Download Introduction to Psychological Research Methods - Notes | PSY 230 and more Lecture notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Psy 230‐ 1 PSY 230: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODS FALL 2012 3 Credit Hours Tuesday and Thursday, 11:45 am – 1:00 pm Poe Hall, Room 216 Instructor: Scott Stage, Ph. D. Office: 625 Poe Hall Telephone: 515‐0318 Email: sastage@ncsu.edu Office Hours: By appointment Course Description: This course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts and methods of psychological research. In this course, you will be introduced to the following concepts: research ethics, hypothesis testing, measuring variables, selecting research participants, independent group experimental designs, dependent group and mixed group designs, single‐ subject and case study designs, correlation designs, data collection methods, program evaluation, archival research, and meta‐analytic designs, as well as the statistical analysis and interpretation of psychological research findings using the appropriate statistical results. Course Prerequisite: PSY 200 or an Introduction to Psychology course Student Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the different sections and purposes of a psychological research article. 2. Differentiate between scientific and unscientific research methods. 3. Differentiate between experimental, quasi‐experimental, and correlation studies. 4. Differentiate between types of participant selection procedures. 5. Differentiate between types of behavioral measures and data collection procedures used in psychological research. 6. Identify appropriate statistical analysis for the data collected. 7. Interpret findings in relationship to the study’s hypotheses and the statistical results. 8. Differentiate between types of validity and reliability measurement procedures. 9. Note appropriate ethical principles in conducting psychological research. Required Text: Evans, A.N. & Rooney, B.J. (2011). Methods in psychological research (2nd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Pub. ISBN 978‐1‐4129‐7788‐3 (pbk.) Critical to Passing this Course: You must consistently attend this class and take notes on the Power Points presented each class. I would recommend that you bring a spiral notebook and a pencil and/or pen to class each day. Listen and ask questions when you do not understand, or when you are curious about methodological concepts discussed. When Power Point questions are presented, I will give you time to write them down. I will ask you what you think the correct answer is. Then, we’ll discuss the correct and incorrect choices. Read the assigned chapter and articles prior to class. The class lectures will provide different research examples than the textbook to broaden your understanding of the material. The combination of in‐class lecture, the textbook and assigned readings will provide the necessary information for you to complete the written homework assignments. Psy 230‐ 2 You will be asked not to bring laptop computers or other electronic devices to class, because they can be distracting to others and yourself. If you feel you have to have a laptop in class you will need to get this cleared with me, or I will ask you to put it away. For students who are repeating this course because of an unwanted poor performance in a previous semester, the use of an audio digital‐recorder, which can be left up at the teaching podium at the beginning of class, can be very helpful. Homework: There are 5 written homework assignments (see course calendar below) that are worth 30% of your overall course grade. Make sure that you turn in the homework on time, as late assignments will not be allowed to be uploaded onto the moodle site. If you missed uploading an assignment due to a legitimate absence (see below), then print a paper copy of the assignment, and give it to me in class with a written excuse. Late Homework: Homework is due on the date and time shown on moodle. The course calendar below shows those dates. No credit will be given for late assignments turned in after that date and time unless a University recognized excuse is provided for the late assignment (see the section below on excused absences). Excused late homework needs to be printed on paper using a word processing package and accompanied by a paper copy of a University recognized excuse, which is to be handed‐in to the instructor within a week that the assignment was due. Exams: There is a midterm and final exam that covers questions taken from Power Point class presentation questions. However, the questions will be rewritten so what were right answers are apt to be wrong answers in the exams. All test questions will be multiple‐choice. The percent of correct answers using the combined total of the student’s correct answers from the midterm and final will account for 70% the student’s final course grade. The midterm will have about 50 multiple‐choice questions. The final exam will have about 100 multiple‐choice questions with about half of the questions taken from the midterm. Late Tests: No test may be taken late unless prior approval has been obtained or unless the student can provide a legitimate University recognized excuse for his or her absence (see below). Students who do not complete tests on time will receive 0 points for that specific test. Late tests need to be made‐up within a week of the initial test date. Attendance: NCSU Instructors in 100‐ and 200‐level courses must keep a record of attendance throughout the semester. See NCSU policy http://ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.3.php Each day students come to class there is a sign‐in sheet that students should sign that denotes their attendance for that day. When students have legitimate excused absences, they are responsible for informing the instructor within a week of the absence, or the excuse will not be granted. This is done to encourage students to take quick action to keep excused absences current. NCSU excused absences are: Arranged with the professor in advance University sanctioned activities (e.g., NCSU minority affairs representative) Major religious holidays Illnesses which have an accompanying physician’s note Family emergencies (e.g., death in the family with accompanying obituary) Court appearances (e.g., court citation that states the student must appear) Psy 230‐ 5 Thurs Stage on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Threats to Internal Validity Review Power Point 10.2.12 Tues Dependent groups and mixed groups designs. Read Chapter 8. Review Power Point 10.4.12 Thurs FALL BREAK 10.9.12 Tue Review Power Point by Stage on Repeated Measures & 2‐way ANOVA. Homework for repeated measures & 2‐way ANOVA, Kazdin article, Chps. 9 & 10. Answers for Chp.s 6, 7, 8 and for ANOVA, and Threats to Internal Validity are due at 11 a.m. 10.11.12 Thurs Midterm: Chp.s 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Hypothesis testing and t‐test, Sections of Psy Research Article, Haney and Zimbardo, and Pennebaker et al. 10.16.12 Tue Return scantron summary sheet of your Midterm performance Bring your midterm to class Ask questions about the items you missed. 10.18.12 Thurs Single‐participant designs. Read Chapter 9. Review Power Point 10.23.12 Tue Issues in interpretation of single‐subject designs. Read Kazdin (1978). Review Power Point 10.25.12 Thurs Nonexperimental research. Read Chapter 10. Review Power Point 10.30.12 Tue Review Power Point by Stage: Correlation and Regression and Power Point on Mediating vs. Moderating Variables. Homework questions for Correlation and Regression, Mediating and Moderating variables, Meta‐ analysis, Program Evaluation and Chps. 11, 12 & 13. Answers for homework on repeated measures and 2‐way ANOVA , Kazdin article, and Chps.9 & 10 are due at 11 a.m. 11.1.12 Thurs Data collection methods. Read Chapter 11 and Darley & Latane (1968) article. Review Power Point 11.6.12 Program evaluation, Psy 230‐ 6 Tue archival research, and meta‐analysis. Read Chapter 12. Review Power Point 11.8.12 Thurs Meta‐analysis. Read: Fabiano et al. (2009). Review Power Point 11.13.12 Tue Program evaluation. Read McDougal et al. (2005). Review Power Point 11.15.12 Thurs Analyzing, interpreting, and presenting psychological research. Read Chapter 13. Review Power Point 11.20.12 Tue No class Answers for homework on Correlation and Regression, Mediating and Moderating variables, Meta‐ analysis and Chps. 11, 12 & 13 are due at 11 a.m. 11.22.12 Thurs No class Thanksgiving Break 11.27.12 Tue Catch‐up class period. Question and Answers 11.29.12 Thurs No Class 12.13.12 Thursday FINAL EXAM from 8‐11 a.m. in POE 216. The final is inclusive of questions given on midterm and the last half of the class.