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SYLLABUS
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OF THE PERMIAN BASIN
FALL 2005
Meets in FB 009; T,Th 5:40-6:55 PM; 3 credits
PSYCHOLOGY 6302: RESEARCH METHODS; EDUCATION 6305: ADV
RESEARCH AND DESIGN IN EDUCATION AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
INSTRUCTOR: Spencer Thompson
OFFICE: MB3108 PHONE: 552-2350 EMAIL thompson_s@utpb.edu
OFFICE HOURS: M-TH 11-12; T, TH 5-5:30 or call for special appointment.
WEEK
TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS
CHAPTERS
AUG. 23
Introduction. Definition of Science
Assignment 1 (A simple
experiment)
1
30
SEPT.
OCT.
6
Methodology in science. Science ethics and values
2,3,10,
Assignment 2 (Abstract and APA reference; Human Participants Ethics certificate)
Theories, Problems and Hypothesis testing
Assignment 3 ( 5 Problems and library sources)
Thought Question #1
4,5,23,26
13
Historical research in Literature Reviews
Assignment 4 (10 References on 1 problem)
6,7,22
20
Methodology: Sampling methods
Assignment 5 (Literature Review)
8,9
27
Descriptive Statistics (Review)
Assignment 6: Handouts (Central Tendency and Dispersion)
Demonstrations of Central Tendency in Research Articles
10,17,18
4
Drawing conclusions based upon logic and data.
Assignment 7: Handouts (Distributions)
Demonstrations of Distributions and logic in Research Articles
12,13,14
11
Qualitative Research, Surveys
11,15,16
Demonstrations of Qualitative Research in Research Articles
18
Inferential Statistics
Assignment 8: Handouts (z-scores and probability)
Demonstrations of Inferential Statistics in Research Articles
2
NOV.
DEC
25
Inferential Statistics
Assignment 9: Handouts (t tests, F tests)
Demonstrations of Inferential Statistics in Research Articles
1
Experimental Methods
20
Assignment 10: Find and Discuss 2 Experimental methods Sections.
8
Causal Comparative methods
Assignment 11: Find and Discuss 2 Causal Comparative Studies.
15
Developmental and other methods
Assignment 12: Find and Discuss 2 Developmental Studies.
Thought Question #2
22
24
Advanced methods: MANOVA;
24
Thanksgiving Break. Look for a normal distribution in cranberries.
29
Advanced methods: FACTOR ANALYSIS, etc.
Assignment 12: Results and Discussion
6
19
21
25,
Appendix
Final Exam; Class Convention Reports: FINAL PAPER DUE
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this class is to teach fundamentals of research and design in education and
psychology. The students will also be required to apply these principles by performing their own
research project by writing an APA research study with synthesized data. A final APA style
paper will be handed in and reported in a class convention. In addition there will be essay
questions to hand in throughout the semester that will take the place of formal examinations.
In order to assist in writing the paper, weekly assignments will be given that correspond to the
specific sections of an APA paper. Although a previous course in statistics is highly
recommended, there will be a statistics section covering some of the elementary statistics in
research methods. The recommended statistics book should serve as a review and aid for the
statistics of this course. Students are expected to perform their own work. University policies
on scholastic honesty will be enforced. A modified curve based upon the total scores of the top
10% of the class will be used to assign final grades. Students who score within 92% of the top
10% earn an A; within 80% a B; less than this a C. PLEASE NO CELL PHONES/PAGERS!
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Disability Accommodations – To request academic accommodations for a disability, contact Efren Castro,
Director of the PASS Office in the Mesa Building Room 1160, 432-552-2631, castro_e@utpb.edu . Students
are required to provide documentation of disability to the PASS Office prior to receiving accommodations.
The PASS Office refers some types of accommodation requests to the University Counseling Center which
provides diagnostic testing for learning and psychological disabilities. For information about testing
contact Suzanne Rathbun, Director of the University Counseling Center, 432-552-2365, rathbun_s@utpb.edu
.
GRADING
WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS (Requires score of 10 on each assignment
to qualify for an "A". Rewrites possible)
THOUGHT QUESTION ESSAYS (2 at 50 points apiece)
ORAL PRESENTATION
FINAL APA PAPER
POINTS
120-140
100
25
75
TEXTBOOKS
Krathwohl, D. R. (1998, 2nd ed.). Methods of educational and social science research. Long
Grove, Ill.: Waveland.
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (2001) 5 th ed. Washington,
D. C. : American Psychological Association.
Recommended:
Kranzler, G., & Moursund, J. (2003). Statistics for the terrified. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.