Advanced Statistics

PSYSC 342 - Spring 2009

Instructor: Dr. Thomas Holtgraves

NQ 108B

285-1716

E-Mail: 00T0HOLTGRAV@bsu.edu

Office Hours: MW 4:00: - 5:00 /By appointment

Webpage: http://www.bsu.edu/web/00t0holtgrav/

Required texts:

Green, S. B., & Salkind, N. J. (2008). Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh (5^th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.  Packages with SPSS (time limited) software.

Howell, D. C. (2004). Fundamental statistics for the behavioral sciences (5^th edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Course Goals: The overall goal of this course is to provide students with advanced training in statistical techniques, with an equal emphasis on application and theory/conceptualization. In terms of the latter, we will first review basic statistical concepts and techniques presented in PSYSC 241. Then, the remainder of the course will involve a consideration of more advanced techniques including: factorial ANOVAs, repeated measure ANOVAs, mixed model ANOVAs, regression analysis, reliability analysis, and factor analysis. In terms of application, a major part of the course will involve learning to use SPSS to conduct statistical analyses. The applied and conceptual aspects of statistics will be interwoven. That is, students will learn the conceptual underpinnings of statistical tests as well as how to conduct those tests using the SPSS for Windows program.

Course Format: Class time will be used for presenting statistical concepts via lecture, and for working through statistical problems using SPSS. During class, students will have available to them a laptop computer for use in working through the problems. It is, of course, recommended that students keep up with the material. More than many courses, this course is truly cumulative; what is presented later in the course will require familiarity with what was presented earlier in the course. In other words, to do well in the course you need to keep up with the material.

Disability Adaptations and Accommodations: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. My office location and hours are listed above.

Statement of Academic Honesty: For learning to be meaningful and worthwhile it must be based on honesty. Learning that is not fundamentally honest is incomplete, systematically flawed and potentially damaging to all of us. Simply put: if you cheat, you don't learn. Academic dishonesty, or cheating, damages students and universities because it adds suspicion and resentment to academic competition, and it distorts the meaning of grades. Ball State University has taken a very definitive position on academic dishonest, as laid out in Section VIII.B of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Academic dishonest, as defined in the Code, includes, but is not limited to, using unauthorized aids during a test, submitting another's work as your own, and submitting previously presented work as newly executed work without my knowledge or authorization. I am committed to assigning grades based on students' honest efforts on exams and other class assignments. All suspected incidents of academic dishonesty will be pursed through the established channels.

Exams: Exams will constitute 2/3 of the final grade.  There will be both in-class (1/3 of final grade) and take-home (1/3 of final grade) exams.

Homework: Homework will be assigned regularly. Scores on homework assignments will constitute 1/3 of the final grade.

                         

                                                             Course Outline