The Department of Mathematics and Statistics proposes the following course for inclusion in University Studies, Flagged Courses, Mathematics and Statistics at Winona State University. This was approved by the full department on Thursday, February 1, 2001.

Course: Data Management using SAS (STAT 255), 3 s.h.

Catalog Description: An introduction to the statistical package SAS. The course will focus on DATA step programming, and selected basic PROC routines, with an introduction to SAS/GRAPH if time permits.

This is an existing course, previously approved by A2C2.

Department Contact Person for this course:

Carol Joyce Blumberg

Email: cblumberg@winona.edu

General Discussion of Flagged Courses – Mathematics and Statistics in relation to STAT 255

The purpose of the Mathematics/Statistics Flag course requirement is to reinforce the outcomes specified for the basic skills area of mathematics/statistics. These courses are intended to provide students with significant practice in applying prerequisite mathematical or statistical knowledge.

Courses can merit the Mathematics/Statistics Flag if students will be required to make essential use throughout the semester of mathematical or statistical models appropriate to their prerequisite knowledge of those areas, and if the correct use of techniques based on such models will comprise a significant portion of a student’s final grade. It is understood that mere rote computations, algebraic manipulations, or graphical design without inferential content would not merit a Mathematics/Statistics Flag.

These courses must include requirements and learning activities that promote students' abilities to...

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to an extremely popular statistical package among statisticians in business, industry, and academia. The assignments in the course require students to use their knowledge of introductory statistics to produce programs in SAS that produce the correct results.

The focus of this course is learning how to use the statistical package, SAS, to produce correct results. Part of the course is focused on learning how to use some of graphical capabilities of SAS. Hence, this course uses a statistical package with graphics capability in a substantive way.

Course title: Data Management using SAS

Catalog description: An introduction to the statistical package SAS. The course will focus on DATA step programming, and selected basic PROC routines, with an introduction to SAS/GRAPH if time permits. This is a University Studies course satisfying requirements for the Mathematics and Statistics Flag.

Statement of the major focus and objectives of the course: The purpose of the course is to give students a solid introduction to SAS DATA step programming. One objective is to help students secure good jobs, either as interns during college, or as new graduates with a bachelor's degree. The other objective is to give students going on to graduate school a useful skill, since many research assistants do much of the same work as people with bachelor's degrees who work in industry do. Moreover, any student who goes on to secure a master's or PhD in statistics will want to be able to make effective use of SAS's many capabilities.

The purpose of the Mathematics/Statistics Flag course requirement is to reinforce the outcomes specified for the basic skills area of mathematics/statistics. These courses are intended to provide students with significant practice in applying prerequisite mathematical or statistical knowledge.

Courses can merit the Mathematics/Statistics Flag if students will be required to make essential use throughout the semester of mathematical or statistical models appropriate to their prerequisite knowledge of those areas, and if the correct use of techniques based on such models will comprise a significant portion of a student’s final grade. It is understood that mere rote computations, algebraic manipulations, or graphical design without inferential content would not merit a Mathematics/Statistics Flag.

These courses must include requirements and learning activities that promote students' abilities to...

a. practice the correct application of mathematical or statistical models that are appropriate to their prerequisite knowledge of those areas; and

b. make proper use of modern mathematical or statistical methods appropriate to their level of prerequisite knowledge, to include, if statistics is used in a substantive way, the use of a statistical package with graphics capability when appropriate.

A. The Three Basic Windows in SAS (b)

i) The Program Window (b)

ii) The Log Window (b)

iii) The Output Window (b)

B. Using the SAS Editor

i) The arrow keys (b)

ii) Copying, deleting, and moving lines of data (b)

iii) The INCLUDE and FILE Commands (b)

iv) Basic shortcuts to moving around in the editor (b)

v) The SUBMIT command (b)

C. Inputting data

i) Using the CARDS statement (b)

ii) Reading external files with the INFILE and INPUT statements (b)

iii) SAS INFORMATS (b)

a) List input

b) Formatted Column input

c) Numeric vs. Nonnumeric input

d) Dates

D. Outputting Data

i) Creating SAS datasets using the OUTPUT statement (b)

ii) Creating external files with the FILE and PUT statements (b)

iii) SAS FORMATS (b)

a) Output defined by field width

b) Output defined by columns

c) Numeric vs. Nonnumeric output

d) Dates

E. Data manipulation

i) Selecting subsets using the IF conditional (a), (b)

a) The basic IF structure

b) The DO and END statements

c) The Boolean Operators AND and OR

ii) Creating sums and counts and other summaries using the BY statement, and the FIRST. and LAST. internal SAS variables (b)

iii) Creating new variables using SAS functions (a), (b)

a) Arithmetic operators (a), (b)

b) The ROUND, FLOOR, CEILING, TRUNCATE, and similar SAS numeric functions (a), (b)

c) The Concatenation operator and the SUBSTR function (b)

iv) Using DO TO, DO WHILE, and DO UNTIL loops (a), (b)

a) Merging datasets; eliminating redundant cases

b) Debugging loops: the first pass and the last pass as special cases

F. Generating Data (a), (b)

i) Simulation of random variables and distributions (a), (b)

a) RANUNI, RANNOR, PROBIT and similar call routines

b) Using SAS functions vs. using SAS call routines to generate random variables

ii) Using the trailing @ and @@ operators to control tabular output (b)

G. Using the basic SAS PROC's (a), (b)

i) PROC SORT and PROC RANK; the BY option with the SET statement, and elsewhere. (b)

ii) PROC UNIVARIATE (a), (b)

a) For data analysis

b) With the NOPRINT Option in simulations and randomization tests.

iii) PROC PRINT, especially as a debugging tool (b)

H. Selected Topics (as time permits) in the Use of the SAS/GRAPH Package (a), (b)

i) Defining global parameters (b)

ii) Specifying the output device (b)

iii) PROC GChart; other GPROCs as time permits (a), (b)

Basic instructional Plan: The basic method of instruction will be lecture, demonstration, and discussion.

Course requirements and means of evaluation: Computer assignments will be given that mimic real-life use of SAS to generate, manage, and clean up datasets. The emphasis will be on DATA step programming throughout. Tests and quizzes and other assignments may be given. Students will be graded on their performance on these assignments.

Possible textbooks:

Miron, Thomas, SAS Software Solutions:Basic Data Processing, 1993, SAS Institute.

Miron, Thomas, The How-To Book for SAS/GRAPH Software, 1995, SAS Institute

Delwiche, Lora D., and Slaughter, Susan J., The Little SAS Book: A Primer, 1998, SAS Institute

References:

SAS Institute, SAS Language Reference, Version 6

SAS Institute, SAS Language and Procedures, Usage

Approval/Disapproval Recommendations