Click here to read the latest NYT article about the Harvard situation.

Click here to download the powerpoint demonstration of the hand calculation of a correlation.

Click here to read a Slate.Com commentary on the Harvard situation.

Click here to read the New York Times article about the Harvard researcher investigated for making up data.

Class will meet Fridays, 9 am to 12:40 pm, Stevenson 3044/Schulz 1014

Course Description:
This class has two goals.  First, students will learn and apply basic statistic and data analysis skills to quantitative psychological data.  My goal is to teach you how to ask and answer questions using data from surveys and experiments.  Second, this class is an opportunity to build upon research projects that students and I began in previous years.  We will 1) work with data that we collected but never analyzed, 2) collect data for experiments that are incomplete and 3) design the next experiments that we should do.  For this class to be successful, we must create a research team atmosphere where we can count on each other to meet our commitments, we give any and all questions and comments our full attention and we meet the inevitable research obstacles with humor and flexibility.  I am looking forward to working together. 

Course Objectives:

• Formulate testable research hypotheses based on operational definitions of variables.
• Collect, analyze, interpret, and report quantitative data to address a set of  research questions and hypotheses.
• Interpret basic statistical conclusions.
• Distinguish between statistical significance and practical significance.
• Recognize that theoretical and sociocultural contexts as well as personal biases may shape research questions, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
• Follow the APA Code of Ethics in the treatment of human participants in the design, data collection, interpretation, and reporting of psychological research.
• Exercise caution in predicting behavior based on limitations of single studies.
• Recognize the limitations of applying normative conclusions to individuals.
• Recognize that individual differences and sociocultural contexts may influence the applicability of research findings.
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Textbook:
Aron, A., Aron, E.W. & Coups, E.J. (2006). Statistics For Psychology (4th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ, US: Prentice Hall.

For more information about relevant university policies, go to: http://www.sonoma.edu/uaffairs/policies/studentinfo.shtml

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Heather Smith, Ph.D.
Stevenson 2089
664-2587
smithh@sonoma.edu

PDF Versions:
Annotated Bibliography
Sample Annotated
Lab Reports

Grading rubric for lab report

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