HOFSTRA UNIVESITY

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY  

PSY 040 -- STATISTICS

FALL, 2011 

Instructor : Dr. Cong Liu

Contact Information : Email cong.liu@hofstra.edu, office phone 463-6298

Office : 105B Hauser Hall

Office Hours : Tuesday & Thursday 11-12pm and by appt.

Lecture location and time :

Tuesday 12:45-1:35 H Berliner Hall 117
Thursday 12:45-1:35 C.V. Starr Hall 204

Lab Instructor: Scott Gebhardt

Contact Information: sgebha2@pride.hofstra.edu

Office: 105 Hauser Hall

Office Hours: Tuesday 3:45-5:00; Thursday 3:45-4:15 and by appt.

Lab location and time:

Tuesday 1:45-3:45 H Berliner Hall 117
Thursday 1:45-3:45 C.V. Starr Hall 204

Course Description:

Students develop skills both in statistical reasoning and statistical method by actively engaging in the practice of statistics as science. Students will study important current, psychological issues whose understanding requires a fundamental knowledge of statistical concepts, in particular, hypothesis testing and regression. Controversial topics will be chosen that are currently in the news and likely to remain so. Such psychological controversies are regularly found in journals and magazines such as American Psychologist and Current Directions in Psychological Science .

This class uses a classroom/laboratory approach for analysis of data, for hands-on production of data, and for simulation-based learning. According to Cobb (1993, p.4), "the lab approach accords with the movement of statistics back towards its roots in science, and with research in education that demonstrates the importance of active learning." Additionally, the classroom/lab setting allows students to access the vast array of data available through the Internet.

This class follows the guidelines developed by the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) which suggest that teachers should:

• Motivate students by showing them statistics at work in real applications, problems, cases, and projects.
• Use real data and statistical computing (SPSS).
• Downplay formal training in probability in favor of intuitive concepts of probability.
• Foster active learning

Goals and Objectives:

1. Research Design and Statistics: Students will understand how research methods are used to test alternative explanations of human thought and behavior in a variety of problem domains, both basic (theoretical) and applied (practical).

2: Students will be able to identify basic descriptive statistics, such assorted test of central tendency (e.g., mean, median, mode), variability (e.g., standard deviation, variance, range), and association (correlation); understand how they assess patterns in measurements and among variables; interpret these tests when encountered in the research literature; and in some instances calculate these tests from formulas or statistical software packages.

3: Students will be able to identify basic inferential statistics, such as the t-test and the F-test, and understand how they assess reliability of results; interpret these tests when encountered in the research literature; and in some instances calculate these tests from formulas or statistical software packages.

4: Computer Use.  Students will gain experience and expertise with computer use as it pertains to Psychology.

5: Students will gain competence in the use of software for writing reports, organizing and analyzing data, and for communicating ideas and data using presentation software or by preparing visual (poster) displays.

Required Readings : There is a required on-line tutorial book available at the Class website.

Recommended Textbooks: Textbook: Frankfort-Nachmias, C. & Leon-Guerrero, A. (2009). Social Statistics for a diverse Society, 6 th edition. Pine Forge Press.  

Software: SPSS 14.0, SPSS Inc. - this software is available on the classroom computers and on most other campus lab computers.

Course Requirements: 

Class and Lab Time: This course contains both a lecture and lab component. Web-based labs will be assigned in each lab meeting to be completed. Both components of the course are essential to your learning of the material. Lab will NOT simply repeat what is covered in lecture. It will extend material presented in lecture and teach you to use SPSS analysis software that cannot be covered in the lecture meetings. Exams will be given during both class and lab time.  

Evaluation: Your grade will be determined by summing your performance on 20 lab worksheets, 13 homework assignments, 10 in-class exercises, 1 research project paper, and 4 exams.  

• In class labs: Every class (except exam days) will include a lab. Each of the labs will be described in the Blackboard. Included in each lab is a “lab worksheet.” These worksheets are MS Word files into which you will need to type (or in some cases "copy" and "paste") your answers into. At the end of each lab period, you should save your worksheets to disk, and print out a copy of the worksheet to turn into your instructor. Lab solutions will be available on the course page after they are due. It is your responsibility to check the solutions to understand errors in your lab work.
• Homework Problems: There will be 12 homework assigned with conceptual or computational problems to complete. Homework solutions will be available on the course page after they are due. It is your responsibility to check the solutions to understand errors in your homework problems.
• In-class exercises: There will be 12 in-class exercises randomly given during class time. However, only 10 count into final grade.
• Projects: There will be a final project for the course. The project is designed to apply the principles of the unit to a realistic research project. Project assignment sheets are in your on-line tutorial book and due dates are listed on the syllabus. For the final project you will be given a brief description of a research project with a set of data. Your task will be to analyze the data set and to write a written summary of the results of your analyses. Project descriptions and data sets will be posted on the course web pages. Ask me or your TA for help on the project if you need it.
• Exams: There will be four exams. Exam I, II, and III are cumulative to the extent that the material from later parts of the class build upon material from the early parts. The final exam (exam IV) covers materials after the second exam. These exams may include both conceptual and computational questions. The format will typically be multiple-choice questions. More information will be given in class.

• The grading scheme is not a curve:
  • Each lab is worth 10 points each (10 X 21 = 210 total)
  • Each homework assignment is worth 10 points each (10 X 12 = 120 total)
  • Each in-class exercise is worth 10 points (10 X 10 = 100 total)
  • Your project is 120 points (120 total)
  • Exam I, II, and III each is worth a maximum of 100 points each; Final exam is worth 150 points (450 total)
  • Therefore, there is a total of 1000 possible points. Grades are determined from a straight percentage scale. Your final semester grade will be determined from your total points out of 1000 possible points:

Point Total       Grade              

900-1000         A

800-899           B

700-799           C

600-699           D

000-599           F

The course contract is considered final. The work necessary to obtain the grade you desire has been outlined here. No additional work will be accepted to increase your grade. Do not come to me at semester's end asking if there is some additional work you can do to increase your grade. At semester's end, there is none.

Participation: Because this is an active learning class, daily attendance and active participation with your classmates in discussions, problem solving, and computer work is absolutely essential if you are to master the key statistical concepts taught in this course. As a result, participation is NOT optional – you are expected to attend and participate in every class and lab. Because you can't participate if you do not attend, only official university excused absences will be considered and labs must still be completed before the due date to receive credit.

Late policy: No make-up in-class exercises or exams/projects will be given unless you have a documented emergency AND you contact me before the exam or assignment is due . If you have any question about late assignments, please ask me. Do NOT assume an assignment can automatically be turned in late.

• Lab worksheets: Lab worksheets cannot be submitted late or early unless you clear it with me or your lab instructor first. If you have to miss a lab, you need to submit the lab worksheet before the due date. Only emergency situations will be considered for make-up labs. 
• Homework: Homework assignments can be submitted late for 1/2 credit (maximum of 5 points). If you will miss a class when a HW is due, you should turn it to your lab instructor BEFORE lab in order to receive full credit.
• In-class exercises: Only emergency situations will be considered for make-up in-class exercises.
• Project: Project will be held to a 10% point penalty per day it is late.
• Exams: If you are going to miss an exam, you need to let me know 48 hours before the exam (unless emergency situations). Otherwise, make-up exam is not allowed.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism is a serious ethical and professional infraction.  Hofstra’s policy on academic honesty reads: “The academic community assumes that work of any kind [...] is done, entirely, and without assistance, by and only for the individual(s) whose name(s) it bears.”  Please refer to the “Procedure for Handling Violations of Academic Honesty by Undergraduate Students at Hofstra University” to be found at http://www.hofstra.edu/PDF/Senate_FPS_11.pdf , for details about what constitutes plagiarism, and Hofstra’s procedures for handling violations.  

Disabilities Policy

If you have any concerns regarding a physical, psychological and/or learning disability that may have an impact upon your performance in this course, appropriate accommodations can be made on an individualized, as-needed basis after the needs, circumstances and documentation have been evaluated by the appropriate office on campus.

The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities is located in 212 Memorial Hall. Telephone: 516-463-7074. Please see the Hofstra Guide to Pride, or see their site: http://www.hofstra.edu/StudentAffairs/stddis/index.html .

All disability-related information will be kept confidential.

If You Need Help...

Please visit me during my office hours with any questions you have. My job is to help you learn. If you need help, get it early; don't wait until you are "so lost I don't know what to ask!" If you cannot make it to my regular office hours then, please, make an appointment with me. Talk to me after class, call me (463-6298), or e-mail me at: cong.liu@hofstra.edu . Also, feel free to email your lab instructor for help. 

Course Schedule: