Course Description
The second course in a two-course sequence that provides foundational knowledge in scientific thinking, psychological research design, methods of data visualization, and statistical analysis. Pre-requisites: PSYC3050 and PSYC3051. Co-requisite: PSYC 3061.
Required Textbooks & Materials
There are no required textbooks for this course. However, you will be required to continue to use the APA Publication Manual for PSYC3061.
American Psychological Association (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.
Course Purpose & Goals
Building on the previous course in this sequences, this 3-credit hour course is designed to continue training students in the design, critique, analysis, and dissemination of results from studies seeking to answer research questions that require more complex designs. Students will learn specific research designs and appropriate statistical analysis involving both experimental and quasi-experimental research in which two or more groups are compared and moderation may be hypothesized, as well as research in which correlational and predictive hypotheses are of interest. Students will learn to design studies in which issues of measurement reliability and validity, statistical conclusion validity, internal validity, and external validity are considered.
Course Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, students are expected to:
Know how to develop and test hypotheses.
Understand the basics of probability, hypothesis testing, and power.
Understand the basic concept of inferential statistics.
Design experimental studies involving two or more groups and, where moderation may be anticipated, to analyze data from such studies, to interpret the results, and to discuss the findings in light of the research question(s) and previous research.
Design quasi-experimental studies involving two or more groups and, where moderation may be anticipated, to analyze data from such studies, to interpret the results, and to discuss the findings in light of the research question(s) and previous research.
Design studies involving relationships between continuous variables, where correlational or predictive goals are involved, to analyze data from such studies, to interpret the results, and to discuss the findings in light of the research question(s) and previous research.
Critique existing studies with respect to threats to validity.
Understand what plagiarism is and how to summarize, paraphrase, and appropriately cite others’ work in order to avoid plagiarism.
Supplemental Materials / Resources for PSYC 3060
Although not required reading, the following resources may be helpful to you in succeeding in this course. Please take advantage of these free online resources.
Jhangiani, R. S., Chaing, I-C. A., Cuttler, C., Leighton, D. C. (2019). Research methods in psychology. https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/psychmethods4e/.
Field, A. (2017). Discovering statistics. https://www.discoveringstatistics.com.
APA Style. (2019). The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/.
Style and Grammar Guidelines (2020). The American Psychological Association. https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/