled
with comments explaining what you are doing, recognizing that this will substantially
increase any partial credit you receive for incorrect code, and recognizing that it is
insufficient to just submit code ‘that works’. At the end of the day, you must make
sure you understand and stand by all the content of your submissions.

Use of Copyrighted Materials: Among the materials that may be protected by copy-
right law are the lectures, notes, and other material presented in class or as part of the
course. Always assume the materials presented by the instructors are protected by
copyright unless the instructors have stated otherwise. Students enrolled in, and au-
thorized visitors to, Purdue University courses are permitted to take notes, which they
may use for individual/group study or for other non-commercial purposes reasonably
arising from enrollment in the course or the University generally.
Notes taken in class are, however, generally considered to be “derivative works” of the
instructors’ presentations and materials, and they are thus subject to the instructors’
copyright in such presentations and materials. No individual is permitted to sell or
otherwise barter notes, either to other students or to any commercial concern, for
a course without the express written permission of the course instructor. To obtain
permission to sell or barter notes, the individual wishing to sell or barter the notes
must be registered in the course or must be an approved visitor to the class. Course
instructors may choose to grant or not grant such permission at their own discretion,
and may require a review of the notes prior to their being sold or bartered. If they
do grant such permission, they may revoke it at any time, if they so choose.

Students with Disabilities: Purdue University is required to respond to the needs of the
students with disabilities as outlined in both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 through the provision of auxiliary aids and
services that allow a student with a disability to fully access and participate in the
programs, services, and activities at Purdue University.
Purdue University strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If
you anticipate or experience physical or academic behaviors based on disability, you
are welcome to let the instructors know so that they can discuss options. You are also
encouraged to contact the disability resource center at [email protected] or by phone
765-494-1247. If you have a disability that requires special academic accommodation,
please make an appointment to speak with the instructors within the first three (3)

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 weeks of the semester in order to discuss any adjustments. It is important to talk
about this at the beginning of the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to notify
the Disability Resource Center (www.purdue.edu/drc) of an impairment/condition
that may require accommodations and/or classroom modifications.

Nondiscrimination: Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community that

recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters toler-
ance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and en-
courages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit
of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture di-
versity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strength-
ens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and en-
riches campus life. Purdue University’s nondiscrimination policy can be found at
www.purdue.edu/purdue/ea_eou_statement.php.
Purdue University prohibits discrimination against any member of the University
community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry,
genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender iden-
tity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. The University will conduct
its programs, services and activities consistent with applicable federal, state and local
laws, regulations and orders and in conformance with the procedures and limitations
as set forth in Executive Memorandum No. D-1, which provides specific contrac-
tual rights and remedies. Any student who believes they have been discriminated
against may visit www.purdue.edu/report-hate to submit a complaint to the Office
of Institutional Equity. Information may be reported anonymously.

Protect Purdue The Protect Purdue Plan, which includes the Protect Purdue Pledge,
is campus policy and as such all members of the Purdue community must comply
with the required health and safety guidelines. Required behaviors in this class in-
clude:staying home and contacting the Protect Purdue Health Center (496-INFO) if
you feel ill or know you have been exposed to the virus, properly wearing a mask in
classrooms and campus building, at all times (e.g., mask covers nose and mouth, no
eating/drinking in the classroom), disinfecting desk/workspace prior to and after use,
maintaining appropriate social distancing with peers and instructors (including when
entering/exiting classrooms), refraining from moving furniture, avoiding shared use
of personal items, maintaining robust hygiene (e.g., handwashing, disposal of tissues)
prior to,during and after class, and following all safety directions from the instruc-
tor. Students who are not engaging in these behaviors (e.g., wearing a mask) will
be offered the opportunity to comply. If non-compliance continues, possible results
include instructors asking the student to leave class and instructors dismissing the
whole class. Students who do not comply with the required health behaviors are vio-
lating the University Code of Conduct and will be reported to the Dean of Students
Office with sanctions ranging from educational requirements to dismissal from the
university. Any student who has substantial reason to believe that another person in
a campus room (e.g., classroom) is threatening the safety of others by not complying
(e.g., not wearing a mask) may leave the room without consequence. The student
is encouraged to report the behavior to and discuss next steps with their instructor.
Students also have the option of reporting the behavior to the Office of the Student
Rights and Responsibilities. See also Purdue University Bill of Student Rights.

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Disclaimer
This syllabus is subject to change.