Dewar College of Education and Human Services

Valdosta State University

Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy

PSYC 8000
Research Methods
3 SEMESTER HOURS

Guiding Principles (DEPOSITS)

(adapted from the Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program Accomplished Teacher Framework)

Dispositions Principle: Productive dispositions positively affect learners, professional growth, and the learning
environment.

Equity Principle: All learners deserve high expectations and support.

Process Principle: Learning is a lifelong process of development and growth.

Ownership Principle: Professionals are committed to and assume responsibility for the future of their disciplines.

Support Principle: Successful engagement in the process of learning requires collaboration among multiple
partners.

Impact Principle: Effective practice yields evidence of learning.

Technology Principle: Technology facilitates teaching, learning, community-building, and resource acquisition.

Standards Principle: Evidence-based standards systematically guide professional preparation and development.

INSTRUCTOR
Name: Blaine L. Browne
Office Number: Psychology Building 2113
Telephone Number: 293-6318
Email Address: blbrowne@valdosta.edu
Office Hours: 7:30-9:00am MW; 2:30-3:30 M-F and 5-7:00p Mon and by appointment
Website: http://mypages.valdosta.edu/blbrowne/

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Prerequisite: PSYC 5500 or permission of instructor. Design of experimental and correlational research, using
univariate, bivariate, and multivariate techniques.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS / RESOURCE MATERIALS

Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics (4th Edition) by Andy Field
Additional readings will be posted throughout the semester on the course BlazeView site.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES
The goal of this course is to provide you with a solid foundation in research design and analysis so that you can
apply this knowledge to your work and research. By the end of this course, you should:

1. Know what statistics are, and why we need to use them

2. Given a research scenario, identify and explain constructs, independent variables, dependent variables,
and operational definitions.
2. Analyze, graph, and summarize nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scaled data
3. Be able to perform the following analyses in SPSS, interpret the output, and write the APA style results.
a. Correlation d. ANOVA
b. Regression e. EFA
c. t-test
4. Be able to use the appropriate statistical analysis in a given situation
5. Be able to describe internal and external validity, and understand how each type of validity is affected by
experimental design
6. Be able to describe basic types of quasi-experimental designs
7. Be able to describe randomized experiments, and know the advantages and disadvantages of randomized
experiments
8. Be able to apply the principles of research design to real-world research issues

COURSE ACTIVITIES/ASSIGNMENTS/REQUIREMENTS
1.Thirteen (13) 30-45 minute Quizzes 50 points each; 600pts (67%). We will drop the lowest quiz, so a total of 12
quizzes will be used. Most of the quiz questions will come from Smart Alexs tasks at the end of each chapter
so make sure you work on these throughout the week well before the quiz. Multiple choice, short answer,
calculations, fill in, SPSS output interpretation and write ups. These will be done at the start of each class and
timed for 30-45 minutes depending on the material.

2. Ten (10) in class data worksheets (5pts each) (5%). We will enter the data, run the correct stat procedure and
interpret the output. Then everyone will answer a few questions about it and write up a short results. This will
then be uploaded to the dropbox at end of class.

3. THREE (3) SPSS notebook assignments, 150 pts (50 pts each time turned in) (17%). Students will complete a
series of annotated exercises for each statistical procedure that we do using the data files on blazeview. I will hand
out a list of procedures that will go in your notebook. The SPSS printouts will be annotated. These assignments
should be organized and labeled in such a way that the exercises are easily understood and easy to follow. In the
notebook you will do this just like in 3500 class, putting in many notes, screen shots, to make this your very own
how to manual on advanced stats. The more detail the better.

i. Each student will find an article that uses the assigned statistical procedure and you will describe if it was
the appropriate procedure to use, describe the research design, the variables, and a description of the results in
your own words. Also, assess whether the appropriate screening techniques were used if any. This article along
with your typed critique will go in that corresponding section of the notebook.

ii. Each notebook manuscript will include: (a) APA Title page, (b) appropriate research hypotheses (c) APA
Method section (the Method section will include a subsection for Participants: sample size, sample demographic
information and missing data, Variables and Definitions, Procedure), (d) Results: a one-page summary of
findings, and (e) graphs & tables. APA format should be used throughout the manuscript.
In summary: Each notebook will include the SPSS output for each procedure. You should have lots of notes
within the SPSS output. Then the APA manuscript for that procedure will follow that, followed by the related
research article you found with accompanying critique of it.

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4. Ten (10) Homework Assignments (10 pts each; 100 pts) (11%). These will include article reading assignments,
textbook questions, SPSS assignments or hand calculation practice.

COURSE EVALUATION
A = 900-810 points 90-100%
B = 809-712 points 79-89%
C = 711-630 points 70-78%
D = 629-540 points 60-69%
F = 539-0 points 59% and below

ATTENDANCE POLICY
After your 3rd absence you lose 3 pts for each subsequent absence. After a total of 5 absences you may receive an
automatic F for the course.

PROFESSIONALISM

Portable Electronic Devices (Texting): During class all electronic devices will be silenced and put away. This
includes cell phones, text devices, MP3 players, laptops, etc.

DEWAR COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SERVICES POLICY ON PLAGIARISM

http://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/education/deans-office/policy-statement-of-plagiarism.php

ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Valdosta State University is an equal opportunity educational institution. It is not the intent of the institution to
discriminate against any applicant for admission or any student or employee of the institution based on the age,
sex, race, religion, color, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation of the individual. It is the intent of the
institution to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent Executive Orders as well as Title IX,
Equal Pay Act of 1963, Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Students with disabilities who are experiencing barriers in this course may contact the Access Office for
assistance in determining and implementing reasonable accommodations. The Access Office is located in Farber
Hall. The phone numbers are 229-245-2498 (V), 229-375-5871 (VP) and 229-219-1348 (TTY). For more
information, please visit http://www.valdosta.edu/access or email: access@valdosta.edu

STUDENT OPINION OF INSTRUCTION

At the end of the term, all students will be expected to complete an online Student Opinion of Instruction survey
(SOI) that will be available on BANNER. Students will receive an email notification through their VSU email
address when the SOI is available (generally at least one week before the end of the term). SOI responses are
anonymous, and instructors will be able to view only a summary of all responses two weeks after they have
submitted final grades. Instructors will not be able to view individual responses or to access any of the responses
until after final grade submission. Complete information about the SOIs, including how to access the survey and a
timetable for this term is available at http://www.valdosta.edu/academic/OnlineSOIPilotProject.shtml.

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 TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE PSYCH 8000
Blaine L. Browne, Ph.D.
1-10 Field Ch 1 & 3: Course Overview Review Basic Stats, 3Ms, variability, & Review of SPSS
1-17 Field Ch 2: Sampling, Exploring the Data, NHST, & Bias & Decision errors, E.S., & Power
In class Worksheet 1 (data to run in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)

1-24 Quiz 1 over Ch 1&2 HW 1 DUE ARTICLE WS

PPT NOTES: Measurement Issues: Reliability and Validity. How to compute and recode in SPSS

1-31 Quiz 2 over Measurement and Validity

Field Ch 4: Graphs In class WS 2 (data to make graphs in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)

2-7 Quiz 3 over Ch 4 HW 2 DUE Graphs

PPT NOTES: Basics of Experimental Designs (mini Exper. in class as example here (use data for t-tests and oneway)
2-14 Quiz 4 over Exper Designs
Field Ch 5: Bias In class WS 3 Transforming Data (data to run in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)

2-21 QUIZ 5 over Ch 5 HW 3 DUE

Field Ch 7: Correlation & Partial Correlation In class WS4 (data to run in SPSS answer qs & upload to dropbox)

2-28 QUIZ 6 over Ch7 HW 4 DUE

Field Ch 8 Univariate & Multiple Regression In class WS 5 (data to run in SPSS answer qs & upload to dropbox)

3-7 Quiz 7 over Ch 8

Field Ch 9: Comparing two means In class Worksheet 6 (data to run in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)
Notebook 1 Due (Graphs, recode, compute, correlations and regression, APA manuscript using Regression)

3-14 Spring Break Week

3-21 QUIZ 8 over Ch9 HW 5 DUE t-tests

Field Ch 11 ANOVA + HAND CALCULATE ONEWAY ANOVA WORKSHEET
In class Worksheet 7 (data to run in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)

3-28 Quiz 9 over Ch 11 HW 6 DUE Hand calc ANOVA

Field Ch 12 More Oneway ANOVA & ANCOVA

4-4 Quiz 10 over Ch 12 HW 7 DUE ANCOVA ARTICLE WS

Field Ch 13: Factorial ANOVA GLM 3 + HAND CALCULATE FACTORIAL WORKSHEET
In class Worksheet 8 (data to run in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)
Notebook 2 Due (t tests, ANOVA, ANCOVA; APA manuscript using any two of the procedures)

4-11 Quiz 11 over Ch 13 HW 8 DUE Hand calculation of a factorial

Field Ch 14: Repeated Measures designs & Field Ch 15 Mixed designs

4-18 Quiz 12 over Ch 14 RM and MIXED HW 9 DUE Factor analysis article Sheet
Field Ch 17: EFA
In class Worksheet 9 EFA (data to run in SPSS answer qs and upload to dropbox)

4-25 No Quiz HW 10 DUE

Finish Ch 17 and Moderation and Mediation in Regression In class Worksheet 10 (REVIEW sheet)

5-2 Final Quiz 13 over EFA (may be a bit longer than the other quizzes) on May XX TBA
Notebook 3 Due (Factorial ANOVA, Repeated measures, EFA and APA manuscript using factorial ANOVA)

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