Course Description:
Introduces practical knowledge of statistical reasoning, from descriptive statistics such as histograms, measures of central tendency, variability, and correlation, to inferential statistics including, probability theory, hypothesis testing, effect size, t-tests, analysis of variance, regression, and chi square, which are essential for understanding scientific reports in the field of psychology and other behavioral  and applied sciences. Students enrolled in this class must obtain a "C" or better to enroll in PSYC 3302. Prerequisite: PSYC 2301 or permission of instructor.

In this Course You Should Gain the Following:
1. Ability to understand and explain to others the statistical analysis in reports of social and behavioral science research journals.
2. The ability to identify the appropriate statistical procedures for basic quantitative research, and to carry out the necessary computations.
3. The ability to apply and utilize statistical concepts in designing, executing, and interpreting psychological experimental research.
4. Further development of your quantitative and analytic thinking skills.
5. A preparation for more advanced courses in statistical and research methods (or experimental psychology).

Methods of Learning:
1. Reading the assigned material, which includes following the numeric examples closely and writing down questions about anything not entirely clear to you.
2. Reading statistics requires close study and rereading, not just reading through once as you might an ordinary book.
3. Testing your knowledge and reviewing each lecture using your Study guide and computer workbook, and visiting the book's Official Web Page for learning aids, such as study guides and summaries for each chapter and pretest quizes.
4. Completing the assigned practice problems (and turning them in on time). Statistics is a skill--it is necessary to DO statistics, not just read and understand!
5. Attending lectures, listening closely, asking questions. DO NOT fall behind!
6. Studying for, taking, and reviewing answers for exams.
7. Improving your understanding of statistics by using statistical software such as SPSS (available at the computer labs), or software that is completely Free/Open Source such as OpenStat, & Gnumeric. You can also take advantage of your FREEDOM and choose among other statistical programs available here.

Required Texts:
Aron, A., Aron, E. N., & Coups, E. J. (2008). Statistics for the behavioral and social sciences: A brief course (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Aron, A., Aron, E. N., & Coups, E. J. (2005). Study guide and computer workbook (3^rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Huff, D. (1993). How to lie with statistics. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company Inc.

Calculator: Inexpensive Calculator with X² (2² = 4) and SQR-Root Number Capabilities. You must have your own calculator!
 
Classroom Behavior:
The College of Arts and Sciences encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The College will always tolerate diverse, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include being involuntarily withdrawn from the class (Important: Schedule and procedures are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances).
 
Warning Concerning Copyright Restrictions:
The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment.

Copyright laws do allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials under strict conditions.  You may not copy most, much less all, of a work, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such an article from a journal or a chapter from a book.  These copies must be for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use.  In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials.  And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit.  Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are both violating the law.

Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as one’s own. Recently, the Internet has complicated the picture. Getting (i.e., Purchasing) something from the Internet and presenting it as one’s own is still plagiarism. Copying another student’s paper or a portion of the paper - is usually called copying. Neither plagiarism nor copying will be tolerated. Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the students will receive a grade of ‘F’ in that course and the matter will be referred to Associate Vice President for Student Affairs for possible disciplinary action.

Integrity and Honor:
All work you turn in is to be your own original work. You may not turn in another person's work as yours. You may not receive assistance during the test from another person, nor from any information of materials unless authorized by the professor.

Students with Disabilities:
Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to register with the Disabilities Services Coordinator and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations.

Incompletes:
Incompletes are discouraged and are assigned only under extenuating circumstances. To qualify for an incomplete, the student must be passing the course and have completed 85-90% of the time the incomplete is approved. In fairness to those students who complete the course as scheduled, under no circumstances will an Incomplete (I) be changed to an A unless the student has experienced a death in the immediate family or has a written medical excuse from a physician.

Independent Study Courses:
Independent Study (IS) courses are offered only under exceptional circumstances. The chair of the department is to determine whether the IS will be offered on the basis of the student's and the University's needs, as certified by the University Registrar. No student will take more than one IS course per semester. Moreover, IS courses are limited to seniors and graduate students. Summer IS course must continue through both summer sessions.

Student Responsibility for Dropping a Course:
It is the responsibility of the STUDENT to drop the course before the drop date. Faculty are not responsible for dropping students who suspend class attendance.

Student E-mail Address:
All students must obtain a TAMIU E-mail address.

About exams:
1. Each of the four exams will cover only the material since the last exam (except to the extent that the previous material is necessary for understanding the new). However, your grade will be computed from the best three exams and the final exam. In other words, You get to exclude the lowest examination, but NOT the final.
2. Exams will be multiple choice and short answer essays requiring conceptual understanding of statistical principles required in experimental research (Note: this evaluation measurement is linked to course objectives two, three, and five).
3. The final Examination is comprehensive.

Make-ups:
Since you have the opportunity to exclude the lowest exam grade, make-ups are not allowed.

About important issues related to class, and assignments:
1. Class starts on time.
2. Cellular phones should be turned off. Students will be asked to leave classroom if phones ring during lecture.
3. All assignments and requirements must be completed by the start of the final exam to pass the course.
4. To better appreciate and learn the methods of psychology, you are required to participate in 1 on-going psychological experiment. Students with learning, visual, or hearing disabilities are exempt from this requirement. This exemption also applies to participants that may not meet the specific requirements of the particular experiment or study. As an alternative, if you do not wish to participate in psychological experiments, you can write two 4-5 paged review of a journal article. Please discuss this possibility with your professor.

Extra-Credit:
You can earn extra points by participating in ongoing research projects, provided that you meet the requirements of the particular experiment. These requirements are determined by the investigator of the particular study. After you complete the required experiment (1 hour), you will earn 2 extra points for every additional hour (up to 3 hours) that you participate.

Summary:
Points will accumulate over the semester such that there will be:

Total possible points: 215 pts.
A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F =59% and below

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: