Research Design & Statistics (PSYC 5320-162) Fall 2012

1. Understood the principles and logic in conducting psychological research
2. Understood the mechanics of generating research questions.
3. Understood the mechanics of generating theoretically sound research ideas.
4. Written progressively complete research reports in APA style.
5. Understood how to critically  read and interpret the methods and results section of scientific research article.

General Expectations:
(1). The student will be able to understand most concepts in design and statistical research
(2). The student will be able to conduct statistical analysis of selected data and be able to correctly report what the analysis indicates.
(3). The student will be able to formulate a coherent thesis proposal which is amenable to scientific and statistical scrutiny.
(4).The student will be able to write an appropriate results section of a report which summarizes statistical results.

Evaluation:
1). There will be two Midterms and a Final each worth 50 points consisting of short answers and essay questions. Each of the two exams will cover only the material since the last exam (except to the extent that the previous material is necessary for understanding the new). The final Examination will be comprehensive.

(2). Class will consist of a mixture of lecture, discussion, and in class activities using SPSS. Active class discussions is required. The purpose of these sections is to allow a more in-depth discussion of the issues discussed in lectures and readings, particularly discussions of the ways in which these issues apply to your particular discipline and research interests. You will be much more prepared for lively discussion during the classroom time if you have read the assigned material prior to the time in which it will be addressed in class.
     Journal Article Assignment: Students will choose two published researchs articles from the field of Psychology to critically evaluate and review during class discussions.

(3) Attendance: Attendance is not only mandatory, but crucial for this course to function well. You will be allowed 1 absence for emergencies, and you should provide adequate notice or documentation of these. Failure to provide notice or documentation, or having more than 1 absence will result in heavy penalties (i.e. dropping a whole letter grade or two).

(4). Scholarly Written Assignment: (Option 1) Research Proposal--Awritten research proposal (15-20 double-spaced pages) worth 50 points with at least 15 references is due December 3. Psychology Today and internet articles are not valid references. The emphasis on the proposal will be on your ability to write well (i.e., APA style, 6th ed.), to integrate the existing literature, and your ability to reason scientifically and propose a novel study. This paper will be an independent project (e.g., a systematic observation, an experiment, a replication of an existing study, or a survey) related to your field of interest (e.g., Counseling, Clinical, Cognitive, or Developmental Psychology). An academic presentation (15-20 minutes) will accompany this proposal. It is highly recommended to explore OpenSesame, an Open Source/Free Software Psychology Experimental Program to design questionnaires, and Psychological Experiments, available for all computer platforms. Proposals including a workable script will automatically receive 25 points. (Option 2) Theoretical/Empirical Critical Review of Psychological Issue--Similar requirements as of Option 1, however,  this option requires that the student presents at the TAMU  Pathways  2012 Student Research Symposium. If you choose this option, you need to register for the conference.  The Graduate Student Office will cover  transportation, meals and fees. (Option 3) Complete/Submit  a Grant Proposal--Student choosing this option is expected to apply in bona fide to a granting Federal, State or Private organization such as the American Psychological Association or NSF. A presentation is required for this option as well.

How to write a proposal? It is highly recommended that you consult, Cone, J.D., & Foster, S. L. (1999). Dissertations and theses from start to finish: Psychology and related  fields. Washington, DC: APA. Writing well is a skill requiring practice, motivation and a lot of EDITING. If you need assistance with your writing, please visit the Enrichment Center where you can be helped.

(5). All assignments and requirements  must be completed by the start of the final exam to pass the course.

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

2 Examinations + Final :                                                @ 100 + 50 points= 150 points
Participation & Attendance                                            @ 50 + 50 points = 100 points
1 Research Report + Presentation                                   @ 50 + 50 points = 100 points

Total possible points:   350 pts.
   A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, Unsatisfactory = 79% and below

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES:

NOTE: The above schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.

MATERIALS  (WORD NORMS) FOR LANGUAGE/MEMORY STUDIES:

Word Frequency, Imagery and Concreteness Ratings: http://www.math.yorku.ca/SCS/Online/paivio/
The English Lexicon Project:  http://elexicon.wustl.edu/
Nonword Database:  http://www.maccs.mq.edu.au/~nwdb/
University of South Florida Word Association Database: http://www.usf.edu/FreeAssociation/

For Information on Other Databases, See Materials for Cognitive Scientists:

Related websites of interest to the student:
Links to Information on APA Publication Style: http://www.tiac.net/users/fscpac1/apa.htm
Tips on how to take Multiple Choice Exams: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~haw4/test.html
Writing Workshop: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~writcnt/
Psychology with Style: http://www.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/apa4.htm
APA Style Resources: http://www.psych-web.com/resource/apacrib.htm
Computer Statistical programs info : http://kom.net/~dbrick/newspage/comp.soft-sys.html
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) info: http://www.spss.com/Support/Articles.html
General Statistics (Unix Stats) for ANOVA and more: http://ergo.ucsd.edu/unixstats/
You can obtain this program free from http://www.acm.org/~perlman/statinfo.html at your own risk.
This is a full blown program that you can use with DOS.
Manuals and examples are provided in this site
Statistics on the web: http://www.execpc.com/~helberg/statistics.html
http://www.psychologie.uni-trier.de:8000/projects/gpower.html
Also, you can obtain a Spreadsheet (like Excel) completely Free: http://www.openoffice.org/

TO REVIEW SOME OF THE BASICS IN STATISTICS, PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING SITES:

http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/
http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/alphabet.html
http://www.uvm.edu/%7Edhowell/StatPages/Fundamentals/Glossary.html
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/statglos/statglos.htm
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/ascodesc/statdesc.htm
http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/stathome.html

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