Fed up with ALEKS Behavioral Stats

[sklineho]

ALEKS is a great system, but this Behavioral Stats course is getting absurd. I'm right over 50% assessment. Some of these questions seem like they are FAR beyond what an introductory stats course should involve.

Would I be better served to just take a shot at the DSST at this point?

I'm agitated as this is my last course and then I'm done.

[LaterBloomer]

Someone, ?Cookderosa?, mentioned in one of her posts passing the DSST Statistics test after spending a lot of time on Aleks. Are you a member of Instacert? I'm studying for the DSST Stats exam, and the feedback indicates that it has a generous curve.

[sklineho]

Yes I am a member until the end of the month (I cancelled as am done with test-outs, or so I thought.

ALES is a great system, but I've clocked 30 hours into it and am only at 51%. Some of the things they're tasking me with doing are extremely complex but you have to finish them before it will unlock other sections. (Total Probability, etc.)

[cookderosa]

My exact story- I watched the Learner dot org series called Against All Odds and decided I wasn't up for the indy study required of a DSST exam, so I signed up for ALEKS intro stats. My math background- I'd never taken real algebra, just a watered down version of pre-algebra in high school more than 20 years ago. For my TESC degree, I used MATH105 Mathematics for Liberal Arts. My kids were all in ALEKS at the time, so I was comfortable with the way it worked, and got through it pretty quick at first. Somewhere just over 50 I started slowing WAY down. I never did hit 60. I started using Khan vids to help me through my stats, but as you may know, it's not really closely correlated enough to really help, so I paused my ALEKS work and watched all of the Khan vids from start to finish. I also took a lot of notes and worked practice problems. I took the DSST and PASSED. I still had time left on my ALEKS, and plan B was to go back at it if I failed the DSST. Whew!

If you don't mind me asking, why take Behavioral instead of Intro?

[dposborne]

I remember it took me 42 hours to complete Intro to stats on ALEKS. I was actually taking CALC II online at the same time at TESC and at around the 50% mark in stats it got excessively hard, but I pushed through and actually hit 69.7%. ALEKS rounded it to 70% and I was done... My CAS Calculator I use for Calculus actually helped me out a lot as it does Stats problems and has templates on it as well. I also printed every lesson as I went through them and at least 4 example questions in each topic to study over. I would just keep at it, it's frustrating, but still better than taking a whole class.

[sklineho]

Thanks to all of you. What was the model of that calculator? I've been using a basic one (especially since the online one on ALEKS often doesn't work at all, and when it does, it's not always right. I think the problem is that some of the questions will have four-five different things you have to answer and getting even one wrong gets the whole thing wrong. I'll keep pushing. This and my capstone are all I have left.

[dposborne]

I used the Texas Instruments Nspire CX CAS Graphing Calculator

Here is the link to it on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Texas Instruments Nspire CX CAS Graphing Calculator (N3CAS/GC/2L1): Electronics

I start my capstone class beginning in May. I have access to the class now and it doesn't look like its going to be a walk in the park. Far, far from it actually. I am really not looking forward to giving a summary oral video presentation on a 30 page paper/book I have to write up with a team of classmates and then writing this paper/book and submitting it. Writing has always been one of my weaker areas.

[sklineho]

I like writing, it's the "group" part that worries me. If you get a good reliable group then you're ok but if you get one where half the people are lazy then it get's irritating. I hope considering this is a Bachelor level capstone that people will be motivated.

Although I was under the impression that the liberal arts capstone was simply a paper, I didn't know that it required you to work as a group. That's no good. I've written a few 100K novels (for fun, not to be published) so writing alone doesn't worry me. I wish we could choose the topic and start writing ahead of time to get ahead.

Thanks for the calculator advice. I just knocked out 3 more percent, so slow going. But I'll get there.

[dposborne]

Its an engineering capstone with serious professionals. As part of the final paper we are required to rate our teammates efforts in completing the paper. This is an anonymous peer evaluation and the average of the team members' score counts for 30% of their individual final paper grade. With that being said I think I'm pretty safe from slackers for team members. I have read about what you are saying about lazy teammates though, especially with UoP courses.

Great job with the 3% so far. Keep at it and before you know it you will be done!

[Max Droid]

When I did Stats on ALEKS I also got stuck at 50% . I had initially assessed at around 30%, and breezed right through till I got to 50%. But don't get discouraged, once you reach 50% you only have to learn about 20 more problems till you can assess at 70%.

When I got stuck at 50% my strategy was to stick to and completely finish the slices of pie that I felt were easiest for me learn.

These were: Random Variables and Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Mathematical Readiness, and Probabilities. Regression and Correlation wasnt that difficult also, but I only finished 5 of 7 in that slice.

I believe these areas are the easiest in ALEKS Stats. For example, most of Mathematical Readiness is what you may have already learned in ALEKS Intermediate Algebra or studying for College Math CLEP. And Descriptive Statistics is mostly charts that involves basic algebra to solve.

I also recommend viewing Khanacademy videos, and Professor Rosever's channel on youtube.

Professor Rosever actually uses ALEKS in his youtube videos, check it out: ProfessorRosever's channel - YouTube

Another recommendation is to print EVERYTHING out! Even the ones you get right.

I found it easier to use a spread sheet over a calculator. Eventually you will need to use the ALEKS calculator to solve Z, F, T, and Chi distributions. But that shouldnt be too difficult to figure out because the calculator does all the math for you.

I have attached a copy of the spread sheet I used. It is a modification of a spread sheet that another member on this forum shared before. The spread sheet will not help you assess at 70%, but as you continue to plug away at ALEKS it could be of use to you.

Good Luck!