PSYC205:   Applied Psychological Statistics

MW 12:20-1:10 Robinson 407

F 12:20 – 1:10 PM Raub 106

Instructor:  Dr. Susan Boland

Office:  Robinson 320B, 484-2239

E-mail:  sboland@lhup.edu; webpage:  www.lhup.edu/sboland

Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 9:00-11:00 AM, Wed 2:30-4:00 PM and by appointment

 TEXTS

Required:  Aron, A., Aron, E.A., & Coups, E. J. (2008).  Statistics for the Behavioral and Social Sciences:  A Brief Course, 4^th Ed., Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. (One copy on reserve in library.)

Required:  George, D., & Mallery, P. (2009).  SPSS for Windows: Step by Step, 9^th Ed., Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.  (One copy on reserve in library.)

Recommended:  Aron, A., Aron, E.A., & Coups, E. J. (2008).  Study Guide and Computer Workbook. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. (Copy of chapter self-tests on reserve in library.)

Recommended: SPSS Student Version

Other required supplies:  A hand-held calculator with at least addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and square root functions is needed.  In addition some form of computer storage, e.g., thumb or memory stick, is needed for use in the computer lab.  You will also need an LHUP computer account.

Course Objectives:  The goal of this course is to teach descriptive and inferential statistics.  The course will stress conceptual understanding of basic statistics, but students will also learn how to compute statistics.  The application and interpretation of statistics will be taught through the use of SPSS computer software using realistic data.  Students will also write about the results of statistical analyses using APA style.

Class Preparation:  Students should come to class prepared by reading the assigned material beforehand.  Assigned problems should be worked by the next scheduled class session.  Although not all homework problems and assignments will not be collected, similar problems and assignments will be included on exams.  Class will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays for lecture, Friday for computer lab.

Computer Labs:  Class will meet on Fridays in Raub 106 computer lab.  The basics of using the computer software package, SPSS will be covered, and students will work on the assigned computer assignments.  These times are primarily for computer work, but time may also be spent reviewing problem assignments, and doing various exercises.  Quizzes on assigned computational problems assigned from the text will also be given during this period.

Attendance: "Eighty percent of success is showing up."  (Woody Allen)

 Although attendance is not required; students are encouraged to attend all class and computer labs meetings, as material covered in both will appear on quizzes, exams and assignments.

• Regular class attendance is important because some material may be covered in lecture that is not in the text. Attending lecture and participating in class activities should also increase your understanding of textbook material.  If you miss a lecture you should ask one of your classmates if you can borrow notes for

the day.  Ask me for any handouts you may have missed. If there are concepts from the notes that are not clear to you or you have questions about, please come see me during office hours or set up an appointment.

Evaluation: 

Your final grades will be based on your performance on exams, quizzes and computer assignments. 

Exams:  There will be five exams during the semester (most exams will be worth 100 points). The final exam will be comprehensive test and may be worth more than 100 points) Exams will consist of a combination of multiple-choice questions, and exercises based on interpretation of statistics in published articles and computer analyses.  That is, exams will concentrate on conceptual knowledge of text and lecture material, exercises on interpreting results sections in published research, and interpretation of printouts from SPSS computer analyses similar to those in the computer assignments.   Quizzes will focus on computational problems.

Makeup Exams: Missing an exam is strongly discouraged and should be avoided if at all possible, but if a student's absence is unavoidable, a makeup exam will be given.  Makeup exams may be more difficult and may be in a different format than regularly scheduled exams.

The instructor is the final judge of what constitutes an acceptable excuse.  It is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor and arranges to make up the missed exam within two working days of the missed exam.

What if I miss an exam?  (Makeup exams)

·         If you know in advance about an unchangeable event (e.g., sporting event, field trip) that conflicts with a test day, discuss the conflict with me at least 1 week before the exam.  By following this procedure you will be given a make-up exam near the original test day.

·         If an unforeseeable event (e.g., serious illness, family emergency) causes you to miss an exam, bring me written documentation that verifies your excuse (e.g., a doctor’s note that you should be excused from class).  By following this procedure, you will be given a make up exam near the original exam day.

·         If you miss an exam for a poor reason, you may make up the exam during the final exam period, with an automatic point reduction of 10% points.  Poor reasons include questionable and easily faked excuses (e.g., “My alarm didn’t go off”) or unverified reason (e.g., “I was sick but didn’t go to the infirmary”) and/or do not talk to me before missing an exam.  You can make up ONE exam during the final exam period.

Quizzes:  There will be five quizzes testing computational skills.  The quizzes may vary in worth from 15-25 points.  Completing problem assignments from the Aron, Aron and Coups text should be sufficient preparation for a quiz.  Formulas will be supplied.  Use of calculators is allowed.  (If a quiz is missed, it

can be made up during the final exam period. Students may also retake a quiz to replace a low quiz grade during the final exam period.  Students are allowed to make up ONE quiz only. It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor of what quiz they will be making up.   Make-up quizzes will be based on the same material as regular quizzes, but will not be identical.)

Quizzes will be given at the beginning of computer lab sessions on Fridays as indicated on the course schedule.  (There is the possibility that quizzes will instead be given on exam days if that appears to be a more efficient use of class time.  This change will be made in consultation with class members.)

Computer Assignments:  Four computer assignments will be assigned.  For each project will require data analysis using SPSS.  In addition to completing the analysis, a written report interpreting the results using APA style is required.  The data and specific questions about the analysis and interpretation will be distributed for each assignment.  Each project is worth 50 points.  Late assignments will receive point reductions 2 points for each day overdue.  For example, if an assignment is due on Friday, but turned in late the following Monday, it will result in a 6 point reduction.

Grading:  Grades will be based on the percentage of points earned on the 5 exams, 5 quizzes and 4 computer assignments. Students can also earn a few extra credit points.

Psychology majors need to earn a minimum grade of C- or better in this course to enroll in PSYC409, Experimental Psychology.   BS psychology majors are required to earn a minimum of B-.

 LHU does not recognize the grades of A+ or D-.  “E” (as in “Egad, that's bad) is a failing grade.

Posting grades

·       Periodically I will post student grades on exams and case studies on the bulletin board outside my  office (Robinson 320B)

·       The grades will be posted using students’ LHU ID numbers.

·       If you do not want your grades posted, please let me know.

·       You can change your mind at any time during the semester about having your grades posted, but it is your responsibility to inform me of the change.

Extra Credit:

You may earn up to six extra credit points by participating as a subject in two research projects being conducted by Psychology faculty or students.  I will let you know when these projects are being conducted.  You will receive three points for each research project in which you participate.   If you object on moral or ethical grounds to being a research participant, please see me, and I will provide you with an alternative extra credit exercise.

Cheating:  Acts of academic dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and may result in a failing grade.

Student Support Services

Students with disabilities are encouraged to discuss requests for reasonable accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester.  In order for accommodations to be provided, your disability must be verified by Dr. Reynol Junco, Director, Disability Services, 104 Russell Hall, 484-2926, rjunco@lhup.edu

See their website for more information - http://www.lhup.edu/disability-services/

Tentative Course Calendar

Unforeseen developments may cause a change in the course calendar and grading points.  I will inform you of any changes in class and/or via LHUP e-mail. Quizzes will be given during computer lab sessions, but will cover problems assigned from AAC and any additional problems I assign.  

AAC= Aron, Aron and Coups text: Statistics for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

SPSS = SPSS for Windows: Step by Step

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

Here is a list of some behaviors that are appropriate and inappropriate for the classroom.  In general, behaviors that show respect for and consideration of the instructor and fellow students are appropriate.  Behaviors that show disrespect and a lack of consideration are inappropriate.