PSY54/PSY608

PSY54 (Advanced Psychological Statistics) and PSY608 (Experimental Methods II)
Mondays and Wednesdays 4:30-5:50
Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 3:30-4:30
Email: Nancy.Frye@liu.edu

Goals Policies and Expectations Writing, grammar, and APA style Grades Calendar

Course goals and objectives:
The goal of this course is for you to review and expand your knowledge of both research methods and statistics. At the end of this course, you should be better able to read others' research, understand the statistics that others have used, conduct your own research, determine which statistics to use, and conduct and interpret those statistics.

Policies and expectations:
It is expected that you will attend, and actively participate in, every class. If, for some extraordinary reason, you are unable to attend class, it is your responsibility to find out from another student what information you missed.

Please turn in assignments via email. Make sure that your email program is set to save sent email. This way, if for some reason I do not receive your assignment, you will be able to forward it to me from your sent folder.

All assignments are due at the start of the class period on the day they are due. 10% of the possible points will be deducted for late assignments, and an additionally 10% of the possible points will be deducted for each additional 24 hour period that the assignment is late.

Writing, grammar, and APA style:
For every assignment, it is expected that you will use proper grammar and complete sentences. Grammar and writing clarity will be taken into account for assignment grades. Click here for tips on writing and grammar. Keep in mind the tips as your write your papers, and as you proofread them before turning them in. This site also has tips at the bottom for avoiding plagiarism. Additionally, do not forget about the writing center at CW Post. Information about it can be found at this site.

You will be writing one complete research paper in this course. It is expected that you will use APA style. A review of APA style can be found here, and a sample student paper can be found here. Remember, you are encouraged to submit rough drafts of each section of your paper, with enough time for you to make substantial changes, if needed, before the final paper is due.

Grades will be based on:

Assignment Possible points

Final webpage 100

Statistics questions 10

Reliability and validity questions 10

Final paper 100

Presentation 25

Attendance and participation 25

Total possible 270

Calendar:

Date Topic Reading/Assignment due

Wed, Sept 3 Overview of class, methods, statistics

Mon, Sept 8 Sample online studies Read Ramirez-Esparza, N., Gosling, S.D., Benet-Martinez, V., Potter, J.P., & Pennebaker, J.W. (2006). Do bilinguals have two personalities? A special case of cultural frame switching. Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 99-120, focusing on Study 1
Read Vicray, A.M., & Fraley, R.C. (2007). Choose your own adventure: Attachment dynamics in a simulated relationship. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 1279-1291.
Ponder the sorts of questions and issues that can be studied using data collected online. Note that both experimental and non-experimental research can be done this way.

Wed, Sept 10 Discussion of studies Read over this page and think about which of those sorts of research questions your research project might address
Read over this page and think about whether your research project might be best classified as cross-sectional or longitudinal

Mon, Sept 15 Narrowing of study ideas Familiarize yourself with the research that has been done in your area of interest. Pay particular attention to calls at the end of studies for directions and recommendations for future research.
Think about a specific research topic or hypothesis that you might want to address.

Wed, Sept 17 Narrowing of study ideas Do a more targeted search of research that has been done in your area of interest. Focus on what sorts of relationships have been found in past studies, and holes waiting to be filled in those studies.

Mon, Sept 22 Possible hypotheses Come to class with possible hypotheses you could test in your study. Be sure you know how those possible hypotheses can be linked to prior research findings. Keep in mind that they should extend, and not replicate, previous research.

Wed, Sept 24 Measures Come to class with specific questions and/or manipulations that you could use for the variables in your study

Mon, Sept 29 No classes - Rosh Hashanah Email me:

your hypothesis

your variables

your measures (i.e., the actual items, scenarios, or pictures that you will give to participants

Wed, Oct 1 No classes - Rosh Hashanah

Mon, Oct 6 Overview of HTML Turn in a completed draft of an exempt IRB form
(Check off 46.101.b.2)
Meet in library, room 229

Wed, Oct 8 No classes - Yom Kippur

Mon, Oct 13 Discussion of consent form Using this page bring in a draft of your consent form in HTML.
In class, we'll go over questions and difficulties you had in creating the page.
Meet in library, room 229

Wed, Oct 15 Discussion of forms Using this page work on a draft of your questions in HTML.
In class, we'll go over questions and difficulties you had in creating the page.
Meet in library, room 229

Mon, Oct 20 Intro to php -- linking pages Final questions on webpages due.
Meet in library, room 229

Wed, Oct 22 More php -- writing data to a file Linked pages due
Meet in library, room 229

Mon, Oct 27 Discussion of lit reviews

Wed, Oct 29 More discussion of lit reviews, plus methods Final webpages due

Mon, Nov 3 Review of statistics Read this chapter and answer 4, 7, 8, 17, and 18

Wed, Nov 5 Discussion of reliability Read this page and specify which of these can be measured using the data you will be collecting.

Mon, Nov 10 Discussion of validity Read this page and specify which of these can be measured using the data you will be collecting.

Wed, Nov 12 Discussion of analyses in articles Bring in an article you are using for your literature review. Select one of the hypotheses. Specify the variables. Specify whether each variable is qualitative or quantitative. Describe the statistic used to test the hypothesis, as well as the findings.

Mon, Nov 17 Discussion of analyses in articles Bring in another article you are using for your literature review. Select one of the hypotheses. Specify the variables. Specify whether each variable is qualitative or quantitative. Describe the statistic used to test the hypothesis, as well as the findings.

Wed, Nov 19 Discussion of own analyses By end of class, develop a list of all the analyses you will do for your study

Mon, Nov 24 Data due Read data into SPSS and name variables, in class
Meet in library, room 229

Wed, Nov 26 No class

Mon, Dec 1 Data analysis Work on analyzing data
Meet in library, room 229

Wed, Dec 3 Data analysis Continue analyzing data
Meet in library, room 229

Mon, Dec 8 Discussion of results and discussion section

Wed, Dec 9 Day to discuss and exchange drafts

Mon, Dec 15 Day of questions

Finals Presentations Final paper due

Assignment	Possible points
Final webpage	100
Statistics questions	10
Reliability and validity questions	10
Final paper	100
Presentation	25
Attendance and participation	25
Total possible	270

Date	Topic	Reading/Assignment due
Wed, Sept 3	Overview of class, methods, statistics
Mon, Sept 8	Sample online studies	Read Ramirez-Esparza, N., Gosling, S.D., Benet-Martinez, V., Potter, J.P., & Pennebaker, J.W. (2006). Do bilinguals have two personalities? A special case of cultural frame switching. Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 99-120, focusing on Study 1 Read Vicray, A.M., & Fraley, R.C. (2007). Choose your own adventure: Attachment dynamics in a simulated relationship. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 1279-1291. Ponder the sorts of questions and issues that can be studied using data collected online. Note that both experimental and non-experimental research can be done this way.
Wed, Sept 10	Discussion of studies	Read over this page and think about which of those sorts of research questions your research project might address Read over this page and think about whether your research project might be best classified as cross-sectional or longitudinal
Mon, Sept 15	Narrowing of study ideas	Familiarize yourself with the research that has been done in your area of interest. Pay particular attention to calls at the end of studies for directions and recommendations for future research. Think about a specific research topic or hypothesis that you might want to address.
Wed, Sept 17	Narrowing of study ideas	Do a more targeted search of research that has been done in your area of interest. Focus on what sorts of relationships have been found in past studies, and holes waiting to be filled in those studies.
Mon, Sept 22	Possible hypotheses	Come to class with possible hypotheses you could test in your study. Be sure you know how those possible hypotheses can be linked to prior research findings. Keep in mind that they should extend, and not replicate, previous research.
Wed, Sept 24	Measures	Come to class with specific questions and/or manipulations that you could use for the variables in your study
Mon, Sept 29	No classes - Rosh Hashanah	Email me: your hypothesis your variables your measures (i.e., the actual items, scenarios, or pictures that you will give to participants
Wed, Oct 1	No classes - Rosh Hashanah
Mon, Oct 6	Overview of HTML	Turn in a completed draft of an exempt IRB form (Check off 46.101.b.2) *Meet in library, room 229*
Wed, Oct 8	No classes - Yom Kippur
Mon, Oct 13	Discussion of consent form	Using this page bring in a draft of your consent form in HTML. In class, we'll go over questions and difficulties you had in creating the page. *Meet in library, room 229*
Wed, Oct 15	Discussion of forms	Using this page work on a draft of your questions in HTML. In class, we'll go over questions and difficulties you had in creating the page. *Meet in library, room 229*
Mon, Oct 20	Intro to php -- linking pages	Final questions on webpages due. *Meet in library, room 229*
Wed, Oct 22	More php -- writing data to a file	Linked pages due *Meet in library, room 229*
Mon, Oct 27	Discussion of lit reviews
Wed, Oct 29	More discussion of lit reviews, plus methods	Final webpages due
Mon, Nov 3	Review of statistics	Read this chapter and answer 4, 7, 8, 17, and 18
Wed, Nov 5	Discussion of reliability	Read this page and specify which of these can be measured using the data you will be collecting.
Mon, Nov 10	Discussion of validity	Read this page and specify which of these can be measured using the data you will be collecting.
Wed, Nov 12	Discussion of analyses in articles	Bring in an article you are using for your literature review. Select one of the hypotheses. Specify the variables. Specify whether each variable is qualitative or quantitative. Describe the statistic used to test the hypothesis, as well as the findings.
Mon, Nov 17	Discussion of analyses in articles	Bring in another article you are using for your literature review. Select one of the hypotheses. Specify the variables. Specify whether each variable is qualitative or quantitative. Describe the statistic used to test the hypothesis, as well as the findings.
Wed, Nov 19	Discussion of own analyses	By end of class, develop a list of all the analyses you will do for your study
Mon, Nov 24	Data due	Read data into SPSS and name variables, in class *Meet in library, room 229*
Wed, Nov 26	No class
Mon, Dec 1	Data analysis	Work on analyzing data *Meet in library, room 229*
Wed, Dec 3	Data analysis	Continue analyzing data *Meet in library, room 229*
Mon, Dec 8	Discussion of results and discussion section
Wed, Dec 9	Day to discuss and exchange drafts
Mon, Dec 15	Day of questions
Finals	Presentations	Final paper due