Research Methods II PSYC 309.101(class # 4029)
Fall 2006
University of Baltimore Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences
Instructor:
Tom Mitchell, Ph.D.
Classes:
Thursdays 5:30 PM Room AC 413
Office:
AC 209D phone 837-5348 E-mail TMITCHELL@ubalt.edu
Website http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch
Office Hours:
Mondays 12:00 - 2 PM; 4 - 5 PM; Thursdays 2 - 4 PM
Langsdale
Library Applied Psych Page
American Psychological
Association
American
Psychological Society
Psychological
Bulletin
Psychological
Research on the Net (APS)
Psychological
Journals Online (Hanover College)
Journals of Interest to this class:
Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology (APA)
Journal of Applied
Psychology (APA)
Sources attached to this syllabus:
Kerlinger definitions of theory and other
key terms
questions to critique an experimental report
guide for writing experimental reports
Project Plan
Coding sheet for Immigration Scale
Immigration scale
An introduction to the fundamentals of research design and applications of research methodologies for studying behavior. The epistemological underpinnings of research strategies will be discussed, as well as the practicalities of using these strategies. Students will perform laboratory exercises designed to familiarize them with designing, conducting, and evaluating die results of psychological research.
0bjectives:
I. To gain an increased understanding of the application of scientific methods to the study of psychological phenomena.
2. To learn to collect data for the purpose of answering an experimentally derived question and report the results in conformance to APA style.
3. To enable the student to determine the appropriate statistical techniques used to analyze various experimental designs.
4. To familiarize the student with shortcomings inherent in various experimental designs.
Class Format: Lecture and discussion of assigned materials and class project.
Texts Required:
Cozby,
P. C. (2007). Methods in \Behavioral Research. (9th edition).
McGraw-Hill, Pub. ISBN: 0-07-353181-2
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition
American Psychological
Association (2001). ISBN: 1-55798-810 -2
Your course grade will result from the assessment of your knowledge of the course content (text material and lectures), the quality of your data collection, analysis and report of a research project written in APA style.
Three multiple choice tests (20 pts each 60 pts Grade Scale:
Quality of research report 20 pts
A 90-100
B+ 85-89
Data collection and analysis 20 pts B 80-84
C+ 75-79
Total points 100 points
C 70-75
D+ 65-70
D 60-69 F<60
Requirements for project report: (see Guide for writing experimental reports)
Quality of Research The important aspects in judging quality will be how well you were able to develop the literature review, report your results, and draw conclusions from the results. This means integrating the literature (theories and opinions), offering explanations for resolving conflicting research findings, and drawing reasonable conclusions based on what you found,
Grammar/proofreading: It is imperative that the paper be grammatically correct and edited carefully. You must include a definitive title and a one page abstract.
Length: The paper must be in APA style and no longer than 12 pages (without references).
Original sources: You will be expected to find original sources for your references and will he asked to bring a copy of the title page and abstract to verify that you were able to find the original. Secondary sources may be cited only rarely and only if the original is unavailable from tile University of Maryland library system.
Class attendance and submission of assignments is essential. Failure to submit assignments when due and absence from class may result in a decrement of your grade.
Policy on Academic Integrity (Plagiarism): see more detail at Plagarism (Tulane)
"Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional presentation of another person's idea or product as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following: copying verbatim all or part of another's written work; using phrases, charts, figures, illustrations, or mathematical or scientific solutions without citing the source and using quotations; paraphrasing ideas, conclusions, or research without citing the source; and using all or part of a literary plot, poem, film, musical score, or other artistic product without attributing the work to its creator. Students can avoid unintentional plagiarism by carefully accepted scholarly practices. Notes taken for papers and research projects should accurately record sources of material to be cited, quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, and papers should acknowledge these sources in footnotes." (Anonymous).
Date Chapter / Activity
| Week 1: Aug 31
Discussion of syllabus, class research project and SPSS lab
Chapter I Scientific Understanding of Behavior (p 1) Assignment: Think of factors: 1. (individual diff : demographic and psychological) and 2. situational variable (e.g. persuasive message) relating to attitudes toward illegal immigration. Project Plan |
| Week 2: Sept 7
Chapter 2 Where to Start
(p 2)
Discussion Questions
Assignment: Find a article from a journal on (1) attitude change (2)
immigration
Chapter 3 Ethical Research (p
37) APA
Ethical Principles and Guidelines
|
| Week 3: Sept 14 Visit
Langsdale Library 5:30 in Langsdale (4th floor room to be
determined). ***Please plan to attend*** We will learn to research articles for the project topic |
| Week 4: Sept 21
Chapter 4 Studying Behavior (p
66) (see: questions
to critique an experimental report)
|
| Week 5: Sept 28
**** Test #1 Chapters 1-4 ****
Begin development of I V and DV in teams |
| Week 6: Oct 5
Chapter 5 Measurement Concepts (p 91) SPSS lab (Dummy data input) Test review and Project discussion Present drafts of IV and DV for Immigration study |
| Week 7: Oct 12
Chapter
8 Experimental Designs (p 149)
Finalize Procedure, IV and DV for Immigration attitude study |
| Week 8: Oct 19
Chapter 9 Conducting Experiments (p 165)
|
| Week 9: Oct 26
Chapter 10 Complex Experimental Designs
(p. 186) |
| Week 10: Nov 2 **** Test #2 Chapters 8-10 **** |
| Week 11: Nov 9
Chapter 12 Understanding Results: Description and
Correlation (p. 225)
How to analyze Immigration data in SPSS |
| Week 12: Nov 16
Chapter 13 Understanding Research Results:
Statistical Inference (p. 247)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265&q=roy+beck&hl=en *** Draft of Immigration study due *** |
| Nov 23 "Turkey out" day (no class) |
| Week 13: Nov 30 **** Final Research Report Due
****
Chapter 11 Single-Case, Quasi-Experimental, and Developmental Research (p 203) |
| Week 14: Dec 7 Chapter 14 Generalizing Results (p 271) |
| Week 15: Dec 14 ****
Test #3 Chapters 11 - 14****
|