Course Syllabus

Dr. Deborah A. Foss                                                                        TR 5:00-6:25

Fall 2012                                                                                          Bowman 211

PSYC291 – Psychological Research & Statistics II

 Text and Course Materials:

     Jackson, S. L. (2012).  Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach (4^th ed.).  Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. (required)

     Stern, L. D. (2010).  A Visual Approach to SPSS for Windows. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon (required)

     American Psychological Association (2010).  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6^th ed.).  Washington, DC: APA.  (recommended)

     You are also responsible for all materials distributed in class and material on the Canvas Learning Management course site.  All electronic communication must make use of the MCLA First Class or Canvas systems.

      A calculator with standard arithmetic functions (add, subtract, multiply, and divide), exponential functions, and a square root function is required.  A graphing calculator is not required nor is it recommended.

 Office Information:

            Office:             Center for Student Success and Engagement, top floor Eldridge

            Phone:             662-5400; 662-5461

            Office hours:   Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-4:50, 6:30-7:30 (by appointment)

            e-mail:             Deborah.Foss@mcla.edu 

 Course Description:

A continuation of PSYC290 (Psychological Research & Statistics I), integrating methodology and data analysis in psychological research.  Mastery of course material will be demonstrated by a completed research project.  Prerequisite:  PSYC290

Objectives of PSYC291:

The most important objectives that I expect to achieve with my teaching (and hence expect you to achieve in your learning) are as follows:

     Gaining factual knowledge (terminology, classifications, methods, trends) of the role of research and statistical methods in psychology;

     Developing specific skills, competencies, and points of view needed by researchers and consumers of psychological research;

     Learning how professionals in the field of psychology go about the process of gaining new knowledge, using context as a medium of understanding;

     Developing skills in data analysis, interpretation and written expression.

Course Requirements:

Exams:  There will be two exams during the course, each one covering approximately one-half of the course material.  Exams will not be cumulative chapter-wise, but will require cumulative learning on your part (i.e., you STILL have to remember concepts like mean and standard deviation!)  Exam dates are on the course schedule.

Content of Exams:  Exams will contain multiple choice items, short answers, conceptual problems and data interpretation.  The focus will be more on concepts compared to formulas.  All questions will be taken from lecture, text and other materials, especially where these overlap.  Unless otherwise noted, however, you are responsible for all assigned material.  You will not have to memorize formulas for the exams.

Written Lab Assignments and Worksheets:          In addition to the two exams you will have multiple computer/writing assignments/worksheets during the semester.  The intent of these is to check on your understanding of conceptual, computer, data analysis/interpretation, and writing skills (using APA style).  The latter will ultimately be the equivalent of the Results and Discussion sections in a journal article.  You may not work with other students on these assignments, either by direct copying, consultation, or anything in between the two.  Failure to follow this policy will result in your receiving an F for this portion of the course.  Assignments are due on the day, time, and place announced in class.  I reserve the right to impose severe penalties (including not accepting) any assignment not turned in on time. 

There will be times during the semester that we will make use of the SPSS software to enter and analyze data using SPSS.  You may access SPSS in the Social and Behavioral Sciences lab (Bowman 312).  The output from these labs will provide the basis for several of the writing assignments noted above.  The computer work will be done during or outside of regular class meetings with appropriate support from me as needed.  It is assumed that once we do the first SPSS assignment together, you will be familiar enough with SPSS to do the labs on your own. 

Research Project and Paper:  You will be responsible for undertaking a semester long project that will culminate in an APA-style research proposal.  You will conduct a literature review, propose a hypothesis (hypotheses) for your study, develop a methodology, and project anticipated results, interpretation, and appropriate conclusion(s). Please note that this does not involve the collection of data.  There will be several deadlines for components of the paper with the final written paper due on Thursday December 13^th.

To keep you on task, you will be required to keep a log/journal of your ongoing work on this project through Canvas.  You will be asked to document what work you have done at various points during the semester.  I will also give you specific assignments for updates and drafts of portions of the final paper.  You will participate in peer review for the purpose of giving and receiving constructive feedback from your student colleagues on these drafts.  All drafts will also be submitted to me for review.  Deadlines for submitting drafts to your peers and to me will be set as we work through the course material.  I expect that you will meet deadlines with peers in the same manner that you meet deadlines with me.  ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES, NOT JUST THE FINAL PAPER, CONTRIBUTE TO THE GRADE FOR THIS REQUIREMENT.

Grades:   Exams are worth 100 points each and will comprise 40% of your final grade (20% for each exam).  Computer lab work, worksheets and written lab assignments contribute 30% toward your final grade.  The research project and paper comprise the remaining 30%(includes semester-long documented log/journal work, drafts, and the final paper).     

Final grades will be determined according to the following scale with plus and minus grades assigned to borderline course averages:

                  90 - 100% of all points earned  ~  A

                  80 -   89% of all points earned  ~  B

                  70 -   79% of all points earned  ~  C

                  60 -   69% of all points earned  ~  D

Class Attendance and Participation:  You will learn the most and consequently achieve the highest grade of which you are capable if you consistently attend class and be an active participant.  Toward this end, the following attendance policy will be in effect this semester:  each student is allowed, no questions asked, two absences from class.  For each absence over this one, five points will be deducted from your total exam score.  There will be absolutely no exceptions to this policy.  As an incentive, those students having perfect attendance will earn bonus points applied to their exam score total.

ABSENCE/MAKE-UP POLICY:  Mandatory work done in class, exams and worksheet/lab assignments may be made up if and only if I am notified via e-mail (Deborah.Foss@mcla.edu or via Canvas) BEFORE the scheduled class/exam or assignment due date.  You must present (in writing) a valid reason for the absence/lateness of assignment and provide documentation if requested.  The definition of valid is left to the instructor’s discretion.  An arrangement must be made to make up the work prior to the next regular class meeting or in an otherwise timely fashion. 

 

Laptop/Cell phone Policy:  While you are not required to do so, you are welcome to bring laptops to class.  My expectation is that you would use them to assist you in the course and not in ways that would be distracting to you or others (e.g., checking email, chatting with friends, watching the latest You Tube video, etc.).  Likewise, I understand the need to have your cell phones available to take emergency calls.  I would ask that you set the ringer to vibrate and if you must take an important call you leave the classroom.

Academic Honesty:  Students are responsible for informing themselves about the standards of academic honesty before performing any academic work.  You can find these standards at http://www.mcla.edu/Undergraduate/currentcatalog/academic_info_and_policies.pdf. All coursework, including exams, turned in for credit will be assumed to be the student’s own independent work (e.g., no cheating or copying). Your minimum penalty for being found guilty of academic dishonesty in this course will be a grade of 0 on the exam or Lab section; further penalties may include an F in the course, a note on your transcript, or expulsion. 

Students With Disabilities:  Based on documentation of their disability, students may request reasonable accommodations for classes. Students are encouraged to meet with the Coordinator of Academic Support in CSSE to clarify reasonable accommodations and to receive feedback on how to advocate for their needs with their instructors. The Coordinator, Edith Pye, may be reached at 662-5318, or e.pye@mcla.edu.

Syllabus:  The syllabus below will serve as our topic and reading guideline for the course.  For your own benefit, it is strongly suggested that you read the material before we cover that topic in class.  As appropriate, exercises at the end of each chapter should be completed as we work our way through that chapter.