RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology 220 Ticket: 21808 & 21809
Professor: Dr. Kimberley Duff (April Thames) Cerritos College
Spring 2006,
18 week course
Lecture/Lab: Mon
& Wed: 5:30pm-8:30pm
email: kduff@cerritos.edu or ApriThames@aol.com
voicemail:
562-860-2451 ext. 2780
Office Hours: TBA
(see instructorsÕs website)
Tutorial Hours:
TBA (see instructorÕs website)
NOTE: Remember it
is your responsibility to make time to come to office/tutorial hours. I strongly
encourage students to take advantage of office/tutorial hours, however plan
ahead as sometimes it can be crowded and students will be seen on a first come
first serve basis.
Teaching
Assistants: Maria Cosio and Rebecca Eskins
Cosio_maria@hotmail.com and
r_eskins@hotmail.com
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Cozby, P.C. (2004). Methods in behavioral research (8th edition). Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.), Washington DC: Author.
A blank disc, formatted, for laboratory work.
Internet access to obtain certain forms/readings.
Several required readings will be announced and will need to be photocopied in the library.
During one class day, we will be going to a local university for a library tour. This tour will take the place of class that day and we will meet at the library. It is your responsibility to coordinate your transportation.
On Lab days we may go out on campus to collect data, so please dress accordingly.
Helpful websites:
Textbook Website (including practice quizzes)
Help with APA style:
http://webster.commnet.edu/apa_index.htm http://www.wooster.edu/psychology/apa-crib.html
http://www.uwsp.edu/psyc/apa4b.htm#IA
Psychological Experiments:
This site contains links to experiments in the field of social psychology:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/expts.htm
This site contains a memory experiment in the field of cognitive psychology:
http://coglab.psych.purdue.edu/coglab/Labs/FalseMemory.html
This site is maintained by the American Psychological Society and has a variety of experiments:
http://psych.hanover.edu/APS/exponnetlist.html
This presents an interesting look at our attitudes:
http://buster.cs.yale.edu/implicit/
Additional material to help you critically evaluate
pseudoscientific claims
Skeptics Society:
Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal:
The official site of the American Psychological Association
The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine Home Page:
http://www.hcrc.org/sram/index.html
Great health information website by Dr. Dean Edell:
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to Research Methods in Psychology! Research Methods is an advanced course intended to prepare you to conduct and critique research in the social sciences. Have you ever wondered: Why news reports state that researchers found that caffeine is bad for you in one study and two months later report that researchers found that it is good for you in another? How do you get to be one of those lucky subjects in a study on television and get paid for watching television programs? Who reviews research that is conducted? What your psychology professors REALLY do? How do I test a psychological hypothesis? Are all experiments good experiments? Throughout the term we will answer these questions and provide you with tools so that by the end of this course you will:
This is a course that integrates concepts with practical experience. In other words, we will actually be doing what we are learning! This method, in my experience, is the most effective and enjoyable way to learn. We will spend the first few weeks of the course surveying the basic concepts of experimental methodology. We will read and practice using important concepts in demonstrations and exercises. During the second half of the term, you will get to exercise your creativity and curiosity and design and carry out an experiment on a topic that you are interested in.
The purpose of this course is to prepare you to think scientifically about the field of Psychology. In my experience, Psychology is one of the most misunderstood fields by the public. We are not here to Ôread peopleÕs mindsÕ or to Ôlook to our intuitionÕ for answers to our pressing questions. We are here to scientifically evaluate and conduct research in order to guide our interpretations of complex questions. Therefore, in addition to learning about an overview of psychology, after this course you should also have developed more general skills so that you will have learned:
1) enough background information to read and understand more advanced information
2) what kind of psychological information is available and how to find it
3) how to evaluate information critically—how to separate judgments based on evidence from na•ve opinion based on anecdotal evidence and how to evaluate strong from weak evidence
4) how to form and state intelligibly (in written or verbal form) your independent judgment
5) how to further your education independently throughout your life
6) how to apply the knowledge you gained in this class to your professional life
REQUIREMENTS:
It is critical that you do not miss class. LABORATORY WORK CAN NOT BE MADE UP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Attendance will be taken, and (according to the student handbook) if your absences exceed one more than twice the number of class hours per week (for this class that would be 7 absences) you are subject to exclusion from the class.
This course is not for procrastinators. In my experience, students who have the most difficulty with passing this course have procrastinated on their reading and assignments. Therefore, you must keep up with your reading from the text. Remember if you do not stay current in your reading it will reflect in your knowledge of the material and consequently your grade.
Office hours: Plan on meeting with your teaching assistant(s) and instructor many times outside of class. We are all here to help you. Keep in mind that office hours are first come, first serve. Do not wait until the last minute to meet with the instructor or teaching assistants; if office hours are full, we may not be able to meet with you. Office and tutorial hours are for your benefit and are the primary times that you can meet with the instructor. You may schedule appointments with your teaching assistant(s), but please do so at least one week in advance so that the TA(s) can make plans accordingly.
Participation is expected and required as we will be working on group projects. This is a hands on course and the more you participate the more you will gain from the class. Participation in all Lab Activities will be noted and recorded. Sometimes you will be assigned to groups and other times you will be asked to choose your own groups. Because we can all learn from one another and you will be interdependent on each other, it is critical that you come prepared for class and lab work and that you work well with your classmates.
Your actual grade will be based on a combination of exams, mini-projects, lab reports and a final presentation. Each exam may include multiple choice and short answer questions (you will need a scantron and a bluebook for all exams).
Mini projects will be assigned in class and will be completed both during lab time and at home. Unless otherwise noted, lab assignments are due the class period following the lab activity. In addition, over the course of the term, there will be three official lab reports. The first two are to prepare you for conducting your own research and will involve a literature review and a replication of an experiment. The last report is a write-up of your own research project, which you will also (as a group) present to the class a the end of the term. THE DETAILS OF THESE ASSIGNMENTS AND THEIR DUE DATES WILL BE GIVEN IN CLASS. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THE NECESSARY INFORMATION.
*All students writing must conform with the citation and referencing style described in the APA Manual
FINAL GRADE CALCULATION
Grading will be according to a straight percentage of possible points:
90-100% of total possible points = A
80-89% of total possible points = B
70-79% of total possible points = C
60-69% of total possible points = D
Below 60% of total possible points = F
Final grades will be based on
the total points possible. Point totals will consist of the following:
EXAMS TOTAL= 200
Exam I = 100
Exam II = 100
Quizzes will be given
intermittenly throughout the semester and may not be announced. If a student is
not present for the unannounced quiz, it cannot be made up.
MINI-PROJECTS
In class and take home
assignments to be announced (points to be assigned)
LAB REPORTS TOTAL= 200
Literature review = 50
Experimental write up = 50
Independent project = 100
Group presentation of projects =
50
Participation Points
Possible Extra Credit:
The following option(s)
require you to type a 2 page summary in APA style (this means, in addition to
your 2 pages of text you must include a title page, abstract and reference
page) of your experience and submit proof
that you were in attendance at the event. Unless otherwise specified in
class, you may participate in one extra credit opportunity. Keep in mind that
extra credit is not a guaranteed way to raise your grade and, as it is not a
requirement for the course (or your grade), the extra credit options are
offered outside of class time and may not fit in to your schedule. However, if
you can not make it to the extra credit opportunities or you would like to
improve your grade more, come and spend some time with me in office hours and
we can work on some better study habits!
**Note: to avoid a competitive
environment, there will not be curve on your grades. However, if at the end of
the term you are on the borderline of a grade (e.g., you have 79% which technically
is a C), but you have turned in all the mini assignments and you have
participated actively in class, then I will consider moving your score up the
1% point.
MISCELLANEOUS
I want to remind you that this
course should be taken seriously. I understand that many of you have second
jobs (because college is a job!), families, and other personal obligations.
However, this is no excuse to minimize the importance of this class or your
college education. For those of
you who have outside obligations, you must learn time management skills and how
to plan accordingly. Through my
experience, I have learned that planning ahead is the best tool that can be
used throughout a college education and in the professional world. You must understand how to follow
guidelines and complete work by deadlines.
-Please be on time; it is very
disruptive if you arrive late or leave early and you will miss critical
information that is provided. I also consider it to be disrespectful to other
students and myself to continually arrive late. If you are late or leave early
that will count as absence points that, cumulatively, could result in expulsion
from the course.
-It is extremely important to
keep up with all of the assigned reading. Reading assignments must be completed
prior to coming to class and class activities that day (e.g., activities,
quizzes, laboratory work) may depend on your having read.
-Assignments are due at the
beginning of the hour and must be ready to be turned in (i.e., your name must
be on it and it must be stapled) otherwise it will not be accepted. If cleared
with the instructor, you may turn in assignments over email (assignment must be
included in email AND sent as an attachment). However, keep in mind that it is
still your responsibility to check that it is received on time. In addition,
due to computer viruses and length of assignments, you may be required to turn
in a hard copy of all work.
-no late work! It is never
accepted in the professional world and it will not be accepted here! I recognize
that extreme circumstances such as medical problems, family death, or disabling
emotional problems could interfere with regular work. If you have a
documentable circumstance, see me as soon as the problem arises.
-please complete work ahead of
time and save your work in multiple locations! You never know when your
computer may crash, your dog decides that your research report looks tasty, you
run out of printer ink, you get a flat tire, your goldfish might die, or you
have to go to the beach!
-no side conversations are
permitted while class is in session. Students engaging in side conversations or
other disruptive behavior will be sent to the Department Chair Person or to the
Division Dean.
-Turn off all pagers and cell phones during class! This is a
major disruption and will not be tolerated at any time.
-In fairness to the vast
majority of students who take their college career seriously, no form of
cheating will be tolerated on exams or projects/papers (this includes
plagiarism). Any student suspected of cheating will receive a failing grade and will be reported.
**If another student is
bothering you or you suspect a student cheating (that I do not see), I
encourage you to leave a confidential message on my voicemail.
-Students who miss classes or
are late for class are responsible for all notes and handouts given in class. I
suggest you exchange numbers with another student in class in case you are
unable to attend a lecture.
-If you have any special needs
for this course (i.e., help with notetaking, special test-taking needs etc.)
please see me as soon as possible so that we can special arrangements.
-For emergency evacuation
procedures, please let the instructor know as soon as possible if you will need
assistance leaving the classroom and descending the stairs.
-As stated in the class
schedule, it is the student's responsibility to take care of all paperwork for
the course. If you decide to drop from the course, it is your responsibility to
drop yourself by the drop date listed in the schedule of classes. Even if you
have excessive absences or tardies it is your responsibility to drop yourself.
-If you miss one more than twice
the regularly scheduled classes, according to college policy, you may be
dropped from the class at the discretion of the professor.
-If you have any concerns with
the course or you would just like to talk about the courses, please contact
me.
**NOTE: CHAPTER READINGS MUST BE
COMPLETED PRIOR TO COMING TO CLASS ON THE DAY THEY ARE DISCUSSED. Staying on
top of your readings will ensure that you come to class prepared and that you
will get more out of the lecture.
TENTATIVE
CLASS AGENDA
DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT
DUE
**you should fill in as we go**
|
Week 1 1/9 |
Introduction to course/syllabus |
|
|
1/11 |
Scientific method READ: Chapter 1 & 2 Article: Student Paper
(Font Distinction) |
Lab: Observation Textbook and APA manual
are required in class by each individual student to participate in Lab
Activity. Lack of both books will result in student being dismissed from
class. |
|
Week 2 1/16 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Campus Closed |
|
|
1/18 |
Scientific Approach and APA
Style Hypothesis Generation READ: Finish Chapter 2 Article: Macrae, Bodenhausen,
Milne & Jetten, 1994 on reserve in the library |
Lab: Serial Position
Effect *Email must be sent by
11:59 pm |
|
Week 3 1/23 |
Consent and Debriefing
Forms READ: Appendix A and Chapter 3 Article: Article: Milgram,
1963. On reserve at library |
|
|
1/25 |
Ethical Guidelines
and Procedures (Chapter 3) |
Lab: Serial Position
Effect |
|
Week 4 1/30 |
Studying Behavior READ: Chapter 4 |
|
|
2/1 |
Studying Behavior READ: Chapter 4 |
Email Printout due Lab: Stroop experiment in class |
|
Week 5 2/6 |
Studying Behavior/
Discuss Loftus & Palmer article on reserve in library |
|
|
2/8 |
|
Lab: Stroop data
collection SPSS |
|
Week 6 2/13 |
SPSS/Review |
|
|
2/15 |
Exam I |
|
|
Week 7 2/20 |
PresidentsÕ Day Campus Closed |
|
|
2/22 |
Talking about
research/Introducing Literature Reviews Article: review Macleod,
1991 |
Lab report due |
|
Week 8 2/27 |
Measurement Concepts READ: Chapter 5 |
|
|
3/1 |
Library Day |
|
|
Week 9 3/6 |
Survey Research READ: Chapter 7 |
|
|
3/8 |
Working Session |
Lab: Library Research due- be prepared to discuss
your articles in class (Speed Research Dating). CHOOSE RESEARCH GROUPS |
|
Week 10 3/13 |
Experimental Design READ: Chapter 8 |
|
|
3/15 |
Independent groups |
Lab time: Experimental working
session Literature Review Draft Due |
|
Week 11 3/20 |
Experimental Design Chap 8 |
|
|
3/22 |
Experimental Design Chap 8 |
Lab: Taste Test |
|
Week 12 3/27 |
Conducting experiments/
Test Review READ: Chapter 9 |
Literature Review due |
|
3/29 |
Exam 2 |
|
|
Week 13 4/3 |
Independent projects First look at Research
Proposals |
First version of Research Proposal due |
|
4/5 |
Presentation of Final
Research Proposals |
|
|
Week 14 4/10-4/16 |
Spring Recess Campus Closed |
|
|
Week 15 4/17 |
Independent Projects DATA COLLECTION MUST
BEGIN |
|
|
4/19 |
Independent Projects |
|
|
Week 16 4/24 |
Independent Projects |
|
|
4/26 |
DATA COLLECTION SHOULD
END TODAY |
|
|
Week 17 5/1 |
Independent groups ANALYZE RESULTS |
|
|
5/3 |
Work on projects
independently ANALYZE RESULTS |
|
|
Week 18 5/8 |
Catch-up |
|
|
5/10 |
PRESENTATIONS |
|
IMPORTANT DATES: NOTE THESE
DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND IT IS THE STUDENTÕS RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY
INFORMED OF THESE CHANGES AS POSTED (SEE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES)
PRESENTATIONS: To be scheduled
during Finals Week
Last day to Add class January
22nd
Last day to drop without a W February
10th
Last day to drop with a W April
21st
EMail Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is
to allow you the opportunity to become familiar with using the Cerritos email
system and to get to know and
introduce yourself to the professor and/or teaching assistant(s).
To complete the email assignment,
you need to do the following:
Following the dates specified on
the syllabus, you are to set up an email account, send the TEACHING ASSISTANT
(note, in class you will be assigned a particular TA to email) an email (and copy the Professor and
Instructor) that introduces who you are (PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME, YOUR
STUDENT ID AND EXACTLY WHICH CLASS YOU ARE IN, INCLUDING WHAT TIME THE CLASS
IS), why you are taking the class, what you hope to learn in this class, specifically
what aspect of psychology you are interested in and why you think it might be
interesting to do research in this area (only needs to be a short paragraph,
about 10 sentences). Keep in mind that this is a way for us to get to know you
and form our first impressions of you. Do not simply tell me that you are
taking the class because you have to, as there are many classes you can take
and you should think about what you want to get out of your education! Please
spellcheck and grammar check your email before turning in. Failure to include
any of the above information or write the email clearly may result in a lower
grade. You will be sent an email reply and you are to print out your original
message with the sent response and turn in the print out. IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO PRINT OUT YOUR OWN ORIGINAL MESSAGE; DO NOT EXPECT THE
INSTRUCTOR/TEACHING ASSISTANT TO SAVE YOUR ORIGINAL.
To set up an email account, go to
computer services which is in the basement of the library. They have student
workers that can help you if you need it.
Please be sure to include your
name and the exact time or your class so that I can identify you and give you
credit.
Like all assignments, do not leave
this until the last minute. This assignment may take longer than you anticipate
and you may run into problems (such as the server being down, a rolling
blackout, or too many students needing to set up new accounts). You may want to
check with the instructor/teaching assistant to make sure your email is
received. Keep in mind that it will take the instructor/teaching assistant some
turn around time to reply (i.e., do not send the email at midnight before it is
due and then expect the instructor/teaching assistant to get back with you the
next day). If you plan ahead, there are no excuses for not completing this on
time.