Introduction to Research Methods (Psy 301) – T-Th 8:00-9:15am
San Diego State University Fall 2014
INSTRUCTOR: Shawna Saponjic, PhD
OFFICE HOURS: Tues 11:15am – 1:00pm (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: Judy Lam; Jlam@mail.sdsu.edu
LAB (sections 3 & 4): Mondays 1:00-2:50pm in GMCS 428
TA: Anna Stoermann; astoermann@mail.sdsu.edu
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


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:

NOTE: The text, writing guide and lab manual have been bundled for you in the bookstore (
9781305315242 ).

If you want to purchase these separately, you would need all three parts: o TEXT: Conducting research in psychology: Measuring the weight of smoke, 4th ed . Brett Pelham & Hart Blanton. Thomson-Wadsworth
Publishing. ISBN: 0534532942 o WRITING GUIDE: Writing With Style, 6 th ed.
Lenore T. Szuchman.
Wadsworth Cengage Learning. ISBN: 12850077067

o LAB MANUAL . The lab manual has been printed in textbook bundle
(available in the bookstore). It will also be available on Blackboard.

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-l ab 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
200 Exams (2 @ 100)
150 Final Exam
A
Grade Rubric
94 & above
A- 90-93
B+ 87-89 90 Cell Phone Paper (6 @ 15)
103 Survey Project (43 + 5 @ 12) B 83-86
35 In-class Activities
578 Total Points
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C
C-
D+
D
D-
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
F 59 & below

Date
CRP = Conducting Research in Psychology WWS = Writing with Style
Topic Readings/Assignments
Week 1
Monday 08/25
Tuesday 08/26
Thursday 08/27
Week 2
Monday 09/01
Tuesday 09/02
Thursday 09/04
-No lab (we will start on 09/08 )
-Course Overview
-How do we know?
-LABOR DAY
– NO LAB
-How do we know?
-Syllabus
-Ch 1 (CRP)
-Ch 1 (CRP)
-Ch 1 (CRP) -How do we know?
-Prep for Lab 1
Week 3
Monday 09/08
Lab 1
-Writing in Psychology
-Ch 2 (WWS)
-How do we find out? -Ch 2 (CRP) Tuesday 09/09
Thursday 09/11 -How do we find out?
-Prep for Lab 2
-Ch 2 (CRP)
-Schwebel et al., 2012
article
-Ch 1 (pp.6-10, WWS)
& Ch 3 (WWS)
Week 4
Monday 09/15
Lab 2 -Introduction
– Cell Phone Paper -Ch 1 (pp.6-10, WWS)
& Ch 3 (WWS)
-How do we find out? -Ch 2 (CRP) Tuesday 09/16
Thursday 09/17 -Statistics Review
-Prep for Lab 3
-Ch 10 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (WWS); Schwebel
article
Week 5
Monday 09/22

Lab 3
Tuesday 09/23
Thursday 09/25
Week 6
Monday 09/29
Lab 4
Tuesday 09/30
Thursday 10/02
Week 7
Monday 10/06
Lab 5
Tuesday 10/07
Thursday 10/09
Week 8
Monday 10/13
Lab 6
Tuesday 10/14
Thursday 10/16
Week 9
Monday 10/20
Lab 7
Tuesday 10/21
Thursday 10/23
Week 10
Monday 10/27
Lab 8
Tuesday 10/28
-Method – Cell Phone Paper
-Validity, Reliability & Measurement
-Validity, Reliability & Measurement
-Prep for Lab 4
-Ch 4 (WWS)
-Ch 3 (CRP)
-Ch 3 (CRP)
-Ch 5 (WWS)
-Results – Cell Phone Paper
- Finish Exam 1 Information & Review
-Prep for Lab 5
-Exam 1 (Chs. 1 – 3 & 10 CRP)
-Ch 5 (WWS)
-Discussion-Cell Phone Paper
-Psychological Measurement
-Prep for Lab 6
-Overview of Survey Research Project
-Psychological Measurement
-Abstract, References, & Putting it all together
– Cell Phone Paper
-Overview of Survey Research Project
-Psychological Measurement
-Psychological Measurement
-Prep for Lab 7
- Ch 6 (WWS)
-Ch 4 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (CRP)
-Ch 4 (CRP)
-
- Writing Survey Questions and Qualtrics
– Survey
Project
-Threats to Validity
-Threats to Validity
-Prep for Lab 8
-Ch 5 (CRP)
-Ch 5 (CRP)
-Literature Review – Survey Project
-Threats to Validity -Ch 5 (CRP)

Thursday 10/30
Week 11
Monday 11/03
Lab 9
Tuesday 11/04
Thursday 11/06
Week 12
Monday 11/10
Lab 10
Tuesday 11/11
Thursday 11/13
Week 13
Monday 11/17
Lab 11
Tuesday 11/18
Thursday 11/20
Week 14
Monday 11/24
Lab 12
Tuesday 11/25
Thursday 11/27
Week 15
Monday 12/01
Lab 13
Tuesday 12/02
Thursday 12/04
Week 16
Monday 12/08
Lab 14
-Nonexperimental Research Designs
-Help with Hypotheses
-Prep for Lab 9
-Ch 6 (CRP)
-Hypotheses and Data Collection
– Survey Project
-Nonexperimental Research Designs
-Help with Hypotheses
-Nonexperimental Research Designs
-Prep for Labs 10 & 11
- Finish Exam 2 Information & Review
-Ch 6 (CRP)
-Ch 6 (CRP)
-Introduction
– Survey Project
- NO CLASS – VETERAN’S DAY
Exam 2 (Chs. 4 – 6 CRP)
-Method – Survey Project
-Experimental Research Designs
-Experimental Research Designs
Lab 12 Prep
-Results – Survey Project
- Experimental Research Designs
-NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
-Chs 7 & 9 (CRP)
-Chs 7 & 9 (CRP)
-Chs 7 & 9 (CRP)
-Discussion
– Survey Project
- Quasi-Experimental Research Designs
- Quasi-Experimental Research Designs
-Abstract, References & Putting it all together – Survey Project
-Ch 8 (CRP)
-Ch 8 (CRP)

Tuesday 12/09
Week 17
Tuesday 12/16
Putting it all together; Maximizing validity
Review for Final Exam
-Ch 12 (CRP)
-Final Exam (Chs. 7 – 9; 12 & selected information from Exams 1 & 2)
*8:00-10:00am (assigned final exam time)