PSY 3400-001: Statistics

MWF 9:00 – 9:50 pm (lecture) BA 056

T 3:30 – 5:20 or W 5:30 – 7:20 (lab)

Instructor: Ingrid (Bayer) Weigold, M.A.Phone: 742-3711 ext. 403

Office: Psychology Building room 404 E-mail:

Office hours: Wednesdays 10-12 and by appointment

Course Objectives: This course will provide an introduction to (1) understanding the statistical methods used in psychology research, (2) computing these statistics by hand, and (3) using the SPSS computer program to compute these statistics.

Required text: Aron, A., & Aron, E. N. (2003). Statistics for psychology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. ISBN: 0-13-035810-X.

Optional text: Nolan, S. A. (2005). Study guide and computer workbook. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. ISBN: 0-13-151931-X. (This is the companion to Aron and Aron’s Statistics for psychology and is highly recommended!)

Grading: Homework = 130 pointsFinal Grade: 840 – 752 (100% - 89.5%) = A

Lab = 210 points 751 – 668 (89.4% - 79.5%) = B

Exams = 400 points 667 – 584 (79.4% - 69.5%) = C

Final = 100 points 583 – 500 (69.4% - 59.5%) = D Total = 840 points 499 – 0 (59.4% - 0%) = F

Attendance: Attendance is not mandatory. However, the course is structured so that good attendance will be reflected in better grades.

Homework: During the semester, you will receive 13 homework assignments to complete. These assignments will be based on the course material being covered and are given to aid students in applying the material. Students can earn up to 10 points per homework assignment, for a total of 130 points. Homework assignments will be given during the lab and are due the following week at lab (no homework assignment is given in Week 16). Homework assignments that are not turned in on time will lose two points per assignment per day they are late, unless documentation of an emergency for the day the homework is to be turned in, as well as any subsequent days that the homework is not turned in, is given to the instructor.

Lab: The lab is designed to familiarize students with a commonly used computer program (SPSS) for computing statistics. Labs will consist of a short lecture on using SPSS, followed by an assignment to be completed on the computer. The assignments are designed so that most students will be able to complete them during the lab period; however, the assignments will be due at the beginning of the lab period the following week (except for the assignment given in Week 16; that one is due on Monday, May 1st, at class time). There will be 14 total lab assignments, each worth 15 points. Lab assignments that are not turned in on time will lose two points per assignment per day they are late, unless documentation of an emergency for the day the lab assignment is to be turned in, as well as any subsequent days that the lab assignment is not turned in, is given to the instructor.

It is expected that students will stay at lab to work on the lab assignments or statistics homework (this is also beneficial, as the instructor will spend much of lab answering questions and helping students). If it appears to the instructor that students do not take advantage of the lab time, the instructor reserves the right to change the lab assignment due dates to the end of the lab period in which they are assigned.

Exams: There will be five exams total, four during the semester and one final. Exams will be worth 100 points each and will consist of multiple choice questions, questions requiring students to compute statistics by hand, questions about hypothetical statistical situations, and interpretation of SPSS output (similar to those questions and interpretation completed in homework and lab assignments). Items are from lectures, lab, and the required reading text. The four semester exams are not cumulative; they only cover the material for the current section of the course. The final exam is cumulative and will be based on the ability to recognize when and how to apply statistics that were learned in the class, as well as lectures, lab, and required reading since the last semester exam. For all exams, you will be allowed to use a copy of the inside front cover and first page of the text, which gives formulas that will be used in the class (in other words, you don’t have to memorize any formulas). No other notes will be allowed. Make-up exams consist of questions that are similar to those given in the in-class exams. Make-up exams will not be given except for emergencies. Proper documentation of the emergency will be required.

Quizzes: A quiz will be given every Friday at the beginning of class (beginning January 21st, 2005); these quizzes are designed to be the “extra credit” portion of the course and aid students in familiarizing themselves with the material. Each quiz will cover material from the previous week and are worth up to 10 points each. Grades on quizzes will not hurt your overall grade; they can only help the your grade. For each quiz, a score of 8-10 will result in you earning three “free” points toward the next test; a score of 5-7 will result in you earning two “free” points, a score of 3-4 will result in you earning one “free” point, and a score of 0-2 does not result in any points. The quiz points can only be applied to one test, which is the upcoming test. There will be only one quiz before the final; however, there will be 10 points worth of extra credit available on the final. Missed quizzes must be made up before the test to which they apply, and will not be given except for emergencies. Proper documentation of the emergency will be required.

Special Need Policy: Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary accommodations. Students should present appropriate verification from Disables Student Services, Dean of Students Office. No requirement exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved University procedure.

Academic Dishonesty Policy: Academic dishonesty (e.g., cheating, plagiarism) is wrong and will not be tolerated. The instructor will strictly follow university policy of academic honesty. Be familiar with the section in the Student Handbook on academic dishonesty. It is not the instructor’s responsibility to educate students as to what constitutes academic dishonesty.

Respect Policy: Respect for the instructor and other students is required at all times. This includes (but is not limited to) things such as staying awake in class, not making fun of other students’ comments, etc.

Instructor’s Policy: You are responsible for everything that happens in class and lab, as well as all reading assignments, homeworks, lab assignments, exams, and quizzes. For example, if you miss a day of class, it is your responsibility to get notes from someone else in class and find out what activities or assignments, if any, took place. If you miss an exam, it is your responsibility to provide proper documentation to the instructor and contact her to schedule a make-up exam ASAP. If you turn in anything outside of class (e.g., my mailbox, etc.), it is your responsibility to make sure it is turned in at the proper place and gets to me.

*Calendar of Scheduled Events
Week / Class / Lab / Readings
1: Jan. 12-14 / W: Introduction
F: Frequencies / No lab this week / Ch. 1
2: Jan. 17-21 / M: No class
W: Frequencies
F: Central tendency / Introduction to Lab
Meet in BA 166 / W: Ch. 1
F: Ch. 2
3: Jan. 24-28 / M: Variance/SD
W: Z-scores
F: Correlation / Meet in PC1 in the ATLC (library basement) / M & W: Ch. 2
F: Ch. 3
4: Jan. 31 – Feb. 4 / M: Correlation
W: Prediction w/Z
F: Review / Meet in PC1 / M: Ch. 3
W: Ch. 4, 113-119
5: Feb. 7-11 / M: Exam 1
W: Regression
F: Regression / Meet in PC1 / Ch. 4
6: Feb. 14-18 / M: Normal Dist.
W: Probability, Pop.
F: Hypothesis Test / Meet in PC1 / M & W: Ch. 5
F: Ch. 6
7: Feb. 21-25 / M: Hypothesis Test
W: Dist. of Means
F: Confidence Int. / Meet in PC1 / M: Ch. 6
W & F: Ch. 7
8: Feb. 28 – Mar. 4 / M: Error
W: Power
F: Review / Meet in PC1 / Ch. 8
Week
/

Class

/
Lab
/
Readings
9: Mar. 7-11 / M: Exam 2
W: t Test—Single S
F: t Test—Depend. / Meet in PC1 / Ch. 9
10: Mar. 14-18 / Spring Break / Spring Break / Spring Break
11: Mar. 21-25 / M: t Test—Indep.
W: t Test—Indep.
F: ANOVA intro / Meet in PC1 / M & W: Ch. 10
F: Ch. 11
12: Mar. 28 – Apr. 1 / M: No class
W: ANOVA intro
F: Review / Meet in PC1 / Ch. 11
13: Apr. 4-8 / M: Exam 3
W: ANOVA SM.
F: ANOVA SM. / Meet in PC1 / Ch. 12
14: Apr. 11-15 / M: ANOVA Fact.
W: ANOVA Fact.
F: Chi-Square / Meet in PC1 / M & W: Ch. 13
F: Ch. 14
15: Apr. 18-22 / M: Chi-Square
W: Data Transform
F: D. Trans./Review / Meet in PC1 / M: Ch. 14
W & F: 15
16: Apr. 25-29 / M: Exam 4
W: Integration
F: Integration / Meet in PC1 / Ch. 16
17: May 2 / M: Review / No lab this week / N/A

**Final Exam: Monday, May 9, 10:30 am – 1:00 pm, in classroom.

* The instructor reserves the right to change the dates of any lecture, exam, or activity.

** The final date and time are not negotiable.