Instructor’s Resource Manual
Introduction to Business Analytics
Vernon J. Richardson & Marcia Weidenmier Watson
1st Edition
,TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................. 2
TO THE INSTRUCTOR ............................................. 4
Course Description ................................................ 5
A Note to Mac Users ............................................... 5
Loading Tableau Software ........................................... 6
Loading Power BI Software .......................................... 6
Proposed Assignment Schedule ....................................... 7
PRESENTATION SUGGESTIONS ..................................... 9
CHAPTER 1 .................................................... 9
Ask the Question: Using Business Analytics to Address Business
Questions .................................................... 9
CHAPTER 2 ................................................... 11
Obtain the Data: An Introduction to Business Data Sources ... 11
CHAPTER 3 – Analyze the Data: Basic Statistics and Tools
Required in Business Analytics .............................. 13
CHAPTER 4 ................................................... 15
Analyze the Data: Exploratory Business Analytics ............ 15
(Descriptive and Diagnostic Analytics) ...................... 15
CHAPTER 5 – Analyze the Data: Explanatory Business Analytics
(Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics) ..................... 17
CHAPTER 6 – Report the Results: Using Data Visualization .... 19
CHAPTER 7 – Marketing Analytics ............................. 21
CHAPTER 8 ................................................... 23
Accounting Analytics ........................................ 23
CHAPTER 9 ................................................... 25
Financial Analytics ......................................... 25
CHAPTER 10 .................................................. 27
Operations Analytics ........................................ 27
Brief Topical Outline ....................................... 27
CHAPTER 11 .................................................. 29
Advanced Analytics .......................................... 29
, CHAPTER 12 – Using the SOAR Model to Put it All Together: Three
Capstone Projects ........................................... 31
Discussion on Labs and Detailed Lab Breakdown ......................... 32
Detailed Lab Breakdown By Tool, Difficulty and Referent
Business Course ............................................. 33
Detailed Lab Breakdown By Tool, Difficulty and Referent
Business Course (cont.) ..................................... 34
Detailed Lab Breakdown By Tool, Difficulty and Referent
Business Course (cont.) ..................................... 35
, TO THE INSTRUCTOR
This guide includes suggested assignment schedules, topical outlines, chapter comments, and
suggested team exercises based on our experience teaching business analytics.
Assignment Suggestions. This textbook is written to help students develop business analytics
skills to gather and analyze data to address business questions. Consequently, we recommend
that assignments include the problems and labs which will help advance these skills and require
critical thinking. Instructors will teach this course differently; some choosing to only use the labs
or only include the text. Others may cover this textbook in eight weeks, instead of a fifteen-week
period. Please note the assignment suggestions in this guide assume the material will be
covered over a fifteen-week period.
Brief Topical Outlines. These outlines are designed to assist instructors in coordinating
classroom discussions with material covered in the textbook and the PowerPoints. The brief
topical outlines identify topics we believe are important to merit some classroom discussion.
The outlines also include references to illustrations in the textbook, PowerPoints, questions,
problems, and labs that may serve as useful supplements to your class presentations.
PowerPoints. The PowerPoints offer a summary of what is covered in the chapters. The topic
coverage is light so you can emphasize what you like. The PowerPoints also have progress
checks associated with each learning objective. Since the progress checks are meant to be
reflective, we do not offer suggested answers. Hopefully they will give you opportunities to
expand on the answer and generate class discussion.
Comments and Observations. You will probably find that our comments and observations
suggest coverage of more topics than your time will allow. These are an assortment of
comments we have collected over the years, so please feel free to borrow what appeals to you
and discard what does not.
Labs. At the end of each chapter, there are labs to provide students with practice performing
business analytics tools and techniques. The labs have two datasets, one with step-by-step
instructions (and video support in Connect) and a second (labeled the alt, or alternate lab),
without the step-by-step instructions allowing students to demonstrate what they’ve learned on
the first dataset.
Connect has multiple choice questions for both the first and alternate labs (datasets) that are
autogradable. These assessments allow the instructor to determine if the labs were performed
correctly. These multiple choice questions and answers are also available in the solutions
manual. Connect also requests that students upload one or two screenshots as described in the
lab. Please note that the screenshots are for instructor reference to dive deeper into a student’s
answer, and, therefore, are manually graded.
Data files for each lab are included with the lab assignment in Connect. They are also
accessible via the Additional Student Resource document found in the Connect Library. For
instructors not using Connect, the Word doc with links to the data can be distributed to students.
Videos. In today’s world, many students use visual learning tools, and many instructors teach
in hybrid and online formats. So, lecture and lab videos are available to help. The videos can be
assigned or simply made available to students in Connect.
Introduction to Business Analytics
Vernon J. Richardson & Marcia Weidenmier Watson
1st Edition
,TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................. 2
TO THE INSTRUCTOR ............................................. 4
Course Description ................................................ 5
A Note to Mac Users ............................................... 5
Loading Tableau Software ........................................... 6
Loading Power BI Software .......................................... 6
Proposed Assignment Schedule ....................................... 7
PRESENTATION SUGGESTIONS ..................................... 9
CHAPTER 1 .................................................... 9
Ask the Question: Using Business Analytics to Address Business
Questions .................................................... 9
CHAPTER 2 ................................................... 11
Obtain the Data: An Introduction to Business Data Sources ... 11
CHAPTER 3 – Analyze the Data: Basic Statistics and Tools
Required in Business Analytics .............................. 13
CHAPTER 4 ................................................... 15
Analyze the Data: Exploratory Business Analytics ............ 15
(Descriptive and Diagnostic Analytics) ...................... 15
CHAPTER 5 – Analyze the Data: Explanatory Business Analytics
(Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics) ..................... 17
CHAPTER 6 – Report the Results: Using Data Visualization .... 19
CHAPTER 7 – Marketing Analytics ............................. 21
CHAPTER 8 ................................................... 23
Accounting Analytics ........................................ 23
CHAPTER 9 ................................................... 25
Financial Analytics ......................................... 25
CHAPTER 10 .................................................. 27
Operations Analytics ........................................ 27
Brief Topical Outline ....................................... 27
CHAPTER 11 .................................................. 29
Advanced Analytics .......................................... 29
, CHAPTER 12 – Using the SOAR Model to Put it All Together: Three
Capstone Projects ........................................... 31
Discussion on Labs and Detailed Lab Breakdown ......................... 32
Detailed Lab Breakdown By Tool, Difficulty and Referent
Business Course ............................................. 33
Detailed Lab Breakdown By Tool, Difficulty and Referent
Business Course (cont.) ..................................... 34
Detailed Lab Breakdown By Tool, Difficulty and Referent
Business Course (cont.) ..................................... 35
, TO THE INSTRUCTOR
This guide includes suggested assignment schedules, topical outlines, chapter comments, and
suggested team exercises based on our experience teaching business analytics.
Assignment Suggestions. This textbook is written to help students develop business analytics
skills to gather and analyze data to address business questions. Consequently, we recommend
that assignments include the problems and labs which will help advance these skills and require
critical thinking. Instructors will teach this course differently; some choosing to only use the labs
or only include the text. Others may cover this textbook in eight weeks, instead of a fifteen-week
period. Please note the assignment suggestions in this guide assume the material will be
covered over a fifteen-week period.
Brief Topical Outlines. These outlines are designed to assist instructors in coordinating
classroom discussions with material covered in the textbook and the PowerPoints. The brief
topical outlines identify topics we believe are important to merit some classroom discussion.
The outlines also include references to illustrations in the textbook, PowerPoints, questions,
problems, and labs that may serve as useful supplements to your class presentations.
PowerPoints. The PowerPoints offer a summary of what is covered in the chapters. The topic
coverage is light so you can emphasize what you like. The PowerPoints also have progress
checks associated with each learning objective. Since the progress checks are meant to be
reflective, we do not offer suggested answers. Hopefully they will give you opportunities to
expand on the answer and generate class discussion.
Comments and Observations. You will probably find that our comments and observations
suggest coverage of more topics than your time will allow. These are an assortment of
comments we have collected over the years, so please feel free to borrow what appeals to you
and discard what does not.
Labs. At the end of each chapter, there are labs to provide students with practice performing
business analytics tools and techniques. The labs have two datasets, one with step-by-step
instructions (and video support in Connect) and a second (labeled the alt, or alternate lab),
without the step-by-step instructions allowing students to demonstrate what they’ve learned on
the first dataset.
Connect has multiple choice questions for both the first and alternate labs (datasets) that are
autogradable. These assessments allow the instructor to determine if the labs were performed
correctly. These multiple choice questions and answers are also available in the solutions
manual. Connect also requests that students upload one or two screenshots as described in the
lab. Please note that the screenshots are for instructor reference to dive deeper into a student’s
answer, and, therefore, are manually graded.
Data files for each lab are included with the lab assignment in Connect. They are also
accessible via the Additional Student Resource document found in the Connect Library. For
instructors not using Connect, the Word doc with links to the data can be distributed to students.
Videos. In today’s world, many students use visual learning tools, and many instructors teach
in hybrid and online formats. So, lecture and lab videos are available to help. The videos can be
assigned or simply made available to students in Connect.
