Course Syllabus

PSY205EOL: STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

PSY205LEOL: SPSS Computer Lab

SUMMER 2013: 12 WEEK ON-LINE COURSE

Instructor: Laura Jackson, M.Ed.                

Email: lajackson@rivier.edu                                         

Phone: 603-557-8465

Course Description

An introduction to basic concepts of measurement and statistical analysis with special emphasis on applications in behavioral and social science research. Topics include: scales of measurement, tables and graphs, descriptive statistics, probability and inferential statistics, including estimation and hypothesis testing, t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression, chi-square, nonparametric methods, and selection of the appropriate statistical test.

Course Goal

There are three main, overall goals for this particular course. One, is that the basic concepts & formulas of Biostatistics are assimilated.  Materials taught & learned in this course should be maintained in a way that you can easily refer back to when needed. Success in this subject area is not solely attributed to your ability to pull a formula from your memory, but to identify, locate & utilize the resources at your disposal (goal number two). Goal number three is application.  The materials taught & learned in this course can be used in your chosen discipline as well as in everyday life. Knowing when & in what situation to apply what you have learned is essential.  Keep in mind that this syllabus is a guide & subject to change at the instructor’s leisure.

Course Materials / Learning Resources

Course Text:

Gravetter, F.J. & Wallnau, L.B. (2010). Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (9ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education.

IBM SPSS Statistics Grad Pack 21.0 BASE. May purchase through www.studentdisounts.com. The web-site that highlights this particular package (Item # 44W5496) is: http://studentdiscounts.com/ibmspssstatisticsgradpack190base-instocknowwindowsormac-12monthlicense-caninstallonupto2computers-1.aspx.

Students must provide proof that the software is being used strictly in conjunction with the course. Names of students enrolled in this course have been forwarded to StudentDiscounts so they are aware of your student status. If you are not enrolled or if you are experiencing problems obtaining the software, please contact the instructor.

This particular software is usable for 12-months & can be downloaded to at least two different computers, so be very purposeful about what computer(s) you download the software on.

Computer: As this is strictly an on-line course, it is required that you have access to a computer. You must have a computer system that uses or can process Microsoft Word as all documents provided through the Blackboard course are saved as a Word Document 97 - 2003. Since we will be using the SPSS statistical database disk, your computer must also be able to accommodate this software.  In certain instances when your personal computer is inoperable, make sure that you have a back-up, such as a close friend or the library where you can access & share on-line materials.

Canvas: This course will be taught via Canvas

Learning Objectives

• List and understand the general goals of statistics
• Define basic terms such as statistics, population, sample, descriptive & inferential statistics, variable, correlational & experimental method, independent & dependent variable
• Define nominal, ordinal, interval & ratio scales, be able to identify & give examples of each
• Calculate proportions & percentages
• Identify & construct histograms, bar graphs, stem & leaf  & identify symmetrical & skewed distributions 

Calculate rank & percentile rank

• Define, identify, compute & apply central tendency measures of mean, median & mode
• Define & identify the purposes of variability & compute standard deviation for population & sample
• Convert raw scores into z-scores & z-scores into x values
• State the importance & use of standardized scores & distributions
• Calculate fractions, percentages & decimals as it relates to probability
• Define & calculate sampling error, define central limit theorem & calculate the standard error of the mean
• Define, list & follow steps for both one-tailed & two-tailed hypothesis tests
• Define & identify Type I & Type II errors
• Identify the factors that influence hypothesis testing
• Identify the uses of the t-statistic & follow through with computation of the t-statistic
• Compute a significant test using ANOVA for both between and within subjects
• Navigate the SPSS Statistical Database
• Input data into SPSS
• Develop frequency distributions, outcomes for T-tests, Correlation & ANOVA with SPSS
• Interpret SPSS output

Course Schedule of Topics

DAY

DATE

READINGS/PROBLEMS

TOPIC

Mon

May 20

Week 1

Introduction

Data gathering

Class Introduction

Terminology

Scales of Measurement

Mon

May 27

Memorial Day

Holiday

Tues

May 28

Week 2

Describing, Exploring & Comparing Data

SPSS: Installation, Frequency Distributions, graphs

Frequency Distribution Tables & Graphs

Tues

June 4

Week 3

Describing, Exploring & Comparing Data

SPSS: Descriptive Statistics

Measures of Central Tendency : Mean, Median & Mode

Standard Scores, Variance & Standard Deviation

Tues

June 11

Week 4

Describing, Exploring & Comparing Data

Quiz #1

Probability

Tues

June 18

Week 5

Probability, z-scores, standard scores

SPSS: Standard Scores / z-scores

Probability, Z-scores & The Normal Curve

Tues

June 25

Week 6

Probability, z-scores, standard scores

SPSS: Standard Scores / z-scores

Probability, Z-scores & The Normal Curve

Tues

July 2

Week 7

Distribution of Sample Means

Distribution of Sample Means

Wed

July 4

July 4^th Holiday

Tues

July 9

Week 8

Hypothesis Testing & Research Methodology

Hypothesis Testing

Tues

July 16

Week 9

Correlation & Regression

SPSS: Correlation

Correlation & Regression

Tues

July 23

Week 10

Significance of the Difference Between Two Sample Means

Quiz #2

SPSS: T-Tests

t-tests for Independent & Dependent Samples

Tues

July 30

Week 11

ANOVA, MANOVA for Independent & Dependent Samples

 intro. to Chi Square

SPSS: Chi-Square

Quiz #3

SPSS: ANOVA

ANOVA for Independent & Dependent Samples

Mon

Aug 5 – 8

Week 12

Final

Grading for the course section

Class participation & preparation                                                                                   10%

Assignments                                                                                                                   30%

Quizzes                                                                                                                           30%

Final exam                                                                                                                      30%

                                                                                                                                      100%

Grading for the lab portion

Assignments                                                                                                                    75%

Final                                                                                                                                25%

                                                                                                                                      100%                                               

Attendance/Preparation/Participation

• Although it is quite possible to be successful in this class, there is a lot of work required in Statistics. It is imperative that you review your schedule for the summer at the beginning & determine whether or not your schedule can withstand the load of this kind of course. If you have determined that you do have the necessary time & space to participate fully in the course, you will still need to continually re-assess your schedule weekly as situations change, life happens. If you feel you need some help organizing or managing your time, please inform the instructor.  
• Considering this is a summer course, many of you may have plans to go on vacation. If so, make sure that while away, you will have access to the internet, either by connection with a lap top through a hotel’s available internet connection or through a computer provided by the hotel in its business center. If you have travel plans, it is always best to communicate this with the instructor if any accommodations need to be made. However, it is important that you adhere to the schedule as closely as possible. Any accommodations will be determined by the instructor.
• Also as a summer course, the course is truncated from the usual fall or spring semester course from a 14 week to a 12 week course, including the final. In addition, there is a computer lab component. The units earned from the Statistics course are the same as the regular semester plus the extra unit for computer lab. We must cover the same amount of material, so be sure that you have reviewed your summer schedule & are confident that you have the time & focus to devote to the course.
• Although this class is an on-line class, that does not mean that your “attendance” & participation is not required. Participation will be objectively evaluated by the instructor based upon participation in on-line opportunities, responding quickly to feedback, checking Canvas & your email for any updates or announcements regularly & submitting your work in a timely manner. If there are any problems affecting your ability to participate, you must inform the instructor as soon as possible. The instructor will communicate regularly with the students via email on a variety of subjects, so part of your participation in this class will involve checking your emails regularly for any information & responding appropriately based upon any instruction provided within the emails. 
• Homework must be turned in on-time!! As an on-line class, this means that your work will either need to be sent as an email or scanned & sent. As your homework is received, the instructor will send you an email indicating that your work has been received. If you do not receive a response, then that means that your homework has not been received. It is your responsibility to ensure that your homework is delivered on-time to the instructor. If you are late for any reason, you must communicate this to the instructor. Your grade will be docked 5 points each day that your homework is late. If your homework is not received within a week of the due date, your homework will no longer be received by the instructor & you will receive a “0” grade for your work.
• You are responsible for your own work. There are no set “group activities” & this is not a team sport. There will be opportunities to communicate any questions or issues with each other throughout the course. However, your assignments, quizzes & tests must be worked & completed by you & you alone.
• Via Blackboard, the SPSS assignments or output could not be opened through the Blackboard Assignment Manager.  Since this is the first time this course has been taught through Canvas, we will see if Canvas is able to support SPSS output. If we find that this is not possible, we will convert to the usual way of turning in SPSS outputs: through Rivier email. SPSS activities are assigned based upon the type of material covered each week, so there will be some weeks when we cover conceptual information where SPSS activities are not assigned. You may take these opportunities to practice with your SPSS software. 

Tools and Strategies for Optimizing Student Learning

• Attendance: Although ‘attendance’ in the traditional sense may not apply here, there will be opportunities for you to contribute through Canvas. It is important that you take advantage of these opportunities, communicate regularly, check Canvas & email regularly for announcements & plan accordingly so that you are prepared to properly utilize these tools.
• Time Management:  In any course, personal time management is key to learning and assimilating the materials and class preparedness. In statistics, time management is most important due to the high degree of work required. Also, without the benefit of face-to-face encounters, you are completely responsible for staying on-task & on-time with the work & schedule. Each week’s work builds upon the previous weeks, so if you fall behind, it will be extremely difficult to catch up.
• Homework: Homework will be assigned each week. The learning process in statistics can be enhanced greatly through application & practice. Homework assignments will provide these opportunities for learning & assimilation. Remember you are responsible for your own work.
• Quizzes: Quizzes serve as a measure of each students understanding & ability to apply the material. Quiz results help to identify any areas that may need review for both students individually &/or the full class.
• Technology: When participating in a strictly on-line course, it is required that everyone has access to a computer & the internet. Technology has a tendency to be unreliable at times & problems are to be expected. We may experience IT problems as we all flex & bend with the new Canvas system, web browser, or even a dead or dying computer. Whichever IT problem that chooses to pop up, everyone should be alert & expect these problems. If you are experiencing any IT problems, you should communicate these problems immediately to your instructor. Sometimes the problem can be fixed with a push of a button or two. At other times, the IT department at Rivier may need to be contacted for assistance. When we experience IT issues, the instructor will make adjustments to accommodate for these bumps in the road & will communicate to you these adjustments.
• Weekly units: This course is a 12 week on-line summer course. 3 credits for the Statistics portion plus 1 credit for the SPSS lab.
• Instructional Format: This class will be delivered in an on-line format. 
• Syllabus: The syllabus provided for you is a basic guide to include the schedule & type of material we will be working with this semester. It is likely that changes in the schedule or type of work that we will be doing in this class may occur. Each semester is different & the needs of each class are different. It is up to the discretion of the instructor to make adjustments where needed so that the needs of the students are appropriately addressed. Students will be alerted each week to any changes in the schedule or material to be covered.
• Grading: Much of the assignments & quizzes will be assigned a numeric grade ranging from 0 (no work) to 100 (perfect). However, as we near the end of the semester & engage in other, more complex or complicated assignments, these may be assigned a letter grade as opposed to a numeric grade. Due to the nature of certain assignments, assigning a letter grade is more appropriate. 
• Outside class work/study sessions: First, know that there are numerous support materials available throughout this course. Any student requiring one-on-one assistance may contact the instructor & set up an on-line chat at a time preferable for the student. A student may also wish to submit partial assignments early on to receive feedback from the instructor. It is also acceptable to participate in tutoring sessions. HOWEVER, each student is responsible for their own work and their own material. Any suspicion that the work is being done by another person, that students are copying each other’s work or sharing assignments with each other, the students responsible will be investigated & all rules regarding plagiarism will be applied to the situation.

Academic Honesty

All members of the Rivier University community are expected to adhere to the principles of academic honesty central to the University’s mission. Plagiarism, collusion, falsifying the result of one’s research, cheating on examinations, and any form of misrepresenting one’s own work, or collaborating in the misrepresentation of another’s work are contrary to the traditions and goals of the institution.  Instances of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action and/or academic sanctions.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious breaches of academic honesty. In general, plagiarism is defined as the presentation of someone else’s work in whatever form: copyrighted material, notes, film art work, reports, statistics, bibliographies, and the like, as one’s own, and failing to acknowledge the true source. Quoting word-for-word, or almost so, or using the argumentation of another source without acknowledging this dependence also constitutes plagiarism. Cheating is defined as the giving or attempting to give or to receive unauthorized information or assistance during an examination or in completing an assigned project. Submission of a single work for two separate courses without the permission of the instructors involved is also a form of cheating.

If students are unsure whether a specific course of action would constitute plagiarism or cheating, they should consult with their instructor in advance.

Penalties for plagiarism and cheating vary with the degree of the offense and may take the form of the following academic sanctions:

· The grade of F for the work in question;

· The grade of F for the course;

· Notification of the divisional chair and/or Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs of the misconduct of the student;

· Recommendations that the student be suspended or dismissed from the University.

What it means for this course is what has already been stated a couple of times already. You should not be copying other’s work & sending it in as your own. You should not work on material together & send it in w/ slight adjustments. There is plenty of supportive systems set in place to help you through this course. If I find that plagiarism (in part or in whole) is occurring, then I reserve the right to review past assignments & change any grades given if I find that they have also been plagiarized. So, if you are a friendly person & want to support your friend, know that you are treading on thin ice. You may ask certain questions, but be sure you are doing your own work. Know that plagiarizing becomes more important & specific when you begin Research. You will want to further educate yourself on the rules re: plagiarism when that time comes.

Rivier University E-mail Account

All e-mail communication from the instructor will be sent to your Rivier e-mail address, so it is recommended that you check this account frequently. You can access your Rivier e-mail account by clicking on the E-MAIL link at the top of every page on the Rivier web site.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Rivier University wants to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. To accomplish this goal effectively and to ensure the best use of our resources, the University expects students to providetimely notice of a disability to the Office of Special Services for verification and for evaluation of available options. Any student whose disabilities fall within ADA should inform the instructor within the first two weeks of the term of any special needs or equipment necessary to accomplish the requirements for the course. To obtain current information on this procedure, contact the Office of Special Services at (603) 897-8497, or visit http://www.rivier.edu/academics/support_services.asp?id=73

Statement on ‘On-Line’ Classroom Behavior

The following statement is written mainly with ‘in-class’ behavior in mind. However, there still remain high expectations of behavior toward your fellow students as well as the instructor on-line. Please keep in mind that you are expected to behave respectfully and are not to disrupt the teaching or learning process during this course. The consequences of disrespectful behavior or disruption of the teaching or learning process apply to on-line courses as well as in-class courses.

“The classroom is the heart of the educational experience at Rivier University because it provides a formal setting for important exchanges among students and faculty.  Rivier University affirms the rights of all students and their faculty to an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.  Therefore, the University does not condone behavior that, in the judgment of the professor and/or the University, interrupts, obstructs, or inhibits the teaching and learning process.  Disruptive behavior may include, but not limited to verbal attacks, intimidating shouting, inappropriate gestures, attending class under the influence of drugs or alcohol, using cellular telephones, consistently coming to class late or leaving early, threatening and/or harassing comments, profanity, incessant whispering, talking in class, etc., or other similar behavior.  Disruptive behavior may include other behavior that appears to be attention-seeking in nature, monopolizing of class time, or creating an uncomfortable class environment for other students.  Disruptive behavior may result in immediate removal from the class and/or the University.”