79299 - Design of Experiments

Learning outcomes

The course objective is to learn how to plan, design and conduct experiments efficiently and effectively, and analyze the resulting data to obtain objective conclusions. Both design and statistical analysis issues are discussed. Particular attention will be paid to: understanding the process of designing an experiment including factorial and fractional factorial designs; examining how a factorial design allows cost reduction, increases efficiency of experimentation, and reveals the essential nature of a process.

Course contents

Introduction to designed experiments.

1. Experiments with a single factor (10 hours)
-The fixed effects model: analysis of variance and regression model
-The random effects model
-The randomized complete bolck design
-Exercises with R

2 Factorial experiments (6 hours)
-The two-factor factorial design with fixed effects: analysis of variance and regression model

3 The 2^k  design (14 hours)
-The 2² design, the 2³ design, the general 2^k design
-A single replicate of the 2^k design
-The addition of center points to the 2^k design
-Exercises with R

4 Blocking in a Factorial Design (6 hours)
-Blocking in a Factorial Design
-Examples with R

Readings/Bibliography

Compulsory readings:
D.C. Montgomery (2013) “Design and analysis of experiments”. Eighth Edition. John Wiley and Sons, Singapore.

Recommended readings:
J. Lawson (2015). "Design and Analysis of Experiments with R", Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.

Lecture notes and exam simulations are available on the platform Virtuale  (https://virtuale.unibo.it/)

Teaching methods

• Lectures in a lecturehall and  and practical lessons in a computer laboratory through the R environment.
• Although attending lessons is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The assessment aims to evaluate the achievement of the following learning objectives:

• the knowledge of the design of experiments methodology

• the ability to design factorial experiments in practical cases

• In order to take the exam, students are required to put their names down for the exam through Almaesami platform.

In order to take the exam registration is mandatory through Almaesami platform.

Exams can only be taken in the official exam sessions.

An identity card (or the UNIBO student card) is required to take part in the exam.

The exam is written, and it contains 3 or 4 exercises to complete in two hours.

The evaluation is expressed as a grade of out of 30.

The maximum grade is reached by performing all the assigned exercises perfectly.

The exam is passed if the student reaches a total score of 18/30.

Sufficiency (18/30) can be reached by performing at least half of the assigned exercises.

During the exam it is not allowed to consult textbooks or notes. A pocket calculator is necessary.

Further useful information about the exams

Depending on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic evolves, there would be the need for suitable modifications of these assessment methods. In that case, more notice will be given here.

First call – April 8, 2021

Each student can take the exam either in person or online.

Two separate subscription lists are available on the Almaesami platform. Students are kindly invited to write their name down for the right list. Changes will be possible only when subscription lists are open (from 24/03/2021 to 06/04/2021).

In both modes, the exam will be written and will be composed of a set of exercises.

The online exam will take place through the EOL and Zoom platforms. In order to take the online exam students must use their PC. Information about how to take a written exam online via Zoom is available at the webpage https://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities/online-services/online-services-for-students-1/lessons-and-exams-online.

Before the online exam: students must have installed a free app or software on their smartphone with which they can scan their paper and save it as a single document at the end of their exam (PDF format recommended); they must have been practising the creation of a single file with two or more photos by using the scanning app so as to avoid any technical issues at the end of the exam.

During the online exam: students must be by themselves in a well-lit room; they need to have some blank sheets of paper, a pen and, and set up a webcam so that their face and hands and sheets of paper are visible. They must write their name, surname and matriculation number on each sheet of the paper and on each page. Microphones and cameras of all students have to stay on and students must remain silent during the exam.

Each student must open the scanning app on their smartphone, take pictures of each sheet of the paper so as to create a single file for their exam, and saved it with the name Surname.pdf. Then, they have to upload the in the EOL Platform the so-obtained document (PDF format recommended).

 

 

 

Teaching tools

Slides in pdf and R-code for the examples in the computer lab.

Links to further information

http://www.unibo.it/docenti/michele.scagliarini

Office hours

See the website of Michele Scagliarini