Introduction to Research Methods (Psy 301) – T-Th 8:00-9:15am
San Diego State University
Spring 2015
INSTRUCTOR: Shawna Saponjic, PhD
OFFICE HOURS: Tues 11:30am – 1:30pm (or by appointment) LS North 24 K
EMAIL: saponjic@mac.com (best way to reach me)
PHONE: 619.594.6293 (office)
LAB (sections 1 & 2): Mondays 10:00-11:50am in GMCS 428
TA: Michael Petty; mpetty@mail.sdsu.edu
LAB (sections 3 & 4): Mondays 1:00-2:50pm in GMCS 428
TA: Jacqueline Schnapp; jschnapp@mail.sdsu.edu
UNDERGRAD TAs
Ally Raphael; Ally_raphael@yahoo.com; Thursdays 1:00-2:00pm (LS north 24 C)
Mariah Sullivan; mariahsullivan@cox.net; Tuesdays 10:00-11:00am (LS north 24 C)
COURSE OVERVIEW: In this course you will be learning about and implementing
various methodologies used in psychology. Lectures will cover various experimental
techniques, methodological concepts, and statistical procedures. Labs will be heavily
interactive, and will include designing and conducting your own research and
reporting this in APA-style reports.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this class you will know how to:
1. Use scientific method to answer questions about human behavior:
 Measurement issues, learning
- to differentiate between constructs and observable behaviors
- to develop operational definitions and observational strategies
- to write good survey questions
- to develop measures that are both reliable and valid
 Design issues, learning
- to state hypotheses that can be tested
- to design or plan modest studies using correlational, experimental
and quasi-experimental (real world) designs
- to develop good strategies for sampling and assignment to
treatments
2. Make sense of data that you have collected or read in the news:
 Interpretation of results, learning
- to interpret statistical results including
significance, effect size, margin of error and confidence intervals
 Evaluation of designs, learning
- to state the type of conclusion, causal or otherwise
3. Write scientific reports:
 Accuracy, learning
- to follow directions to the letter
- to describe procedures and results in perfectly accurate detail
- to submit reports that have been checked for spelling and sense
 APA style, learning to follow specific rules for scientific writing
 Effectiveness, learning to make clear and persuasive statements
ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT LEVEL LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
In addition to those outlined above, other learning objectives identified as
important across the Psychology Curriculum that overlap with this course are:
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Characterize the nature of psychology as a scientific discipline and identify its primary
objectives: to describe, understand, predict, and control behavior and mental processes.
(SLO 1.7)
Formulate scientific questions using operational definitions. (SLO 3.1)
Generate appropriate methodological techniques for testing specific hypotheses. (SLO 3.2)
Design a simple experiment involving manipulation of variables. (SLO 3.3)
Identify factors required to make causal inferences about relationships between variables.
(SLO 3.4)
Design a simple self-report measure. (SLO 3.5)
Define, explain, and identify appropriate use of reliability and validity. (SLO 3.6)
Demonstrate understanding of measurement error (both systematic and unsystematic)
(SLO 3.7)
Explain correctly such terms as mean, median, standard deviation, and statistical
significance. (SLO 3.8)
Understand interpret appropriately t, F, r, and r squared. (SLO 3.9)
Describe descriptive and experimental research methods. (SLO 4.1)
Explain the similarities and differences among the research methods used by
psychologists. (SLO 4.2)
Evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions derived from psychological research and the
parameters of particular research methods. (SLO 4.3)
Recognize the necessity of and identify specific ethical behavior in all aspects of the
science and practice of psychology. (SLO 5.1)
Be familiar with the rights of human research participants and therapy clients. (SLO 5.2)
Describe the concept of informed consent to research and treatment. (SLO 5.4)
Explain the advantages and disadvantages to research that involves deception. (SLO 5.5)
Identify the role that an institutional review board plays in psychological research (SLO 5.6)
Understand that research findings may not generalize to all people. (SLO 6.7)
Demonstrate understanding of the internal and external validity of the information obtained.
(SLO 7.1)
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a study. (SLO 7.3)
Frame questions or generate hypotheses about human behavior based on experiences
and/or exposure to information from scientific literature, the general media, and specialized
sources. 9SLO 7.4)
Generate new research questions based on understanding of current research. (SLO 8.1)
Write a paper summarizing scientific literature on a psychological topic. (SLO 8.2)
Plan and execute a project that involves data collection. (SLO 8.3)
Prepare a written report based on data they have collected. (SLO 8.4)
Engage in creative thinking by evaluating new ideas with an open but critical mind. (SLO
9.1)
Demonstrate effective writing skills and use of APA-style in various formats (e.g., essays,
technical papers). (SLO 9.4)
Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively. (SLO 9.6)
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
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NOTE: The text, writing guide, and lab manual have been bundled for you
in the bookstore. ISBN: 9781305315907
o If you want to purchase these separately, you would need all three
parts:
 TEXT: Conducting research in psychology: Measuring the
weight of smoke, 4th ed. Brett Pelham & Hart Blanton.
Thomson-Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN: 9780495598244
 WRITING GUIDE: Writing With Style, 6th ed. Lenore T.
Szuchman. Wadsworth Cengage Learning. ISBN:
9781285077062
 LAB MANUAL: The lab manual has been printed in the
textbook bundle (available in the bookstore). It will also be
available on Blackboard as a PDF file.
Flash drive
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
Academic Dishonesty: The Student Code of Conduct is online at
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html. The academic dishonesty code
specifies actions for behaviors such as cheating on tests, plagiarism, and/or
inappropriately collaborating with others. I will enforce the code in the course;
cheating or other violations will result in appropriate penalties, including a failing
grade on the assignment or in the course, and the reporting of that incident to the
Center of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students have the right to appeal
such action in accord with due process.
Students with disabilities: San Diego State University seeks to provide equal
access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you
will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given
to the Student Disability Services (SDS), 619.594.6473 or online at
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sds.
Grade challenges: Upon receiving graded assignments, you have 1 week to
check your grade with the instructor. This includes the grade for the final exam
and your final grade for the class. After one week, grade challenges will not be
reviewed.
LAB:
Assignments: Be sure to check your lab manual before lab. For most
labs there will be an assignment that you need to do in advance and bring to
lab (pre-lab assignments). The TA’s will be checking these assignments at
the beginning of lab. To receive full points on the lab you must have done the
assignment before lab.
Lab Rules: You must attend your lab section (i.e., the section in which
you are officially enrolled). Never insert a flash drive before you have
mailed in your assignment, otherwise you will receive a zero for that lab.
Send in a report before you leave lab, and if necessary send in the rest
later.
EVALUATION & GRADES:
Exams: The exams will be both multiple choice and short answer. Exams will
cover lecture information, textbook readings and lab material. The first two
exams are worth 100 points each. The final exam is comprehensive and worth
150 points. If an exam is missed (with a university excuse) a makeup will be
arranged. If an exam is missed (with a reasonable excuse) then a makeup to be
taken within one week will be arranged. In addition, 10 points will be deducted from
exam score. Once you have started taking an exam in class you may not leave the
room for any reason.
Cell Phone Paper: The first six labs will include activities from the Writing
with Style book as well as prelab writing assignments and written lab reports.
These will each be worth 15 points. These are available in the lab manual
section of your textbook as well as on BB.
Survey Project: The last eight labs will include prelab writing assignments and
written lab reports. Labs 7-9 will vary in points while Labs 10-14 will be worth 12
points. These are available in the lab manual section of your textbook as well as
on BB.
In-Class Activities: The class will be doing 8 activities during the semester. The
activities are meant to reinforcement concepts and help prepare you for the
exams. These activities will be worth 5 points each. Only 7 (35 points) of the 8
activities will go toward your grade composition (see below). So, you can miss
one activity and drop the “0”. If you participate in all 8 activities you will get 5
more points than required (40 total points). You cannot get credit for the
activities unless you are in class. There are NO make-up activities.
Points
Grade Composition
Grade Rubric
200
Exams (2 @ 100)
A
94 & above
C
73-76
150
Final Exam
A-
90-93
C-
70-72
Cell Phone Paper (6 @ 15)
B+
87-89
D+
67-69
Survey Project (43 + 5 @ 12)
B
83-86
D
63-66
In-class Activities
B-
80-82
D-
60-62
Total Points
C+
77-79
F 59 & below
90
103
35
578
Class Schedule
CRP = Conducting Research in Psychology
Date
WWS = Writing with Style
Topic
Readings/Assignments
-Course Overview
-Prep for Lab 1
-Syllabus
Week 1
Monday 01/26
Lab 1
-Writing in Psychology
-Ch 2 (WWS)
Tuesday 01/27
-How do we know?
-Ch 1 (CRP)
Thursday 01/29
-How do we know?
-Prep for Lab 2
-Ch 1 (CRP)
-Zhao et al., 2013
article
-Ch 1 (pp.6-10, WWS)
& Ch 3 (WWS)
Week 2
Monday 02/02
Lab 2
-Introduction – Cell Phone Paper
-Ch 1 (pp.6-10, WWS)
& Ch 3 (WWS)
Tuesday 02/03
-How do we find out?
-Ch 2 (CRP)
Thursday 02/05
-How do we find out?
-Prep for Lab 3
-Ch 2 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (WWS); Zhao 2013
Week 3
Monday 02/09
Lab 3
-Method – Cell Phone Paper
-Ch 4 (WWS)
Tuesday 02/10
-How do we find out?
-Ch 2 (CRP)
Thursday 02/12
-Statistics Review
-Prep for Lab 4
-Ch 10 (CRP)
-Ch 5 (WWS); Zhao 2013
Monday 02/16
Lab 4
-Results – Cell Phone Paper
-Ch 5 (WWS)
Tuesday 02/17
-Validity, Reliability & Measurement
-Ch 3 (CRP)
Thursday 02/19
-Validity, Reliability & Measurement
-Prep for Lab 5
-Ch 3 (CRP)
-Ch 6 (WWS); Zhao 2013
Week 1/2
Thursday 01/22
Week 4
Week 5
Monday 02/23
Lab 5
-Discussion-Cell Phone Paper
Tuesday 02/24
- Finish Exam 1 Information & Review
-Prep for Lab 6
Thursday 02/26
- Ch 6 (WWS)
-Chs 7&8 (WWS); Zhao 2013
-Exam 1 (Chs. 1 – 3 & 10 CRP)
Week 6
Monday 03/02
Lab 6
-Abstract, References, & Putting
it all together – Cell Phone Paper
Tuesday 03/03
-Psychological Measurement
-Prep for Lab 7
Thursday 03/5
-Overview of Survey Research Project
-Psychological Measurement
-Ch 4 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (CRP)
Week 7
Monday 03/09
Lab 7
--Writing Survey Questions and Qualtrics – Survey
Project
Tuesday 03/10
-Overview of Survey Research Project
-Psychological Measurement
Thursday 03/12
-Psychological Measurement
-Prep for Lab 8
-Ch 4 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (CRP)
Week 8
Monday 03/16
Lab 8
-Literature Review – Survey Project
Tuesday 03/17
-Threats to Validity
-Prep for Lab 9
-Ch 5 (CRP)
Thursday 03/19
-Threats to Validity
-Help with Hypotheses
-Ch 5 (CRP)
Week 9
Monday 03/23
Lab 9
-Hypotheses and Data Collection – Survey Project
Tuesday 03/24
-Threats to Validity
-Ch 5 (CRP)
Thursday 03/26
-Nonexperimental Research Designs
-Prep for Lab 10
-Ch 6 (CRP)
Week 10
SPRING BREAK - NO CLASS
Week 11
Monday 04/06
Lab 10
-Introduction – Survey Project
Tuesday 04/07
-Nonexperimental Research Designs
-Ch 6 (CRP)
Thursday 04/09
-Nonexperimental Research Designs
-Prep for Lab 11
-Finish Exam 2 Information & Review
-Ch 6 (CRP)
Week 12
Monday 04/13
Lab 11
-Method – Survey Project
Tuesday 04/14
- Exam 2 (Chs. 4 – 6 CRP)
Thursday 04/16
-Correlations & T-tests
-Prep for Lab 12
-Ch 10 (CRP)
Week 13
Monday 04/20
Lab 12
-Results – Survey Project
Tuesday 04/21
-Experimental Research Designs
-Chs 7 & 9 (CRP)
Thursday 04/23
-Experimental Research Designs
-Lab 13 Prep
-Chs 7 & 9 (CRP)
Week 14
Monday 04/27
Lab 13
-Discussion – Survey Project
Tuesday 04/28
-Experimental Research Designs
-Chs 7 & 9 (CRP)
Thursday 04/30
-Quasi-Experimental Research Designs
-Prep for Lab 14
-Ch 8 (CRP)
Week 15
Monday 05/04
Lab 14
-Abstract, References & Putting it
all together – Survey Project
Tuesday 05/05
-Quasi-Experimental Research Designs
Thursday 05/07
-Review for Final Exam
Week 16
Tuesday 05/12
-Ch 8 (CRP)
-Final Exam (Chs. 7 – 9 & selected information from Exams 1 & 2)
*8:00-10:00am (assigned final exam time)