Psychology 2010: Research Methods, Fall 2004
Course web page: connect via http://buzzport.gatech.edu/
Lecturer: Dr. Zenzi M. Griffin E-mail: zenzi.griffin@psych.gatech.edu
Lecture time: M W 2:05-2:55 pm Lecture location: 254 JS Coon Bldg
Office hour: Mondays 3-4 pm Office: 127 JS Coon Bldg
Lab Instructor: Michael Lippstreu E-mail: gtg052d@prism.gatech.edu
Lab time: Tue 3:05-5:55 pm Lab location: 254 JS Coon Bldg
Grading TA: Sung Park E-mail: gtg116s@mail.gatech.edu
Office hour: Wednesdays 11-12 Office: G18 JS Coon Bldg
Course Objectives:
This course is an introduction to research principles and methods, particularly as those used in psychological research. The goal of the course is to introduce you to:
(a) the scientific method of answering questions;
(b) the evaluation of information from a scientific perspective;
(c) how psychological research is conducted; and
(d) how psychological findings are communicated.
The goals of the course will be accomplished through the combination of textbook and supplemental readings, lectures, laboratory projects and exercises.
Course Textbooks:
McBurney, D.H., & White, T. L. (2004). Research Methods. (6th edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Format of the course:
Information will be presented in the classroom lectures and through the readings assigned from the textbook. The format of the classroom meetings will be primarily lecture. I will focus on difficult areas, on related topics, and aspects of the material not covered in the textbook. I will expect that you have read the assignment prior to class. Supplemental readings may be assigned to augment the lecture and textbook material. Please make sure that you ask questions when you do not understand something being presented during class. I encourage you to ask questions during the lecture for clarification or more information. You are responsible for the lecture material and for the assigned material presented in the textbook – be sure I am presenting the material so that you understand the information. PDFs of the lecture slides will be posted on the course web site before class but the slides are not a replacement for coming to class and taking notes. Many slides make NO SENSE unless you have been to lecture.
Laboratory assignments will assist you in understanding the concepts important for meeting the goals of the course. Also, the lab will provide experience with the process of research in psychological science as well as help you learn how to communicate research results to others. You are required to attend all labs. See your lab syllabus for details of lab activities and assignments.
Preparation and Class Homework
The homework for this classroom lecture portion of the course will be the readings and any discussion questions or assignments that may be assigned prior to a given class. You are expected to turn in assignments before the start of lecture on the day that they are due. Unless otherwise specified, assignments must be submitted electronically via Buzzport or email. Assignments submitted 5 minutes or more after the start of lecture will not be accepted. Laboratory assignments will be discussed in the laboratory syllabus.
You are expected to fulfill these obligations:
1) attend class and lab;
2) read the textbook and any supplemental readings;
3) take all quizzes & exams;
4) submit lecture assignments electronically before class;
5) fulfill all lab requirements including a presentation and three papers.
Office Hours
Office hours are times when you can stop by instructors’ or TA’s offices to discuss the course or psychology in general. Other times to meet can be arranged via e-mail or after class. Telephone is not recommended. If you fail to show up for a scheduled meeting without notice, you might not get another one.
Evaluation:
For the Lecture portion of the course, there will be two quizzes, 1-3 short assignments, and a final exam. The final exam will be comprehensive. Everyone is required to take the final exam. The questions for the quizzes and the final exam will be based on the textbook, supplemental readings (if any), lectures, and lab materials. Questions will be mostly short-answer and short-essay format. Quizzes and the final exam will be closed book with no notes allowed. Students will be expected to answer questions based on their own knowledge of the course material without consulting other people during the course of the quiz or exam.
Short assignments will not be announced in advance and no make-up versions will be provided. They may be due at the end of the lecture or before the next one, so getting full credit for them will require regular attendance of lectures.
|
Assignment |
Percentage of final grade |
Points |
|
Quiz 1 |
5% |
50 |
|
Quiz 2 |
5% |
50 |
|
Final Exam |
15% |
150 |
|
Short Lecture Assignments |
5% |
50 |
|
Survey Proposal |
20% |
200 |
|
Experiment Paper |
20% |
200 |
|
Experiment Proposal |
20% |
200 |
|
Misc. Lab Work |
10% |
100 |
|
Total |
100% |
1000 |
We will use the following table to determine final grades (or a lower point cutoff for a grade).
|
Cutoff/ Minimum points |
Percentage of points |
Final grade |
|
900 |
90% |
A |
|
800 |
80% |
B |
|
700 |
70% |
C |
|
600 |
60% |
D |
Scores for one missed quiz will be based on performance on the final exam. Missing the second quiz without a reasonable excuse and without advance warning may result in a zero points for the quiz. The final exam is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 10 from 11:30-2:20. Notify the instructor by Nov. 1 if there are any scheduling conflicts that meet Georgia Tech’s criteria for re-scheduling.
Any re-grading requests must be submitted to the instructor or TA no later than 7 days after the assignment is returned. We will check the entire assignment for grading errors and the new grade may be higher or lower than the first.
Students must provide the instructor with an accommodation letter from the Georgia Tech ADAPTS office (404-894-2564) within the first two weeks of class to have accommodations made. Requests made after this initial period may be denied due to short notice.
The instructor and teaching assistants take academic integrity extremely seriously and expect you to do so. Scientific progress requires scientists to be honest in reporting their methods and results, the extent of their own contributions, and the research and ideas of other scientists. Failures of academic integrity such as plagiarism are always an insult to instructors and other students, but they are particularly awful in a course that is intended to teach scientific values. There will be one group project in lab but unless otherwise explicitly indicated, all other assignments should be completed individually. Cases of suspected plagiarism or other violations of the Honor code will be reported to the Dean of Students and the instructor will recommend that the student fail the entire course. We will be discussing the Honor code, research ethics, and proper citation practices in detail in the course. Please ask questions about these.
As an example of identifying source materials, the documents distributed for this course and the overheads presented will be based on materials from the course textbook (McBurney & White, 2004), other textbooks (Elmes, Kantrowitz, & Roediger, 1995; Martin, 2000; Ray, 2000; Stangor, 2004), other instructors such as Dr. Arthur Fisk of Georgia Tech, Dr. Brian Ross of University of Urbana-Champaign, and Dr. Wendy Troop of North Dakota State University.
Aug. 19 No lab for first week of class
Aug. 30 Last date to provide ADAPTS accommodation letter
Sep. 6 No class due to Labor Day
Sep. 15 Quiz 1
Oct. 8 Last day to withdraw (confirm this date on OSCAR)
Oct. 27 Quiz 2
Nov. 1 Last day to inform instructor of final exam conflict
Nov. 25 No lab due to Thanksgiving
Dec. 10 Final Exam 11:30-2:20 (Friday)
|
Week |
Mon Date |
Week’s Lecture Topics |
Reading |
|
1 |
8/16 |
Science & the scientific method |
CH 1 |
|
2 |
8/23 |
Formulating research questions |
CH 2 |
|
3 |
8/30 |
Ethics |
CH 3 |
|
4 |
9/6 |
Variables & measurement (Monday holiday) |
CH 5 |
|
5 |
9/13 |
Surveys |
CH 10 |
|
6 |
9/20 |
Surveys |
TBA |
|
7 |
9/27 |
Validity |
CH 7 |
|
8 |
10/4 |
Control |
CH 8 |
|
9 |
10/11 |
1 factor experiments |
CH 11 |
|
10 |
10/18 |
Factorial designs |
CH 12 |
|
11 |
10/25 |
Review |
|
|
12 |
11/1 |
Single-subject experiments |
CH 13 |
|
13 |
11/8 |
Quasi- experimental |
CH 14 |
|
14 |
11/15 |
Non-experimental research |
CH 9 |
|
15 |
11/22 |
Non-experimental research |
TBA |
|
16 |
11/29 |
Limitations |
CH 15 |
|
17 |
|
Friday Dec. 10 Final Exam 11:30-2:20 |
|