class: ur-title, center, middle, title-slide .title[ # BST413 Lecture 0: Class intro ] .author[ ### Tanzy Love based on notes of Andrew McDavid and Sally Thurston ] .institute[ ### U of Rochester ] .date[ ### 2026-Jan-15 (updated: 2026-01-16) ] --- # Administrivia ## Class website https://bst-urmc.github.io/bst413-spring2026-site/ **Lecture, homeworks and lab will be provided here** ## Blackboard https://learn.rochester.edu **Only used as a gradebook, announcements, and posting class handouts** --- ## Course communication - Tanzy_Love@urmc.rochester.edu - For assignments, you are encouraged to use email - For private matters (grading disputes, etc), use email - I am available to set up individual appointments by email. --- ## Textbooks All materials are available freely online. Some also have a deadtree version available for purchase. - The required text is: Gelman A, Carlin JB, Stern HS, Dunson DB, Vehtari A, Rubin DB “Bayesian Data Analysis”, third edition, CRC Press, 2014. - It is also available as a free eBook through URLibraries - Go to library.rochester.edu, enter the title or ISBN (9781439840955) in the search box - Then click “Full Text Online” in the matching results - It’s offered through ProQuest and Safari --- # Overview Bayesian Inference fundamentals with an emphasis on congugate models, hierarchical models, and MCMC computing. - Assignments (65%) .small[~bi-weekly. Homework will be completed out-of-class] - Participation / Attendance (5%) .small[Actively attending class, completing periodic quizzes (delivered in-class) to check understanding.] - in class Midterm Exam (15%) .small[A closed book, no-collaboration-permitted midterm exam will be given about 1/2 way thru the class.] - Final Project (15%) .small[A final project (individual work) will have three parts: proposal paragraph, public presentation, and final write-up.] --- # Other syllabus items ## Homework and github usage * Homework will be posted, turned-in, and graded on github classrooms. * We will shortly discuss logistics of this and how your use of this will be a component of your grade * I will sometimes accept a late assignments if I see progress and a consistent commit history in that assignment. If I do not see any progress in an assignment, I will not accept a late submission. --- ## Academic honesty and programming 1. You may generally work together¹. 2. You may generally google it, but cite your sources and see the next item. 3. Write your own solutions and *own code*. **This generally means no copy-paste!** Let's look at [the syllabus](../static/syllabus413-2026.pdf) for complete details. ### Code of conduct Respect each other². The UR harassment and discrimination policy applies³. .footnote[[1] Exception: final project! [2] [Student handbook](http://www.rochester.edu/college/cscm/assets/pdf/standards_studentconduct.pdf) [3] [Policy 106](http://www.rochester.edu/working/hr/policies/pdfpolicies/106.pdf) ]