PSYC 200-01 Statistics 

Contact Info:

Stephen Romero                        Office hours: 30 Minutes after each class,

Bailey Hall 301B                         Mon & Wed 3-4, or by appointment

Office: 388-7106

Email: romeros@union.edu

Web: http://www.union.edu/PUBLIC/PSYDEPT/romeros/index.htm

Course Objectives and Organization:

            Psychology is an empirical science and this means that theories in this field must be substantiated with quantitative measures and empirical evidence.  Thus, the use of statistics is an integral part of all psychologist’s “bag of tools”. Thus, it is important for every psychology major to have a fundamental knowledge of statistics. With that said, however, it is important to point out that it is also the case that we come into contact with statistical reasoning in our everyday lives, some of it is correct and some of it is not. Perhaps, you have even heard that statistics lie and/or that you can make statistics say anything.  This statement is completely false and is only true due to the naiveté of the producer of statistics in question or due to the naiveté of the consumer of the statistics. Thus, the goal of this course is provide every student with the ability to be skilled producers and consumers of statistical information which can either be used as a basis for further scientific study or at the very least as a weapon against those that may attempt to mislead you with faulty statistical information.

Texts and Resources:

Required Text & Study guide (2 books): R.B., McCall. Fundamental statistics for behavioral sciences (2001-eighth edition) Available in the college bookstore.

A guide for doing well in this course

Reading.           

Your first contact with the material should be through the reading. You should complete reading on a particular subject prior to the class that will focus on that topic.  You may or may not fully understand the concepts through the reading, but by reading this material prior to the lecture you will prime your memory to encode the information that is discussed in class, and you  will also be prepared to ask questions regarding the material that you did not understand in the reading. 

Assignments. 

            At the end of almost every class you will be assigned homework problems either from the study guide or other problems that will be handed out in class. These assignments will be due at the beginning of the next class. Usually five students’ assignments will be collected at random for grading each day.  Other students that would like feedback on their homework can also turn it in at any time if they are not one of the five students whose work must be handed in.  Sometimes, however, the homework will be collected from all students. This means that every student will have their homework collected several times during the semester and your homework grade will be based on the number of times you are required to turn in your work.  For example if you are chosen at random 2 times and all students are required to hand in the assignment another 2 times during the semester and you do not have the homework done on one of those times your homework grade will be marked down 25 percent. If you don’t have it done twice then your homework grade will only be a 50, and so on. Students will not be allowed to turn in their work late.  THUS, YOU SHOULD BRING YOUR COMPLETED HOMEWORK TO EVERY CLASS SESSION WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU MAY HAVE TO TURN IT IN. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. 

Quizzes.

Quizzes will be given on a semi-regular basis either at the beginning or end of the class period.  These quizzes and the topics covered on each will be announced in the class period before the class in which the quiz will be given. For example a Wednesday quiz will be announced on Monday. No make up quizzes will be given, but one low quiz grade will be dropped prior to the calculation of your quiz average.

Exams.

            There will be three exams given. There will be two midterm exams and a final. Makeup exams will only be given in the most extreme of verifiable circumstances, and will be given at a time during the final exam week.

Attendance.

            Students are responsible for all material whether they are in class or not. Make arrangements with a colleague to obtain material missed in an absence. Do not come to office hours expecting a make up lecture.  Taping the classes is allowed and encouraged.

There will be no class on 10/28 and 11/11. One of these classes will be make up at a to-be determined time On Tuesday 10/25.

Special needs.

            Students with special needs are encouraged to approach the instructor privately so that accommodations can be made.

Grading.

   Assignments and exams will be weighted as follows:

            15%, Midterm 1

            15%, Midterm 2

            20%, Final Exam

            20%, Homework assignments

            10%, Class participation effort

            20 % Quizzes

Grades will be based primarily on the following guidelines, but may take into account the class curve and the student’s progress through the term:

90-100--------A

80-89---------B

70-79---------C

60-69---------D

<59-----------F

Schedule: