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Syllabus
for Psy 201W:
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Dr. John A. Johnson
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Basic Research Methods in Psychology
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Office 188 Smeal
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Spring Semester, 2002
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Hours MWF 10-10:50
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MWF 2:30-3:20 151 Smeal Building
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Course Web Page: http://www.personal.psu.edu/~j5j/psy201/web201-02.html
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Required Books:
Leary, M. R. (2001). Introduction to behavioral research methods (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Some assignments will require students to read articles in scientific journals. These reading assignments will be announced in class.
Course Description:
This course is designed to impart, through lectures and laboratory exercises, a basic knowledge of psychological research methods. Lectures, reviews, and exams are scheduled for Monday and Wednesday classes, and laboratory exercises and special activities are scheduled for Friday classes. Some of the laboratory exercises can be completed within the class period, while others will require additional work outside of class.
Course Objectives:
Students who successfully complete this course should be able to locate, read, and understand psychological journal articles. They also should understand the logic of research designs and statistical analyses used by psychologists. Finally, they should be able to generate scientific hypotheses, to design studies to test the hypotheses, and to write research reports following APA style guidelines.
Grading:
Grades will be based on the total number of points
earned on three exams, three papers, and ten laboratory exercises. The
exams contain 50 multiple choice questions and are noncumulative. Handouts
describing the papers and lab exercises will be distributed in class. The
maximum point values of the assignments and the point distribution for
grades are listed in the following table:
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Assignment
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Maximum Points
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Point Total
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Grade
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First Test
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100
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930-1000
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A
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Second Test
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100
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900-929
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A-
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Third Test
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100
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870-899
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B+
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First Paper
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100
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830-869
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B
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Second Paper
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150
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800-829
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B-
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Third Paper
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200
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770-799
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C+
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Lab Exercises
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250 (10@ 20-35 points each)
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700-769
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C
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600-699
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D
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TOTAL POSSIBLE
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1000
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0-599
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F
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Grades can be adjusted upward for students who demonstrate understanding of the course material through class participation.
General Policies:
Students are responsible for all material covered in assigned readings, lectures, and lab exercises. Students are also responsible for announcements concerning assignments, changes in times or procedures, and so forth that are made in class, whether they are present or not.
Students are not graded on attendance per se, but attending classes is important, particularly on lab and testing days. Missing lab exercises or tests results in a zero score which may lower your final grade. Opportunities to make up lab activities or tests will be available only for students with valid medical excuses or other extenuating circumstances accepted by the instructor.
Late work is penalized 5 percent per day. For example, a student who earned 30 points on a lab exercise but turned it in four days late would be awarded only 80% or 24 points. Non-penalty extensions may be granted only in exceptional cases, but only if arrangements are made with the instructor prior to the due date. All lab exercise reports are due one week after the day on which they are assigned. Due dates for the three papers are shown on the course outline below.
I encourage you to seek me out whenever you need help
with any aspect of the course. You may visit me without an appointment
during any of my office hours. If you are unable to meet with me during
my scheduled office hours, we can set up an appointment for another time.
Outside of my office hours, feel free to knock on my door and I will try
to help if I'm able. On days I am not on campus--including weekends--please
email me and I'll probably email you back the same day (sometimes immediately
if I'm logged on).
WEEK |
CLASS
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TOPIC
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READING
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1 M 1/7
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Introduction to the course
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2 W 1/9
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Behavioral research
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Chapter 1
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3 F 1/11
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Scientific Communication
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Ch 15, pp. 353-376
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4 M 1/14
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Behavioral variability
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Ch 2, pp. 33-41
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5 W 1/16
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Co-variability
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Ch 2, pp. 42-52
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6 F 1/18
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Lab 1: Practice report-writing
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Ch 15, pp. 376-398
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7 M 1/21
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Measures used in behavioral research
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Ch 3, pp. 53-57
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8 W 1/23
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Measurement reliability and validity
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Ch 3, pp. 57-76
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9 F 1/25
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Lab 2: Identifying key components in a research
article
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10 M 1/28
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Observational & physiological methods
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Ch 4, pp. 77-86
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11 W 1/30
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Self-report & archival methods
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Ch 4, pp. 86-103
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12 F 2/1
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Lab 3: Naturalistic observation
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13 M 2/4
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* * * FIRST TEST - VARIABILITY AND MEASUREMENT *
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14 W 2/6
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Generating research ideas
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15 F 2/8
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Lab 4: Research project initial proposal
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16 M 2/11
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Presenting frequency distributions
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Ch 5, p. 104; pp. 119-125
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17 W 2/13
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Computing central tendency,
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Ch 5, pp. 125-135
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18 F 2/15
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Lab 5: Descriptive statistics
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19 M 2/18
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Probability sampling
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Ch 6, pp. 105-116
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20 W 2/20
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Nonprobability sampling
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Ch 6, pp. 116-119
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21 F 2/22
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Lab 6: Survey project
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22 M 2/25
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Pearson correlation coefficient
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Ch 6 pp. 136-146
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23 W 2/27
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Interpreting correlation coefficient
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Ch 7, pp. 146-161
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24 F 3/1
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Lab 7: Computing a correlation
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March 4-8 * * * SPRING HOLIDAY - NO CLASSES * * * |
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25 M 3/11
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Partial and multiple correlation
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Ch 7, pp. 162-170
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26 W 3/13
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Path and factor analysis
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Ch 8, pp. 171-183
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27 F 3/15
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Review
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28 M 3/18
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* * * SECOND TEST - CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH * * *
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29 W 3/20
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Work on second paper: Research Study Writeup
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30 F 3/22
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Work on second paper: Research Study Writeup
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31 M 3/25
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Experiments: basic concepts
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Ch 8, pp. 184-200
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* * * SECOND PAPER (RESEARCH STUDY WRITE-UP) DUE
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32 W 3/27
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Experiments: difficulties
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Ch 8, pp. 200-217
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33 F 3/29
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Lab 8: Identifying variables and levels
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34 M 4/1
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One-way experimental designs
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Ch 9, pp. 218-224
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35 W 4/3
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Factorial experimental designs
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Ch 9, pp. 224-242
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36 F 4/5
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Lab 9: Graphing factorial designs
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37 M 4/8
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Inferential statistics and hypothesis testing
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Ch 10, pp. 243-250
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38 W 4/10
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The t-test
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Ch 10, pp. 250-261
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39 F 4/12
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Lab 10: Computing a t-test
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40 M 4/15
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Analysis of variance
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Ch 11, pp. 262-274
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41 W 4/17
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Multivariate analysis of variance
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Ch 12, pp. 274-281
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42 F 4/19
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Review
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43 M 4/22
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* * * THIRD TEST - EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH * * *
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44 W 4/24
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Work on final paper: Research Proposal
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45 F 4/26
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Work on final paper: Research Proposal
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Monday,
April 29th * * * FINAL PAPER (RESEARCH PROPOSAL) DUE * * * |
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Statement of Academic Integrity:
All students are expected
to act with civility, personal integrity; respect other students' dignity,
rights and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which
all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for self and others and a
civil community.
Academic
integrity includes a commitment to not engage in or tolerate acts of falsification,
misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty include cheating
or copying, plagiarizing, submitting another persons' work as one's own,
using Internet sources without citation, fabricating field data or citations,
"ghosting" (taking or having another student take an exam), stealing examinations,
tampering with the academic work of another student, facilitating other
students' acts of academic dishonesty, etc.
Because scientific research often involves collaborating with other people and summarizing previous research, you must take careful to acknowledge their contributions or you will be guilty of plagiarism: stealing another's ideas. Most students know that when you use someone's exact words you must place the words in quotation marks. But you must also acknowledge others' ideas even when you rephrase them or put them in your own words. The proper style for acknowledging others' ideas can be found on pages 117-122 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. The Manual describes how to acknowledge those who contributed to the study on pages 203-204 and contains a discussion of plagiarism on pages 349-350.
Violating academic integrity is considered a serious offense by the University and is treated accordingly. Students violating academic integrity will receive an F for the course. In the case of more serious offenses (multiple violations; organized, widespread distribution of plagiarized materials, etc.), expulsion from the University will be recommended to the Director of Academic Affairs. Further information, including appeals processes, can be found in Policy 49-20 of the current Policies and Rules for Students handbook.
