San José State University Department of Psychology PSYC 120, Advanced Research methods, Section 10/11 Summer 2017 Course and Contact Information Instructor: Mark Van Selst Office Location: DMH 314 Telephone: 408 924 5674 Email: Mark.VanSelst@SJSU.edu Office Hours: MTWR 12-1:00 Class Days/Time: Classroom: Prerequisites: Course Format: MTWR 9-10:55 (lecture) + MTWR 11-11:55 DMH 356 (lecture) + DMH 339 Lower division GE complete; STAT 95; PSYC 100W (or department approval); Upper Division; Psychology or Behavioral Science Major In person (access to SJSU Canvas and other internet access required) Course Description: From the Course Catalog: Descriptive, correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental approaches: design, methodology, and analysis. Experience designing, conducting, analyzing, and presenting (verbal and written) research findings. Topics will include: hypothesis testing, validity, reliability, scales of measurement, questionnaire development, power, statistical significance, and effect size. This course is an intensive introduction to the basic experimental tools used in the social and behavioral sciences. Students will be given the opportunity to develop an understanding of the principles and procedures involved in scientific research in psychology. The course includes both a lecture and a laboratory component. Grading will be based on written assignments (take home and in-class) and by formal in-class testing. The basic requirement is for the student to develop a firm grasp on the logic and application of the experimental method. The material covered includes design, methodology, and interpretation. Quantitative methods are emphasized, but criticisms of both quantitative and qualitative methods will be noted. The lectures will cover a broad range of topics in varying degrees of depth. The laboratory activities will cover a smaller range of topics in much greater depth than possible in the lectures. The laboratory activities are a crucial component of the course; many of you will find them indispensable in helping to clarify any questions you have about the lecture and text materials. Participation in the laboratory will be critically important to an understanding and completion of the course assignments. Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend 45 minutes on preparation, studying, or lecture-related activities in addition to the 15 hours of lecture/discussion content and the additional in-person and outside activities related to the laboratory/activity section. Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 1 of 8
Learning Outcomes (CLO) Upon successful completion of this course: CLO1 Students will be able to design, implement, and communicate basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretations. [cf., Lab 1-3, 8, 9, 14, 16] CLO2 Students will be able to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and a scientific approach to address issues related to behavior and mental processes. [cf., Lab 4, 7, 11, 16] CLO3 Students will value empirical evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and recognize their role and responsibility as a member of society. [cf., lab 3, 4] Upon successful completion of the SJSU baccalaureate degree program in Psychology: PLO1 Knowledge Base of Psychology Students will be able to identify, describe, and communicate the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology PLO2 Research Methods in Psychology Students will be able to design, implement, and communicate basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretations. PLO3 Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology Students will be able to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and a scientific approach to address issues related to behavior and mental processes. PLO4 Application of Psychology Students will be able to apply psychological principles to individual, interpersonal, group, and societal issues. PLO5 Values in Psychology Students will value empirical evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and recognize their role and responsibility as a member of society. Required Textbooks Cozby, P.C., & Bates, S. (2015). Methods in Behavioral Research, 12 th edition, McGraw Hill. ISBN 9780077861896 There is an older (11 th edition) that is acceptable. The 11 th edition is available cheaply used and is likely to be adequate. The twelfth edition pagination and definitions will be referenced in the course materials. I will follow the definitions and structure of the 12 th. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6 th edition (2009). APA: Washington, DC. You should already have this text from your PSYC 100W course. This is the 2+ printing (first version of the 6 th edition had problems) ISBN: 9781433805615 Library Liaison Bernd Becker is the Psychology Library Liaison (Bernd.Becker@sjsu.edu). Bernd can answer your questions about how best to use the library s resources (and off campus access). Course Requirements and Assignments The instructions for the assignments and their associated weights towards our final grade are linked below. Final Examination or Evaluation There will be a final examination on MONDAY JULY 3 rd (NOTE: this date is NOT flexible make your travel plans accordingly). Additionally, I will require extra time to meet with you (on your schedule) either in person or in a technology-mediated fashion during July 26-29 to extensively work with you on an early draft of your final project write-up. Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 2 of 8
Grading Information Exams and quizzes will not be rescheduled except in the case of a medical or family emergency; in all cases, documentation will be required. If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with Accessible Education Center (AEC) to establish a record of their disability (www.sjsu.edu/aec). In all cases, no student can leave the examination room within 30 minutes of the start of an exam nor start any exam after the first person has left. Starting an exam late will not delay the finish time. You may not go to the bathroom in the middle of an exam and return to continue the exam when you leave the room you have indicated that you have finished with your test. Credit may not be given for late assignments. Late papers that are accepted may be penalized (at least 10% of the possible total generally -.5 points of the total for the assignment). Papers are due at the beginning (within five minutes of the registrar s scheduled start time) of the relevant class or laboratory meeting or as indicated on the CANVAS webpage. I will attempt to ensure that a copy of in-person handouts and other assignment-related materials are available electronically via canvas (where possible). All work you turn in should be your own. It is your responsibility to be familiar with the scope, definitions, and recommended sanctions stated in SJSU policy S07-2 on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism (this document is available on line look it up and read it, with special attention to definitions and sanctions). Discussing the assignments with your classmates is perfectly acceptable; copying their work is not. Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University s Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Judicial Affairs. I will recommend academic disqualification from SJSU for extreme cases of plagiarism. Homework and/or laboratory assignments may be given weekly. A portion of some of these assignments will be graded (see evaluation breakdown below). The assignments will ensure that everyone keeps up with the reading, and should help you to assess whether you have mastered the basic concepts. The final is partially cumulative since later topics build naturally upon those covered earlier in the course. Most assignments will be due in electronic format via the CANVAS web-page. Access to a computer word processor is required for the assignments. Where the assignments require substantial written work, a scan of written work is not acceptable (i.e., I am generally looking for.pptx,.docx, or machine-readable.pdf). It is your responsibility to have easy access to a back-up copy of any work that you hand in (keep multiple back-ups of any computer media and save your work often). It is also wise to retain developmental versions and research materials. Determination of Grades Please see assignment breakdown. The points sum to 100. Your summed scores determine your grade. 60-70 D 70-80 C 80-90 B 90-100 A (77.5-80 is a C+; 80-82.5 is a B-, etc.) Classroom Protocol If you are going to use laptops to take notes, I ask that you sit to the side of the room so as to minimize the distraction that your monitor might provide to other students. Disruptive students will be asked to leave. The class requires active engaged participation from each of the students and a continuing commitment to help others in the class learn the material is expected. The dates assigned for pop-quizzes and participation points will only approximate those presented in the schedule. University Policies Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs Syllabus Information web page at http://www.sjsu.edu/gup/syllabusinfo/ Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 3 of 8
Course Number / Title, Semester, Course Schedule The CANVAS schedule will trump the.pdf schedule. It is subject to change with fair notice (via CANVAS, class discussion, and/or email). Course Schedule Week Date Points Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines 1 June 5 2 Graphing Lab 1 June 7 4 Library Reference Lab 1 June 8 4 Observation Lab 2 June 12-14 (-1) Class Experiment PARTICIPATION 2 June 13 18 MIDTERM #1 2 June 13 1 Individual Project EARLY TOPIC 2 June 13 1 Ethics Training Due 2 June 15 (-1) Data Analysis Workshop 3 June 19 2 Individual Project DESIGN 3 June 19 6 Class Experiment METHOD SUBMISSION 3 June 22 18 MIDTERM #2 4 June 23 4 Class Experiment METHOD RESUBMIT 4 June 23 3 Class Experiment RESULTS SUBMISSION 4 June 27 2 Individual Project DATA TIMELINESS 4 June 27 2 Individual Project -- ANALYSIS 5 June 28/29 July 3 5 Individual Project FINAL PRESENTATION (ORAL) + MATERIALS 5 July 3 1 Project Review (Others #1) 5 July 3 1 Project Review (Others #2) 5 July 4 1 Self-Evaluation re: presentation 5 July 5 0 No class 5 July 6 14 FINAL EXAM 5 July 7 2 External Assignment 5 July 7 7 Individual Project FINAL WRITE-UP * * 2 Participation (explicit measure or quiz) Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 4 of 8
Date Day Chapter (Cozby text) Activity / Description June 5 Mon Chapter 1. Scientific Understanding of Behavior Introduction, Syllabus, Scope Types of Designs: Descriptive, Correlational, Experimental Describe, Predict, Explain, & Control Behavior Use of Research Methods The Scientific Approach / Goals of Science Presenting (Graphing) data (APA Manual p.141-162) Basic and Applied Research Lab #1 = Graphing data by hand and using computerized graphing programs June 6 Tue 2. Where to Start Hypotheses and Predictions Who we Study (and notes on terminology) Sources of Ideas Library Research Structure of a Research Article Lab #1 (continued) June 7 Wed 3. Ethical Research What is ethical? What do we have to watch out for? The Belmont Report Assessment of Risks and Benefits Consent Debriefing Justice and Selection of Participants Researcher Commitments APA Code of Ethics Research with Human Participants Ethics and Animal Research Risks and Benefits Revisited Formal Mechanisms: Federal Regulations and the Institutional review board Introductory Psychology pool (Departmental) Lab #2 = APA Style and Library Resources June 8 Thur 4. Studying Behavior Variables (Quantitative & Qualitative measures); Operational definitions of variables Relationships between variables Nonexperimental vs. Experimental Methods Independent and Dependent Variables Causality Choosing a Method (advantage of multiple approaches) Evaluating Research (validity) Lab 1 due Lab 2 due Lab #3 = Participate in Data-Collection (by Tuesday Eve) Lab #4 = Observation Lab Lab #5 = External (due end of semester) Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 5 of 8
June 12 Mon MIDTERM #1 CHAPTERS 1-4 + labs June 13 Tue June 14 Wed June 15 Thur June 19 Mon Lab 3 due [midnight] Lab 4 due [before class] 5. Measurement Concepts Lab 6 due (before class) Lab 7 due (in class) 6. Observational Methods + notes 7. Asking people about themselves: survey research Lab 8 due 8. Experimental Designs Lab 11 due Lab #3 = Participate in Data-Collection (cont.) Out of class experimental participation sign-up Lab #6 = Ethics Homework = MOVIE: Obedience the Milgram experiment and Christophe Nick s Game of Death Reliability of measures Construct validity of measures Research on personality and individual differences Reactivity of measures Variables and scales of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) Methods Discussion Lab #7 = Data Analysis workshop (in lab, no make-up) Lab #8 = Methods Write-up Lab #9 = Methods Meeting Lab #10 = Methods rewrite + Results section Speed-Accuracy Trade-offs; Technical Writing (Method Section) Assignment Components of an APA-style manuscript + review Methods Discussion + sharing drafts for peer feedback Construction of surveys; asking the right questions and selection of response formats Administration Studying change across time Sampling from a population (techniques) Evaluating Samples Individual Project (overview) Lab #11 = Individual Project (idea) Lab #12 = Individual Project Design/Proposal Lab #13 = data collection timeliness Lab #14 = data analysis timeliness Lab #15 = Individual Project Final Presentation Lab #16 = Individual Project Final Write-up + individual Method Section meetings (Lab #9) Confounding and Internal Validity Basic Experiments Assigning Participants to Experimental Conditions Independent groups designs Repeated measures designs Matched pairs designs Within- (repeated measure) vs. between-subject designs Individual Methods Meetings (Lab 9) review of Lab #10 (time permitting) Individual assistance with Lab #12 (design) Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 6 of 8
June 20 Tue June 21 Wed 9. Conducting Experiments Lab 9 due Lab 10 due [midnight] 10. Complex Experimental Designs Lab 12 due June 22 Thur MIDTERM #2 11. Single case, quasiexperimental, and developmental research June 26 Mon 12. Understanding Research Results: Description and Correlation Lab 13 due [end of class] Selecting Participants Manipulating the independent variable Measuring the dependent variable Additional controls Double-blind studies Additional considerations Analyzing and interpreting results Communicating research to others Individual Methods Meetings (Lab 9) Individual assistance with Lab #12 (design) Increasing the Number of Levels of a single Independent Variable (single factor design) Increasing the Number of Independent Variables (factorial designs) One-way Analysis of Variance (extending the t-test) Main effects and interactions Within-subject (repeated measure) vs. between-subject designs Counter-balancing (Latin Square) and confounds Individual assistance with project implementation & possible data collection (Lab 13) (for those ready/approved) Chapters 5-10 + labs + movie + ethics Single case experimental designs Program evaluation Quasi-experimental designs Developmental research designs Lab 13: Data Collection Scales of Measurement (review) METHODS & RESULTS DUE Analyzing research results (review) Frequency Distributions (review) Descriptive Statistics Graphing Relationships (review) Correlations Coefficients: strength of relationships Effect size Statistical significance p-levels vs. strength-of-effect Regression equations Multiple regression Linear relationships: Pearson s r, regression line, the 3 rd variable problem Partial correlation Structural equation modeling Lab 13: Data Collection Lab 14: Data Analysis Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 7 of 8
June 27 Tue Chapter 13. Understanding Research Results: Statistical Inference June 28 Wed June 29 Thur Lab 14 due 14. Generalizing Results Samples and Populations Inferential Statistics Null and Research Hypotheses Probability and the Sampling Distribution t-tests & ANOVA [what, when & why] Type I and Type II errors Choosing a significance level () Interpreting non-significant results Chi-square Power and choosing a sample size Importance of replication Pearsons r Selecting Appropriate Statistical Tests Lab 14: Data Analysis Generalizing to other populations Cultural considerations Generalizing to other experiments Pretests and generalization Generalization from laboratory settings The importance of replications Evaluating generalizations Literature reviews Meta-analyses Using research to improve the human condition Available help with Lab 15 Lab 15: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Lab 15: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS July 3 Mon Lab 15 due Lab 15: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS REVIEW SESSION July 4 Tue No class No class (holiday) July 5 Wed No class Lab 5 due July 6 Thur FINAL EXAM (Mid#3) Lab 16 due No class (peer review session with classmates) Chapters 11-14 (+ some cumulative content) Last revised: April 7, 2017 Advanced Research Methods, PSYC 120, Section 10/11, Summer 2017, VAN SELST Page 8 of 8