Course Proposals Course Name:Psychology Statistics Lab  Course Prefix: PSY Course Number: 3605              Submitted by (Name & E-Mail):  Azenett Garza, agarza@weber.edu Current Date:  3/5/2010 College: Social & Behavioral Sciences Department:   Psychology                               From Term: Fall  2010  Substantive new  Current Course Subject N/A Current Course Number   Not applicable. New/Revised Course Information: Subject:  PSY             Course Number: 3605 Check all that apply:     This is for courses already approved for gen ed.     Use a different form for proposing a new gen ed designation. DV  SI  CA  HU  LS  PS  SS  EN  AI  QL  TA  TB  TC  TD  TE Course Title: Psychology Statistics Lab Abbreviated Course Title: Psychology Statistics Lab Course Type:  LAB Credit Hours:  1  or if variable hours:    to Contact Hours: Lecture   Lab 1   Other Repeat Information:  Limit 0   Max Hrs 0  Grading Mode:  standard This course is/will be: a required course in a major program a required course in a minor program a required course in a 1- or 2- year program elective Prerequisites/Co-requisites: Pre-requisite or Co-requisite: PSY 3600 or equivalent Course description (exactly as it will appear in the catalog, including prerequisites): This course covers the application of statistical, database, and graphical software for psychological research analysis and presentation. Pre-requisite or co-requisite: PSY 3600 or equivalent. Herein we propose the creation of a PSY3605 Psychology Statistics Lab course (1 credit). This course is designed to be taken concurrently with PSY3600 preferably, but could also be taken concurrently with PSY 3610 and will be required of Psychology majors, Psychology Teaching majors, and Psychology BIS emphasis students. Non-psychology majors may also take the course if they choose. The course will address the use of statistical, database, and graphing software (e.g. SPSS, Excel, Powerpoint) to fully analyze, graph, and present raw data sets. See attached Syllabus for details on learning objectives and topics covered. Justification Psychology Majors, Psychology Teaching Majors, and Psychology BIS emphasis students are required to take Statistics in Psychology (PSY 3600, 3 credits) and Research Methods in Psychology (PSY 3610, 4 credits); the first course is a prerequisite to the second. Currently the PSY 3600 course encompasses conceptual, theoretical, and computational aspects of the statistical tests, and introduces students to the use of statistical/database software packages (e.g. SPSS, Excel). Historically, students have had difficulty transitioning from the PSY 3600 course to the PSY 3610 course. Instructors have needed to spend a disproportionate amount of time in reviewing and teaching students how to apply SPSS and Excel to novel data sets. Consequently, the learning objectives of the PSY 3610 course (coverage of research methodology, design study, IRB proposal, data collection and analysis, research paper composition) have suffered. We propose the creation of a PSY 3605 Statistics Laboratory Course to offer three main benefits to Psychology majors (and other students that enroll in the Psychology statistics and methods courses): a) students will get far more experience in the use of statistical software, and how to choose what types of analyses to conduct on raw data sets, and b) students will, on average, come more prepared to PSY 3610 and will, therefore, get more from that course, and c) PSY 3605 students will gain critical thinking and software-based analytical skills that they will be able to use in different work environments and add to their resumé making them more marketable. Note: Psychology departments incorporate statistics and research methodology into courses in many different ways depending on the university. It is common to require the equivalent of two 4 credit courses. Some universities offer a 4 credit statistics course that is inclusive of a statistics computer lab. However, we prefer the model of a 3 credit statistics course and a separate 1 credit statistics computer lab as it offers greater flexibility. Several examples of existing psychology statistics lab courses are: University of Texas at Tyler: 3155 Psychology Statistics Lab San Diego State University: PSY 271, Data Analysis in Psychology: PSY 271, Data Analysis in Psychology, is a 1-unit course that meets two hours a week in the computer lab. Students practice (or review) what they have learned in their regular statistics class while working on real data sets. INFORMATION PAGE for substantive proposals only 1. Did this course receive unanimous approval within the Department? true If not, what are the major concerns raised by the opponents? 2. If this is a new course proposal, could you achieve the desired results by revising an existing course within your department or by requiring an existing course in another department? No. An alternative would be to add a 1 credit hour to the PSY 3600 course bringing it to four credits. However, this would not offer the desired result. Although other departments offer statistics courses, no other department currently offers a stand alone statistics lab. By offering 3605 as a stand alone 1 credit course we can a) make it a requirement for Psychology majors, b) offer it to other students interested in a statistics computer lab course, c) provide flexibility to transfer students (who may have a statistics course equivalent, but not a statistics lab course equivalent), and d) offer students flexibility in enrollment timing (i.e., they could take the 1 credit lab concurrent with 3600, concurrent with 3610, or in between taking 3600 and 3610). 3. How will the proposed course differ from similar offerings by other departments? Comment on any subject overlap between this course and topics generally taught by other departments, even if no similar courses are currently offered by the other departments. Explain any effects that this proposal will have on program requirements or enrollments in other department. Please forward letters (email communication is sufficient) from all departments that you have identified above stating their support or opposition to the proposed course. As mentioned above, no other department currently offers a stand alone statistics lab. This will be a requirement only for Psychology students (Majors, Teaching Majors, or BIS emphasis) or individuals choosing to take PSY3610 Research Methods (see additional proposal changing the PSY3610 catalog description to include 3605 as a prerequisite/co-requisite). Although only Psychology majors will be required to take PSY3605, any student that would like to take it may do so as long as they fulfill the Math 1010 prerequisite (or equivalent) and the PSY3600 prerequisite/co-requisite (or equivalent). 4. Is this course required for certification/accreditation of a program? no If so, a statement to that effect should appear in the justification and supporting documents should accompany this form. 5. For course proposals, e-mail a syllabus to Faculty Senate which should be sufficiently detailed that the committees can determine that the course is at the appropriate level and matches the description. There should be an indication of the amount and type of outside activity required in the course (projects, research papers, homework, etc.).

PSYCHOLOGY STATISTICS LAB

Weber State University

Professor:                                Azenett A. Garza, Ph.D.

Contact Information:                e-mail:  agarza@weber.edu

                                                Office #: 626-6249

Website:                               

Web CT http://online.weber.edu will need Wildcat username and password to access.

 Text:

Green, S. B. & Salkind, N. J. (2008  ). Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data. 5th Edition. New Jersey, Prentice Hall.

Learning Objectives

 1.      The ability to identify the appropriate statistical procedures for many basic research questions.

2.      The ability to transfer data from Excel files into SPSS.

3.      The ability to manipulate files and create variables in Excel and SPSS.

4.      The ability to conduct the appropriate statistical analysis using SPSS.

5.      The ability to test for statistical assumptions.

6.      The ability to learn how to interpret statistical analysis and their corresponding output from SPSS.

7.      The ability to learn how to report and summarize statistical analysis in APA style.

8.      The ability to graphically display statistical results in Excel and Powerpoint in APA style.

9.      The ability to understand statistical analysis in psychological reports. 

Evaluation of Course Work 

Attendance Class participation and discussion will occur on a regular basis. In addition, all assignments will be given and explained during class. You may miss 1 of these days without penalty. Additional missed days will receive 0s. Each day of participation and assignment will be worth 5 points.

 Statistical Analysis and Graphical Presentation Assignments: There will be 12 assignments that will require running a statistical analysis to be covered in the lab (see outline for statistics to be covered) on SPSS, graphically displaying your results in Excel and/or Powerpoint and verbally describing the results. These assignments will be due at the beginning of class on their specified due dates. Due dates are listed on the class calendar.  Your lowest grade will be dropped. Each assignment will be worth 25 points. Late assignments will be penalized 2 points for each date they are late (weekends count as two days, Sat. & Sun.). Late assignments are better than no assignments.

What is the workload expectation for this course?
In this course, in addition to the 14 hours spent in class, you should spend up to 42 hours doing "homework," which include reading the text and documents, and completing and writing your assignments. That equals 56 hours, which is the university standard in-and-out-of-class workload expectation for a one-hour course under the semester system. This is roughly equivalent to 3 hours outside of class per hour spent in class.

 Student Disability Weber State University is committed to equal opportunity in education for all students, including those with documented physical disabilities or documented learning disabilities.  Weber State University policy states that it is the responsibility of students to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary. The instructor will meet with the student and staff members of the SSD to formulate a written plan for appropriate accommodations, if required.

Calculation of Grades 

12 Statistics Lab Assignments      (25 pts. ea.)                          80% of your grade

Attendance                                    (5 pts. ea.)                           20% of your grade

             Final Grade                

            A         94-100%                      C         74-76%

            A-        90-93%                        C-        70-73%

            B+       87-89%                        D+       67-69%

            B         84-86%                        D         64-66%

            B-        80-83%                        D-        60-63%

            C+       77-79%                        E          0-59%

Class Attendance: Please note that attendance will be officially taken every class and an excessive number of unexcused absences will result in a lower grade.  Homework assignments and materials are given during class. Therefore, it is to the benefit of the student to attend class everyday.

Excused Absences for University-Recognized Activities.  “Students who will be absent while representing the University in officially recognized University activities (sports, band, professional conferences, etc.) must notify the instructor ten days prior to absence.  Students will be permitted to make up both assignments and examinations in consultation with their instructors

Class Contact: At times it is necessary to miss a part or all of class. When this happens, it is helpful to have the name and number of another student in the class you can call to answer any questions you may have about any information missed, etc.  Please use the space below to write down the name, email, and phone number of at least one student in this class who you can contact:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CLASS DISRUPTIONS

            Students in this course have the right to participate in lecture sessions that are relatively free of any unnecessary noises or other distractions that could impair their ability to take good lecture notes.  For this reason, all students attending class will be expected to refrain from the following:

            Chronic Tardiness.  Students who anticipate being late for class on a regular basis should see me at the beginning of the semester to explain why they will be late.  They also should plan to sit in an area of the classroom that will lead to the least amount of class disruption when they arrive.  Students who are chronically late (4 or more times) but fail to discuss the problem with me can expect to receive a final grade in the class that is one letter grade lower than is indicated by their total point accumulation in the course.

Early Departures.  Students who must leave a class early should discuss their plans with me before the beginning of the class period.  Students who expect to make many such departures should talk to me about their plan at the beginning of the semester.  Students who depart early from class on a regular basis without permission will be penalized in the same manner as indicated for chronic tardiness.

            Inappropriate Behavior.  Students engaging in horseplay or disruptive, lecture-irrelevant conversations during a class period will be given up to two warnings to stop their behavior.  Following the second warning, disruptive students will be asked to leave the classroom after each additional incident.  A petition will be submitted to the Dean’s office to drop the disruptive students from the class roster after the second class dismissal.  Those dropped from the roster may receive a grade of “F”.

Electronic Gadgetry.  Students are expected to deactivate all beepers, cellular phones, and watch alarms while class is in session.  Any students who disrupts the class more than 2 times during the semester because of these devices will be asked to leave the classroom after each subsequent incident.  No walkmans, ipods, or other portable headsets may be worn while class is in session.  Tape recorders are permitted in lecture; however, care should be taken to not disrupt class while changing tapes.

VISITORS AND CHILDREN

No child or adult visitors are allowed in class without prior permission.

Academic Dishonesty

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING

“Plagiarism” means the intentional unacknowledged use or incorporation of any other person’s work in, or as a basis for, one’s own work offered for academic consideration or credit or for public presentation.  Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, representing as one’s own, without attribution, any other individual’s words, phrasing, ideas, sequence of ideas, information or any other mode or content of expression.  Plagiarism includes purchased or borrowed papers.  If you include verbatim text in one of your homework assignments, you must quote the original source.  You must put the text in quotes and give the specific citation for the questions.  Consider the following hypothetical response as an example. 

Contrary to Plato and Descartes who assumed that knowledge and ideas are innate or inborn, Locke proposed that the mind is a “blank slate…on which experience writes” (Meyers, 2003, p. 4).  This notion helped lay the foundation for empiricism, or “the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation” (Meyers, 2003, p. 4).

Plagiarism on a homework, class assignment, or exam will be dealt with in a strict fashion, including receiving a zero for the assignment and at the instructor’s discretion may result in a grade of zero for the entire course and possibly a hearing before the Dean of Students; therefore, it could have serious implications for your academic career (e.g., academic probation, suspension, or expulsion).  Please refer to the following web site for a complete listing of infringements (including plagiarism) that constitute cheating:  http://documents.weber.edu/ppm/6-22.htm

ACADEMIC PROBATION

Students who believe that a poor grade in this course may lead to their dismissal from Weber State University should talk to me as soon as possible about strategies to improve their class performance.  Seeing me at the end of the semester will not be helpful since the semester will be over and extra-credit projects are not to be available in this course.

Students who do not perform well on the first couple of assignments should come and see me immediately to determine ways in which to help improve your scores for the rest of the course.  Coming to see me because you are unhappy with your grade at the end of the semester will be of no avail. 

This Syllabus:

This syllabus is our contract.  It details your obligations to me, and mine to you.  If there are any problems, questions, suggestions or concerns about it, please bring them up now!

By continuing in the course after receiving the syllabus, you are consenting to the regulations set forth by the syllabus and to be evaluated accordingly!!!

 Course Calendar 

Week 1 – Syllabus & expectations 

Week 2 – Intro to SPSS – transferring Excel files into SPSS, navigating SPSS, entering data,  manipulation of variables. 

Week 3 – Statistical Graphing in Excel and Powerpoint – Descriptive 

Week 4 – Central Tendency & Variability 

Week 5 – Correlation 

Week 6 – Regression 

Week 7 – Multiple Regression 

Week 8 – one-sample t-test 

Week 9 – dependent t-test 

Week 10 – independent t-test 

Week 11 – ANOVA 

Week 12 – ANOVA & a priori, post hoc analysis 

Week 13 – factorial ANOVA 

Week 14 – factorial ANOVA