PSY-6012-Chang

**Spring 2010 – Monday 1:10-4 p.m. – Room 204** Instructor: Tai Chang Phone: Tai Chang: 955-2194 Office: 129   Email:  taichang@alliant.edu Office Hours: Tai Chang: M 10:30am-1:00pm, Tu 10:30am-12pm,or by appt.
 * Syllabus**
 * PSYCHOLOGY 6012: Psychometrics, Statistics, & Research Design (3 units) **

T.A.: Libby Pearce Office: Library Office Hours: Friday 10am-12pm

**__ Course Rationale __**** : **  This course is the second in a two-semester sequence designed to develop core competency in the area of research and evaluation. Specifically, “all students must demonstrate an understanding of scientific inference, the knowledge and skills necessary for the formulation of hypotheses, the systematic gathering of data and the selection of suitable quantitative and/or qualitative methods for the analysis of data” (AIU Catalog, p. 80). The main objectives of this course are to prepare students to: develop skills as an independent researcher and the ability to contribute new knowledge to the field of psychology, conduct applied research, and be ethical and responsible professional psychologists. Specifically, these outcomes are to develop students/graduates who have: B.2. Competence in assessment a) The ability to understand concepts and methods of test construction

B.4. Competence in research and evaluation
a) The ability to read and critically review psychological literature. b)  The ability to understand statistical concepts and the use of statistics, know where to go to identify appropriate statistical procedures, and are able to read, understand and evaluate the significance of statistical descriptions and analyses. e) The ability to critically assess the application of research findings to diverse ethnic and cultural groups. D.  Professional problem solving skills and attitudes essential for life-long learning and scholarly inquiry. 1. Understanding and adoption of values of life-long learning and the role of the clinical psychologist as a “local clinical scientist.” 2. The ability to understand, evaluate, organize, and synthesize psychological literature. (CSPP Program Outcomes and Courses, Table 1)   **__ Course Description __**** : **   This course provides an overview of basic research methods and univariate and multivariate statistics in social science research. Basic concepts in methodology, design, and statistics are interrelated and applied to reading and evaluating research articles as well as conducting research in psychology. Throughout the course, a conceptual understanding of methods and statistics will be linked to their application in designing studies and conducting statistical analyses using SPSS.

 The purpose of the course is to help students achieve the learning outcomes described above by providing a foundation in research and statistics as well as their ethical application in producing and critically evaluating research.
 * __ Purpose of the Course : __**

**__ Specific Learning Outcomes __**** : **  The specific learning outcomes include the ability to:  **__ Instructional Strategy __**** : **  Classes will consist of lecture, discussion of readings and written assignments, and SPSS computer lab. The SPSS computer lab will be integrated with the lecture material and will often take place during the last hour of class and consist of lectures, discussion, and assignments. Students will develop a working understanding of methodological and statistical concepts through in-class experiments, student generated surveys, and data from research databases as well as published studies. I realize that research and statistics can be somewhat intimidating and anxiety-provoking, and I will do everything I can to help you understand the material clearly and apply it appropriately. The flip side of this is that I expect you to do all the assigned readings prior to the lectures, participate fully in class, ask lots of questions, and come to my or my T.A.’s office hours whenever you have any difficulty with the material.  **__ Class Component on Multicultural and International Issues __**** : ** Issues with respect to culture and race, particularly as they relate to measurement and research methodology will be integrated throughout the course. Methodological issues in utilizing multicultural populations, issues and external validity, and ethical principles involved in cross-cultural research will be discussed. Throughout the course, examples of research on cultural variables will be used to illuminate methodological and statistical concepts.  **__ Description of Course Requirements and Assessment Methods __**** : **
 * Understand how research problems, research methods, and statistical analyses are related
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand the purposes of correlational, causal-comparative, experimental and quasi-experimental research and how these methods are used in conducting research
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand how to examine mediating and moderating variables using correlational design and analysis
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand path analysis as an extension of regression and interpret path analytic results
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand concepts related to internal validity and causality
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand the principles of hypothesis testing
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand univariate and multivariate statistics at a conceptual level
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Using SPSS, compute and interpret quantitative statistics, including multiple regression, //t// test, analysis of variance, factorial analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and multivariate analysis of variance.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Interpret and critically evaluate quantitative research articles
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Be able frame a research problem in terms of testable research hypotheses/questions, design an appropriate quantitative study to test the hypotheses/questions, select appropriate univariate and/ or multivariate statistical analyses, and make appropriate interpretations of the statistical results
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Understand ethical issues related to research with human participants
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Use APA style in writing research reports

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> Course grades will be based on the following: <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Class Attendance/Participation – 10 points <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Reaction Papers and SPSS Assignments - 25 points <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Preliminary Literature Review – 25 points <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Midterm & Final Exam (20 points each) – 40 points NOTE: All papers must be formatted according to APA publication style (refer to the APA manual 5th edition). Late assignments will not be accepted. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none;"> Letter grades will be assigned as follows: A 93-100 A- 90-92 B+ 87-89 B 83-86 B- 80-82 C+ 77-79 C 73-76 C- 70-72 D+ 67-69 D 63-66 D- 60-62 F < 60 <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none;"> ** Class Attendance and Participation – 10 points: ** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> Students will be responsible for reading chapters prior to class. Class discussion and participation are required. The University expects regular class attendance by all students. When an absence is necessary, students should contact the instructor as courtesy and to check for assignments. Each student is responsible for all academic work missed during absences and for obtaining missed assignments during office hours. See the University Catalog for the complete policy on attendance ( [] ). <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none;"> ** 1-2 Page Reaction Papers and SPSS Assignments – 25 points total: ** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> For several of the classes, students will be asked to hand in (please limit e-mailed assignments to extreme circumstances) a typed reaction paper in response to questions about the readings. The questions (and articles) will be given out during the previous class. Students are expected to complete all reaction paper assignments.
 * Course Grading System : **

Students will also periodically be given SPSS assignments consisting of data input, analysis, and interpretation. Students are expected to complete all SPSS assignments.

The single lowest grade from all assignments (reaction papers and SPSS assignments) will be dropped. Feedback on assignments will be given during the following week’s class, thus **late assignments will not be accepted**.

** Preliminary Literature Review – 25 points: ** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> Students will complete a preliminary literature review of an area of research for the purpose of preparing for their dissertation proposals. The preliminary literature review will consist of reviews of relevant theoretical and empirical articles related to a specific topic. To prepare for conducting this literature review, students will be asked to examine whether their research topic is feasible by discussing it with at least one CSPP Psy.D. core faculty member. The first part of the semester will focus on reading relevant review articles and/or dissertations, and identifying two or three theories that are central to one’s dissertation topic. The rest of the semester will be spent reviewing and integrating theoretical and empirical articles related to these theories and synthesizing the ideas found in these articles. The completed preliminary literature review will be due on **April 28**. Points for the PLR assignments will be assigned as follows: Description of Relevant Theories – 2 pts. Faculty Recommendations Summary – 1 pt. Revised References List – 2 pts. Review of Theory 1 – 5 pts. Complete Preliminary Literature Review – 15 pts. ** Midterm & Final Exam (20 points each) – 40 points ** : The midterm will be a closed-book written exam based on the material from the first half of the course. The final exam will be a closed-book exam covering material primarily from the second half of the course, but will necessarily be cumulative because the later material builds upon the earlier material. The midterm will be given on **March 17**, and the final exam will be given on **May 12****. No make-up exams will be given, except in extreme circumstances.** Students may fail the course by reason of difficulty in meeting the behavioral expectations or requirements of the class, such as attendance, or timely completion of assignments, or for violations of ethical and professional standards. "..
 * Behavioral Expectations: **