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COURSE OVERVIEW
Instructor:
Dr. Kathryn Caggiano kec4@cornell.edu 216 Rhodes Hall 607-255-2370 Office Hours: TWR, 3:00-4:00 pm 3 credits. Prerequisites: ORIE 3300, ENGRD 2700 or equivalent. Class Times: Monday 11:15 am - 12:05 pm, Wednesday 11:15 am - 1:10 pm Classroom: Rhodes 471
Teaching Assistants:
Tommy Roy tjr74@cornell.edu Office Hours: TBA Adam Schultz acs253@cornell.edu Office Hours: TBA Henry Yu my288@cornell.edu Office Hours: TBA
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ORIE 4820: Spreadsheet-Based Modeling and Data Analysis Course Syllabus Spring 2012
Course Content:
The course is organized into three parts. In the first part (Weeks 1-2), we will cover fundamentals of spreadsheet design and navigation, as well as techniques for efficient data manipulation. Topics will include: organizing, summarizing, and presenting data; augmenting datasets using lookup and logical functions; creating dynamic charts and scalable histograms; and creating and manipulating PivotTables and PivotCharts. In the second part of the course (Weeks 3-8), we will focus on building decision models to address a wide variety of business problems whose characteristics require different modeling and solution approaches. Although some of the problems we consider will be deterministic, others will have significant elements of uncertainty in them. We will cover techniques for incorporating uncertainty into single-variable and multiple-variable decision models, both analytically and using simulation. We will demonstrate how to use data tables to enumerate alternatives and to conduct sensitivity analysis. Excels Solver will be introduced as an optimization tool that is useful for addressing certain types of decision problems. Fundamentals of VBA programming will be covered and used regularly. Particular attention will be paid to interpreting and evaluating model results from a practical standpoint. A 2-week interim period between the second and third parts of the course includes spring break (Week 9) and the mid-term examination (Week 10). The team project will be the focus of the third part of the course (Weeks 11-14). Once the project is introduced, we will spend several weeks on relevant topics, including additional VBA functionality. The course concludes with a wrap-up session in Week 15.
Lecture notes and lab exercises will be posted on the Blackboard course website prior to each class session. If you are enrolled in the course, you should already have access. If you do not have access, please see me.
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ORIE 4820: Spreadsheet-Based Modeling and Data Analysis Course Syllabus Spring 2012
GRADING POLICY
Academic Integrity:
Violations of the Cornell University Code of Academic Integrity will not be tolerated -- period. The Code of Academic Integrity is listed in full at: http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/AIC.html All work that you submit in this course for academic credit must be solely your own, with the exception of assignments that are explicitly stated to be team or partner assignments. In these cases, all submitted work must be solely the effort of the designated group or partners. At a minimum, any student found to be giving or receiving unauthorized aid on a homework assignment will receive a zero on the work in question, to result in no less than a full letter grade deduction for the course. Any student found to be giving or receiving unauthorized aid on an examination will receive a grade of F in the course.
Course Grades:
Your course grade will be based on your performance on homework assignments, the mid-term examination, and the team project, as follows: 40% 35% 25% Homework Assignments (4 at 10% each) Mid-Term Exam (20% for in-class portion, 15% for take-home portion) Team Project
Although no points are explicitly given for class participation, your on-time attendance and participation in class are expected. Poor attendance and/or participation will result in a lowering of your course grade, at my discretion. You should let me know ahead of time (via email) if and why you must miss a class.
Homework Assignments:
There will be four homework assignments during the semester (due in Weeks 3, 5, 8, and 13). The first assignment may be completed individually or in pairs. The second and third assignments must be completed individually. The fourth assignment is a team assignment. These assignments will require you to develop spreadsheet models that implement methodologies and concepts we have covered in class, identify and analyze data and/or potential solutions to problems, perform what-if analyses, and/or justify a course of action. Assignments will be posted on the course website approximately two weeks before they are due. All assignments must be submitted electronically via Blackboard. The submission process will be covered in class. Assignments are due by 12:00 pm on the due date. In fairness to other students, and because solutions will be discussed in class, late assignments will not be accepted.
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ORIE 4820: Spreadsheet-Based Modeling and Data Analysis Course Syllabus Spring 2012
Mid-Term Examination:
The mid-term examination will be held in Week 10 and will consist of an in-class portion and a take-home portion. A review session will be held in class on Monday, March 26th. The in-class portion of the mid-term will take place on Wednesday, March 28th. It will be a computer-based exam that is intended to test both your proficiency and facility in implementing the spreadsheet modeling tools and concepts we have covered. You may use any built-in tools within Excel to complete the exam (including Help, the function prompter, and the VB Editor), but you may not use any other software, files, books, or notes. The take-home portion of the mid-term will be posted at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, March 28th, and is due by 5:00 pm on Friday, March 30th. It will involve developing and using a spreadsheet model to solve a decision problem. You will be evaluated on the clarity, completeness, and correctness of your work. You may use your own files, books, and notes on this portion of the exam. Any form of collaboration or communication about the exam with anyone other than the instructor is strictly forbidden. Mark your calendars NOW. Makeup exams will only be given under VERY unusual circumstances, and you must receive approval from the course instructor PRIOR to the scheduled exam date. Job interviews DO NOT qualify as an unusual circumstance.
Team Project:
The team project will be introduced in class during Week 11. Each team will be composed of 4 students (possibly 3, but not 5). The project will require you to analyze a multi-faceted business problem, develop a comprehensive evaluation and decision model, and make recommendations to management. Each team will be required to submit a stand-alone report summarizing their recommendations and analyses, along with the model itself. Peer evaluations are mandatory and will be used in determining your project grade. ALL project deliverables are due by 12:00 pm on Friday, May 4th. Peer evaluations are due by 12:00 pm on Saturday, May 5th.
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ORIE 4820: Spreadsheet-Based Modeling and Data Analysis Course Syllabus Spring 2012
CLASS SCHEDULE
Week
1
Dates
23-Jan 25-Jan 30-Jan 1-Feb 6-Feb 8-Feb
Lecture/Lab Topics
Course Introduction; Spreadsheet Fundamentals
10-Feb: Assignment #1
13-Feb 15-Feb 20-Feb 22-Feb 27-Feb 29-Feb 5-Mar 7-Mar 12-Mar 14-Mar
24-Feb: Assignment #2
Modeling and Solving Linear Optimization Problems Solving Decision Problems Using VBA II
16-Mar: Assignment #3
19-Mar 21-Mar
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ORIE 4820: Spreadsheet-Based Modeling and Data Analysis Course Syllabus Spring 2012
Week
10
Dates
26-Mar 28-Mar
Lecture/Lab Topics
Review for Mid-Term; MID-TERM EXAMINATION
11
2-Apr 4-Apr 9-Apr 11-Apr 16-Apr 18-Apr 23-Apr 25-Apr 30-Apr 2-May
12
13
20-Apr: Assignment #4
14
15
Course Wrap-Up
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