|
PSYC 3141 Research
Methods in Psychology Janice H.
Kennedy, Ph.D. Spring,
2006 2261
9:00 - 9:50
MWF 9:00 – 10:50 Tu or Th (Lab) |
OFFICE: 1060A
OFFICE HOURS: 10:00 – 10:30 MWF, 11:00 – 11:30 TT and by
appointment
PHONE NUMBER:
681-5504
GRAD
ASSISTANT: Twyla Mancil
E-MAIL: JKENNEDY@GeorgiaSouthern.edu
WEBSITE: www.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/~jkennedy
TEXTS:
Martin, D. W.
(2004). Doing psychology experiments.
(6th ed.).
Concise Rules
of APA Style. (2005). Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.
Kirkpatrick,
L. A., & Feeney, B. C. (2003). A simple guide to SPSS for Windows.
OTHER
MATERIALS:
stapler
A grade of
"C" in STAT 2231 is a prerequisite for this course. I assume that you
have a working knowledge of elementary statistics. You must make at least a “C”
in this course to take PSYC 4131 (Advanced Psychological Research).
COURSE
DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: This course provides a general introduction to
research methodology in psychology. Goals are to provide a foundation for: (1)
understanding the fundamental considerations which must precede research; (2)
developing experimental designs;
(3)
conducting research; (4) establishing the means by which to draw conclusions
and make generalizations from research studies; and (5) communicating research
findings to others. We will work toward these goals both through
readings/lectures about research and through performing experiments ourselves.
Few
psychology majors go on to become experimental psychologists, but all of you
will be consumers of psychological research, even if only through reports in
newspapers and magazines. In this
course, you will learn how to evaluate the claims and uses of psychological
research.
LEARNING
OUTCOMES:
1. To become familiar with basic
correlational and experimental research designs.
2. To become familiar with the
ethical and practical considerations in conducting research with adults.
3. To learn basic use of SPSS for
description and analysis of data.
4. To learn basic principles of
writing in APA style.
5. To be able to design a simple
research study, collect data, analyze the results, and write a paper
that communicates the findings to an appropriate audience.
6. To be able to find relevant
research articles through library resources and write a relevant review of
the literature for one’s research topic,
including a critical evaluation and synthesis of completed studies
as they relate to the
student’s research project.
TESTS: Two tests will be given (see attached
schedule for dates), worth 100 points. These tests may consist of multiple
choice, fill in the blank, short answer, and/or essay questions. Makeup exams
will be given only in the direst of circumstances and only on makeup day (the
last day of the semester). All exams may cover any assigned material in the
course up to that point. They may include assigned material not explicitly
covered in class, as well as lecture material not covered in the text or
readings.
RESEARCH
PROJECT: An original research project is required, accounting for 400
points. The goal of this project is to allow you to apply principles of
experimental methods as you are learning about them. Specific components of the
project are due as follows:
a. Research idea due Monday, February 20.
This should consist of a brief summary of your research question,
why you believe it to be an important one,
evidence of supporting literature for your question, and participants
and procedures you plan to use. 2-3 pages,
typed. (50 points)
b.
Research proposal due Monday, March 20. This should consist of
your review of relevant literature and a
description of your proposed
participants, materials, and procedures, written in APA style. (We will discuss
this in class and labs.) A well written proposal will mean few
revisions in your final paper. 12-18 typed
pages. (100 points)
c. Research paper due Monday, April 24.
This includes your edited proposal and your results and discussion
sections of your paper. Turn in all
xeroxed articles and notes taken from references in preparing your paper,
arranged in alphabetical order. Also turn
in your rough drafts that were submitted earlier and returned
to you. 20-35 typed pages in APA style.
(200 points)
d. Poster
presentation on Wednesday, May 3: This is a concise presentation of your
research project in a pleasing
visual format that gives you a chance to explain
your study and findings to
interested others. (50 points)
In addition
to the specific components of your research project outlined above, I will
periodically ask you to share your progress with me and with your peers,
usually in labs.
Conducting a
research study requires individuals to participate as subjects. Thus, one
requirement of the course is to participate in studies conducted by other
Research Methods students for a total of 3 hours (6 one-half hour slots) during
the semester. This is required so that everyone will be able to conduct a
research study. You may select the studies in which you want to participate.
Studies beyond the required 3 hours can earn extra credit, if you so choose.
LABORATORY: We will meet two hours per week for practical
application of experimental methods. Your lab attendance is required for each
session. You must be on time. You may attend either lab session, but no make-up
labs will be offered. Five points can be accrued by participation in lab
activities.
Approximately
five written assignments will be required in labs, which will account for100
points of your final grade. To complete the lab assignment, you must be
present for the appropriate lab.
WRITTEN
ASSIGNMENTS: All assignments
(sections of research paper submissions and lab assignments) are due by the
beginning of class on the due date. A penalty of 5% per day will be incurred
for late papers.
All papers
must be typed and stapled in the upper left-hand corner.
GRADES: The grade you earn depends on the number of points
you accumulate on the two exams, labs, research paper, and poster presentation.
Summarizing
the above, proportions of your grade are computed as follows:
Assignment # of Points My Grade
Test 1 100 ________
Test 2 100 ________
Research Paper 400 ________
Lab Assignments 100 ________
Lab Attendance 50 ________
Grades are
assigned as follows:
Grade Average Points
A 670-750
B 600-669
C 525-599
D 450-524
F Below 450
*Note that if
you are a psychology major, you must have a "C" in this course to
meet departmental requirements for graduation and to take Advanced
Psychological Research.
CLASS
STRUCTURE/ATTENDANCE POLICY: Class time
will be spent primarily with lectures, practical exercises, and demonstrations.
I welcome your questions and relevant contributions to class discussions.
You are
expected to attend class each day. You are, of course, responsible for
announcements and lecture material covered during your absence from class.
BEHAVIORAL
EXPECTATIONS (Yours and Mine):
I expect you
to:
1.
read your assignments before coming to class
2.
be in your seat and ready for class at 9:00
3.
turn off your cell phone for the duration of class
4.
raise questions about material you do not understand
5.
comment on what you read and what you hear in class
6.
turn in exams, papers, and labs that are solely your work
7.
work hard in this course
8.
pay attention when I or another student is speaking
9.
enjoy this class
I expect
myself to:
1.
start class on time
2.
end class on time
3.
come prepared each day
4.
work hard to present a class that is engaging and up-to-date
5.
treat all students fairly
6.
return all assignments as soon as possible
7.
stimulate your critical thinking skills
8.
be available to help you outside of class
9.
prepare exams that are content valid
10. enjoy this class
ACADEMIC
DISHONESTY: Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honesty Honor Code as
published in section 3 of the Georgia
Southern University Student Conduct Code. Cases of academic dishonesty are
dealt with according to policies outlined in the student handbook. Academic
dishonesty will result in a grade of “0” for the assignment and for the course.
Academic dishonesty involves representing any work turned in (whether tests,
labs, papers, etc.) completed in any part by others as your own. You are
expected to work independently on labs and your research project without
assistance from classmates unless approved by me. Plagiarism and appropriate
citation methods will be discussed in class and described in handouts. Also,
see the Georgia Southern Student Handbook for a discussion of plagiarism.
ACADEMIC
ACCOMMODATIONS: This class complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation must: (1)
register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource
Center (SDRC); and (2) provide a letter to me from the SDRC indicating what your
need may be for academic accommodation. This should be done within the first
week of class. (SDRC,
ADMINISTRIVIA:
This is a very labor-intensive course for both you and for me. I generally have
more contacts with students outside of class in this course than in any other
course. As you may or may not know, faculty do many other things beside teach
classes. We usually conduct our own research, supervise students who work in
our labs, supervise individual student projects at both the graduate and
undergraduate level, and do much committee work. Therefore, we have to be
really organized¾just like you¾to get everything done. Although I want to help you to succeed in
this class in any way that I can, I want to establish some guidelines for help
outside of class. I will be happy to discuss questions related to the course
during my office hours. If you are not free during my office hours, we can
schedule a meeting at a mutually convenient time. Generally, when my office
door is open, I am happy to see you. However, when my door is closed, it is a
signal that I prefer not to be disturbed or am not in. I would especially
appreciate not being interrupted during the half‑hour before a class when
I am reviewing my notes and getting ready for class. After class is a good time
for short meetings, or you can always e-mail me.
Note that I
expect your attendance in class every day. If you are unable to be present,
then I expect you to check with another student to determine what you have
missed in class. I cannot meet with you individually in lieu of your attending
class without a valid medical emergency.
Week Topic Reading
Assignment
January
9 Introduction
to Course
How
to Make Orderly Observations
How to Do Experiments
How
to Get an Experimental Idea Ch.
3
23 How
to Be Fair with Participants
How
to Be Fair with Science
30 How
to Find Out What Has Been Done
6
How to Decide Which Variables to Manipulate and Measure Ch. 7
Test 1 (Friday, February 10)
13 How
to Decide on a Between-Subjects vs. Within-Subjects
Design Ch.
8
20 Research
Idea Due
How to Plan
Single-Variable, Multiple-Variable, and
Converging-Series Experiments
27
How to Design Research That is Not Experimental Ch.
10
March
6 Last
Day to Withdraw without Penalty
Test 2 (Wednesday, March 8)
13 Spring Break
20 Research Proposal Due
How to Tell When you are Ready
to Begin Ch.
11
Peer Review
Administrative Details for
Running your Study
Pilot Data Collection
27 Pilot
Data Collection
3 Data
Collection
10 Data
Collection
Stats Consultation
How to Interpret Experimental Results
How to Report Experimental Results
24 Final Research Paper Due (Monday, April
24)
Poster Preparation
May
1 Poster Preparation
Make-Up Exam, 11:00 a.m.
(Dec. 1)
3 Final
Exam (Poster Presentation) Wednesday 7:30 – 9:30
How to Do Well
in This Course
1. As an
upper-level psychology major, you are expected to take a major share of the
responsibility for your success in this course. You have the responsibility
for: (a) keeping up with your readings and with activities involving your
research project; (b) becoming familiar with all handouts and instructions; (c)
completing assignments as specified and on time; and (d) asking for
clarification if assignments are unclear.
2. Be on
time for class. Important announcements are generally made at the beginning of
class. Moreover, it's often difficult to know what's going on if you miss the
first few minutes of a lecture. Coming in late is disruptive to my
concentration and that of your classmates.
3. Read
each chapter (at least skim it) before relevant lectures. This will make the
lectures more meaningful and will allow you to know whether the topic is
addressed in the text. I assume when I lecture that you have read the assigned
readings. Then, after relevant lectures, read the assignment carefully, and
highlight. It is crucial that you
keep up with your readings. Since you have only a few tests, an exam can be
overwhelming if you have not kept up with your reading assignments.
4. In
lectures and discussions, try to get actively involved. Don't simply copy down
what I write on the board; try to put the information into your own words. Your
active involvement in class discussions will help to make the class more
interesting to you, especially if you have read relevant sections of the text,
and will make the information more meaningful.
5. The
same day as the lecture, go over your notes. Either rewrite them, type them, or
simply read them again. This will allow you to make sure that they are legible
and make sense while the information is still fresh.
6. The
tests generally are made up of about 50% information from lectures and 50% from
your text. Therefore, it is imperative that you study both.
7. Be
sure that you can apply the concepts that you are learning about.
Practice thinking up examples that illustrate the concepts. Do the exercises at
the end of each chapter.
8.
Since tests depend heavily upon notes, you must come to class every day
if you expect to do well on tests.
9.
Know that your library research, labs, written work, and typing
will take at least twice the time that you
think it
will. Some students can complete a given lab in two hours; other students have
reported to me that it
may take them
four hours to do the same lab. It depends on how easily writing comes to you,
your prior
exposure to
APA style, and even your typing ability. And plan ahead for mishaps! I have heard many sad
stories about
computer viruses, disappearing files, uncooperative printers, and power
failures.
10. After you have written each research
report, read over it again. Many "A" papers become "B" papers because of misspelled words, awkward
sentence construction, or careless mistakes. Correct these simple problems to
make it an "outstanding" paper.
11. Make sure that everything you write is
either your own idea, someone else's idea but in your own words and appropriately
cited, or in quotation marks and appropriately cited. Papers are individual projects unless student
collaboration is explicitly allowed.