Psychology 100—Intro to Psychology (3 units)
Psychology 300 (01) 1722—Psychological Research and Statistical Methods I Laura Malakoff, Ph.D.
Spring 2011 e-mail: lauramalakoff@
Wednesday 4:00-5:50 in 2515 BT Office hrs: M/W 1:45-3:45
Section 1724 (01L) Wed 6:00-7:50 in BT1716 Office: 2152 Sage Hall
Section 1729 (02L) Wed 8:00-9:50 in BT1716
Polish Proverb: “To believe with certainty, we must begin by doubting.”
Overview
This is a required course for Psychology majors. The goal of this course is to provide you with a basic understanding of research methodology and a framework to evaluate social and behavioral science research. An additional goal is to expand and apply your understanding of basic biostatistical methods. Topics include: 1) how to apply the scientific method within the field of psychology and social sciences, ethical guidelines and issues related to the research in, and practice of, psychology; 2) how to evaluate research and popular claims in psychology with a critical eye; and 3) how statistical tools work, when they should be applied, and what types of information can be gained from their use in research. Applications will be stressed throughout the course. Lab assignments will provide you opportunities for practice of statistical techniques and experience with statistical software. Emphasis is on the fundamentals and assumptions, and less on calculations and mathematical theories.
Goals and Objectives for the Course
At the end of this semester, you will be able to:
• Articulate the basic tenets of the empirical method in psychology.
• Explain why psychology is a science.
• Read, understand and critically evaluate research reports published in psychological journals on the basis of its construct validity, internal validity, external validity, statistical validity, and conformity to APA’s ethical principles.
• Develop testable hypothesis derived from a theory.
• Identify which statistical analyses are appropriate for various research designs.
• Use statistical software (SPSS) to analyze data.
• Interpret and draw conclusions from descriptive and inferential statistical analyses.
• Apply the experimental method to answer questions about behavior through participation in laboratory exercises and experiments.
• Develop necessary skills for an efficient review of the psychological literature using a computerized index.
• Prepare written reports according to the stylistic conventions of the American Psychological Association.
Expectations
Successful performance in this class requires regular attendance and a personal effort on your part. In registering this course, you have contracted with me to attend class regularly and keep up with readings and assignments. If you are absent 3 times during the semester, you may be dropped from the course. Please arrive and leave class on time
Students are responsible for reading the text material assigned before the class meets. This course is 15 weeks in duration; therefore, we will move at a quick pace. Try not to fall behind in the reading and homework assignments. If you have difficulty during the course, please see me or email me as soon as possible.
Educational researchers believe that for every hour that a student is in class, a minimum of 2 hours should be allocated for studying outside the class. Many students find it helpful to form small “study groups” to review the material and I urge you to do this if you feel it would be useful.
Drop Deadline
If you find it necessary to drop the course, you are expected to complete all appropriate paperwork with the Admission & Records Office by the drop deadline.
Texts and Materials
Jackson, S.L. (2006). Research methods and statistics: A critical thinking approach (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson/Wadsworth. (ISBN 978-0-495-51001-7) Yes, you need the newest edition.
Stanovich, K.E. (2010). How to think straight about psychology (9th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. 978-0205685905 or 978-0205685900 You can use an older edition if you like.
Stern, L. (2010). A visual approach to SPSS for Windows: A guide to SPSS 17.0 (2nd ed.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 0205706053
(These three texts are required for both Psych 300 and 301.)
You will need a calculator with a square root on it (a cell phone is unacceptable), a thumb drive, and 2 Scan-Tron answer sheets (Form #882). Bring the answer sheet, a blue book, and a #2 pencil to both tests. If you do not have these materials when quizzes are given, you will not receive credit for the test.
Course Requirements: Your final grade is based on the following:
• Midterm: 50 points
• Final: 50 points
• Lab Assignments: There are 7 assignments. (each assignment worth 10 pts for a total of 70 pts)
• Research Report and Presentation: 50 points
o Questions for the survey handed in on time; evidence of understanding correlations 5 pts
o Oral presentation using PowerPoint 15 pts (Students who do not present, but hand in a PowerPoint presentation, maximum is 2 pts)
o Paper in APA style with appropriate statistical analysis 30 pts
• Quizzes: There are 5 short quizzes (5 points each). The best 4 will count. Participation in research projects can substitute for one quiz. Extra credit can bring up total. There are NO make-ups. 20 pts
• Attendance: 10 pts
Total: 250 points
Grading Standards Final grades will be assigned based on:
• 97 -100 A+
• 93 - 96 A
• 90 - 92 A-
• 87 – 89 B+
• 83 – 86 B
• 80 – 82 B-
• 77 –79 C+
• 73 –76 C
• 70 –72 C-
• 67 – 69 D+
• 63 – 66 D
• 60 – 62 D-
• 0 – 59 F
I rarely adjust this standard at the end of the course, but I may depending on the distribution of scores. In order to take Psych 301, students need to earn a C or better in Psych 300.
Course Website In addition to the text, the publisher maintains a web site that contains very helpful material pertaining to the course. The URL is Contained in the publisher’s web site are various activities and resources. I encourage you to take the practice quizzes on the publisher web site.
Accommodations
Students who have disabilities or special needs and require accommodations in order to have equal access to classrooms must register with the designated staff member in Student Affairs in order for us to better accommodate special needs. Students will be required to provide documentation of a disability when accommodations are requested.
COURSE SCHEDULE: Psych 300
|Wed | |Readings |
|January |What is science? | |
|26 |Lab #1 handed out | |
|February |What is science?/Getting started |Jackson: Chapter 1-2 |
|2 |Lab #1 due, Lab #2 handed out: Library Resources | |
|Feb |Getting started: Ideas, Resources, and Ethics |Stan: Chapter 1-3 |
|9 |Lab 2 due/ watch DVD/begin SPSS/depression scale | |
|Feb |Defining, Measuring, and Manipulating Variables |Jackson: Chapter 3 |
|16 |Short Quiz 1: IV and DV | |
| |Beginning SPSS/Research topics for semester project/APA style title page | |
|Feb |Defining, Measuring, and Manipulating Variables/Descriptive Methods |Jackson: Chapter 4 |
|23 |Short Quiz 2: Defining variables | |
| |Lab #3 handed out | |
|March |Descriptive Methods |Stan: Chapter 4 |
|2 |Lab #3 due; Review for Midterm | |
|March |Midterm (Jackson: Ch 1-4 and Stan: Ch 1-4) | |
|9 |Lab #4 handed out | |
|March |Data Organization and Descriptive Statistics |Jackson: Chapter 5 |
|16 | | |
|March 23 |Spring Break | |
|March |Data Organization and Descriptive Statistics/ |Jackson: Chapter 6 |
|30 |Correlational Methods and Statistics | |
| |Short Quiz 3: > or < .05? standard deviation | |
| |Lab #4 due; Lab #5 handed out Work on research projects and email of | |
| |questions/methods section | |
|April |Correlational Methods and Statistics |Stan Chapter 5 |
|6 |Short Quiz 4: Know your Greek letters | |
| |Work on research projects | |
|April |Hypothesis Testing and Inferential Statistics |Jackson: Chapter 7 |
|13 |Short Quiz 5: Correlation or Experiment? | |
| |Lab #5 due; Lab #6 handed out Work on research projects | |
|April 20 |Inferential Statistics |Jackson: Chapter 9 |
|April |Inferential Statistics |Stan: Chapter 6 |
|27 |Lab #6 due, Lab #7 handed out | |
| |Prepare PowerPoint Presentations | |
|May |Inferential Statistics: Two-Group Designs |Jackson: Chapter 14 |
|4 |APA style | |
| |Extra credit presentations | |
| |Sign up for lab final time | |
|May |Student Presentations | |
|11 |Lab #7 due; Review for Final | |
|May |Final (4-6) (Jack Ch. 5-7, 9, 14, Stan Ch. 5-6) | |
|18 |Lab portion of final during lab/ Research Report Due | |
This schedule is subject to change.
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