Psychology 280, 4 hours credit

Analysis of Psychological Data

Basic techniques of descriptive and inferential statistics, their applications to research in psychology and how to effectively communicate statistical results in written format using APA writing style.

Psychology 100 or permission of instructor

Facility with statistical tools is necessary for the design, analysis, and interpretation of experiments.

To develop a basic understanding and practical skill in the application of statistical techniques to the solution of problems in research. To assist the student to learn how to critically analyze information in the professional literature. To assist the student in mastering the basic mechanics of the APA scientific writing style applicable to the results section of a manuscript. To provide the student an opportunity to effectively interpret and communicate the results of statistical tests bearing on null and alternative hypotheses using that AP A writing style of communicating statistical results.

1. Descriptive Statistics
1. Scales of measurement
2. Measures of central tendency
3. Measures of dispersion
4. The normal distribution
1. percentiles
2. standard scores
5. Correlation
1. Pearson r
2. Spearman Rho
3. Other measures of association (phi, tetrachoric, etc.)
2. Inferential Statistics.
1. Elementary probability theory
1. The concept of randomness
2. Probability and dichotomous variables
3. Probability and continuous variables
2. Hypothesis testing: one-sample case
1. The concept of a sampling distribution
2. Null hypothesis
3. Type I and Type II error
4. Level of significance
5. Estimation of parameters: point-estimation
6. Testing statistical hypotheses: parameters known (z)
7. Testing statistical hypotheses: parameters unknown (Student's t)
8. estimation of parameters: interval estimation
3. Hypothesis testing: two-sample case (independent samples)
1. Sampling distribution of the difference between means
2. Estimation of parameters:
3. Student's t for independent samples
4. Hypothesis testing: two-sample case (correlated samples)
1. Estimation of parameters
2. Student's t for correlated samples
5. Nonparametric statistics I: A selection from the following
1. Binomial test (z approximation)
2. Chi square (one-variable case)
3. Mann-Whitney
4. Wilcoxon matched-paris signed-rank test
6. The concept of power
1. The effect of sample size on power
2. The effect of significance level on power
7. Analysis of variance
1. One-way ANOV A
2. One-way repeated ANOV A
3. Two-way ANOV A
4. Two-way repeated ANOV A
5. Two-way mixed ANOV A
8. Nonparametric statistics II
1. chi square (two variable case)
2. Kruskal-Wallis one way ANAOV A
3. Friedman two-way analysis of variance
3. Computer techniques in statistics. Practical experience in using pre-programmed statistical packages to perform statistical analyses.
4. APA writing style for results. Instruction and practice in the basic writing mechanics of results using the APA writing style.

1. Lecture three hours per week
2. Laboratory: two hours per week
1. Practice problems and exercises relating to class work
2. Written assignments using AP A report writing to communicate decisions and interpretations of statistical analyses.

See Sections VIII and X and individual instructors' syllabi.

1. At least two multiple choice/short answer examinations plus final.
2. Grading of laboratory exercises. Students will produce written narratives stating the null and alternative hypotheses associated with any test, a written rationale for their use of a given statistical technique to analyze data bearing on those hypotheses, a written report summarizing the results of their analyses and a written interpretation of those results. This will be done in APA format and constitute elements of the results section of a journal manuscript.

Gravetter, F. J. & Wallnau, L. B. (1996). Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (4th ed.).St. Paul: West

Heiman, G. W. (1996). Basic Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.