PSY/SOC/POLS/BADM 309B Statistics

Fall Semester, 2001 at Houghton College

Paul Young, Department of Psychology

Office: Academic Building B- 324

Phone: 567-9308 or Ext. 3080

e-mail: paul.young@houghton.edu

Office hours: 9- 9:50 a.m. MWF; 2:40-3:30 p.m. TR; or by appointment

To load a printable copy of the syllabus, click here.

Catalog Description	General Objectives	Learning Outcomes
Course Arrangement	Textbook	Explanation of Assignments
Assignment Calendar	Class Topic Schedule	Computer Usage: Excel and SPSS
PowerPoint Slides	Attendance Policy	Phramous Widget Data
Links to Statistics Sites	E-discussion	Newsletter and Reminders

Catalog description:

Study of descriptive and inferential statistics, including analysis of variance and measures of correlation. Focus on applications to social and psychological data.

Meets requirements in Business Administration, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology majors.

General objectives:

To understand and employ a logical approach to statistical analysis
To apply appropriate statistical analysis to the solution of research problems

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this course, you ought to be able to

Convert a research problem to numerical form
Describe numerical data with statistics
Represent data with graphs
Compare variables with correlation
Predict changes with regression
Test differences between groups
Use spreadsheet statistical functions for data analysis
Use SPSS for research applications

General Course Arrangement:

1. Thinking statistically in history. Statistics as a tool for logic.
2. Descriptive statistics: Scales of measurement, averages or measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion.
3. Correlation and regression.
4. Probability and decision-making. Sampling and re-sampling.
5. Inferential statistics, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing.
6. Frequency analysis: Non-parametric methods.

Required Textbook:

Pagano, R.R. (2001). Understanding statistics in the behavioral sciences, 6th edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Explanation of Assignments:

1. Homework assignments require either or both of hand computation and computer analysis. There is a homework assignment for each major topic in the course, a total of 17 assignments. The assignments correspond to each of the 17 chapters to be covered in the textbook (chapter 11 is omitted and chapter 19 is review). Specific questions to be answered for each assignment are listed in the assignment calendar. (25%)

2. You will write three examinations on the content of the course. You will be asked to demonstrate what you have learned both in writing and by computation. On examinations, you may use a calculator, provided all class members have one with them. However, you may use only the arithmetic functions add, subtract, multiply, divide, and square root.
Examinations are scheduled

September 26(15%)
November 2(15%)
December 18, 1p.m. (15%).
Material to be covered on each examination appears under the Class Topic Schedule.

3. A semester-long research project will culminate in a 5 - 7 page paper (not counting cover sheets, references, or data analysis appendices) in which you demonstrate your ability to select and apply appropriate statistical analyses to a research problem of your choice. The paper, in APA format, is due Wednesday, 5 December, 2001. (15%)

Follow these steps:

A. Choose a research problem in your area of interest by reviewing course notes, reading books and journals, or consulting the popular media. For example, you might be interested in the water level problem, that is, the apparent difficulty which intelligent people have figuring out the direction which the surface of water will take when its container is tilted. Or you might be interested in the news reports of the poor performance of U.S. students on mathematics tests, compared to their peers in several other countries.

B. Once you have chosen a problem, find five scholarly sources which have considered the problem in the past. Scholarly sources include most journal articles, many books, and some Web sites. You must exercise discernment in your choice of sources, and at least three of your sources must be from academic journals.

C. Using what you will learn about research design in this course, set up a research study to gather data to help you answer the research problem. You will get good ideas about designing your study from the scholarly sources you have read on your topic.

D. Then, you have one of four options.

i. Conduct the study you have designed, gathering new data. If you choose this option, consult with me about meeting the ethical obligations of research.

ii. Find appropriate data in a published database. Several databases are linked to the course website, and you will be able to find others electronically.

iii. Make up some data by generating the numbers randomly

iv. Make up data in such a way that the results will support your research hypothesis.

E. Analyze the data from step D, choosing the appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics, including graphs.

F. Explain the meaning of your results in a discussion section. Tell what the results indicate in words. Connect your results with the results of the studies you considered in section B. Draw a conclusion or a set of conclusions.

G. Identify your sources in a reference list.

H. Include your statistical computations, either by hand or computer, in an appendix.

4. Computer assignments (10%)

We will be studying the meaning of statistical analysis with formulas and calculations, in order to develop a deeper understanding of what we are doing. However, most statistical analysis in research settings and in business is done - often badly - by computer programs. Consequently, we will also learn the statistical capabilities of two applications - Microsoft Excel and SPSS.

Lab assignments will be given requiring you to learn and use Excel and SPSS. I will be available to help you, but you are responsible to learn these applications outside class time.

5. Attendance and participation are mandatory. You must not fall behind in this class. For each absence after the first, you will lose one-half of one point from your grade, up to a maximum of five points. (5%)

Assignment Calendar:

Date	Assignment	Value	Date	Assignment	Value
9/7	Homework Chapter 1	1/17 of 25%	11/2	Second Examination	15%
9/10	Homework Chapter 2	1/17 of 25%	11/7	Homework Chapter 12	1/17 of 25%
9/14	Homework Chapter 3	1/17 of 25%	11/12	Homework Chapter 13	1/17 of 25%
9/21	Homework Chapter 4	1/17 of 25%	11/16	Homework Chapter 14	1/17 of 25%
9/26	First Examination	15%	11/26	Homework Chapter 15	1/17 of 25%
9/28	Homework Chapter 5	1/17 of 25%	11/30	Homework Chapter 16	1/17 of 25%
10/5	Homework Chapter 6	1/17 of 25%	12/5	Research Paper Due	15%
10/12	Homework Chapter 7	1/17 of 25%	12/10	Homework Chapter 17	1/17 of 25%
10/22	Homework Chapter 8	1/17 of 25%	12/14	Homework Chapter 18	1/17 of 25%
10/26	Homework Chapter 9	1/17 of 25%
10/31	Homework Chapter 10	1/17 of 25%	12/18	Final Examination: 1 p.m.	15%

Class Topic Schedule:

Includes specific homework assignments

Chapter	Learning objectives	Homework
1	Understand how statistics relates to scientific method and epistemology Realize the usefulness of statistics in the search for truth Define and identify these terms: population, sample, variable, independent variable, dependent variable,extraneous variable, data, statistic, parameter, observational study, true experiment, descriptive, inferential, correlational, parameter estimation, random sampling Load and edit data in Microsoft Excel	Due: 9/7: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9a,b,c,&d Computer lab: Enter the data from 9 a, b, c, and d in four labelled columns in Excel. Save it. Read the Overview chapter of the SPSS tutorial. Copy the Excel data to SPSS and save it. Print and submit. Complete the Web Connection, p.16
2 Back to top	Understand and apply the rules of mathematical notation, summation, real limits, significant figures, and rounding Distinguish among scales of measurement Differentiate discrete variables from continuous variables	Due 9/10: 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10 Computer lab: Enter the data from 5 (a - d) and 9 in Excel. Find the sum of each variable. Copy to SPSS and find the count of each set of scores. Complete the Web Connection, p. 33
3	Construct simple frequency distributions and grouped frequency distributions Add relative frequency, cumulative frequency, and cumulative percentage distributions Compute percentile points and percentile ranks Select the appropriate use of these frequency graphs: bar graph, histogram, frequency polygon, cumulative percentage curve, stem-and-leaf diagram Identify symmetrical and skewed distributions Prepare graphs with honest impact, and detect graphic deception	Due 9/14: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Computer lab: Use Excel to form a frequency distribution of the Age data in the Phramous dataset. Then, graph homework problems 4b and 15. Complete the Web Connection, p.61
4 Back to top	Compute the arithmetic mean and identify its properties Define and compute the median and the mode Explain how mean and median relate to skew Understand and compute range, standard deviation, SS, MS, and variance	Due 9/21: 3, 4, 6, 9, 13 - 16, 21,30-32 Computer lab: Graph #18, handout Complete the Web Connection, p.81
5	Mathematically describe the normal curve Compute standard scores (Z - scores) and find their percentiles, areas, and probabilities (PAP) Use Z - scores to reverse from PAP to raw scores	Due: 9/28: 3 - 19, 22 Computer lab: Do question 20a using Excel, writing your own Z-score function. Then check your work with SPSS. No Web Connection required.
6 Back to top	Define these terms: scatter plot, Y intercept, slope, positive/negative/inverse relationships, perfect/imperfect relationship Compute and interpret Pearson r, COD, and Spearman rho. Distinguish between correlation and causation.	Due: 10/5: 3, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20(Careful!) Computer lab: Graph #16. SPSS handout.
7	Define these terms: least-squares regression line, standard error of estimate, homoscedasticity, multiple regression, multiple correlation Compute the Y intercept and slope of a line and use them as regression coefficients to predict values of Y' Understand the application of SEE Apply and interpret multiple correlationand multiple regression Know when not to use linear regression for prediction	Due: 10/12: 4, 5, 10, 13, 15 Computer lab: SPSS handout. Do question 14a-c using Excel.
8 Back to top	Understand the purpose of sampling, and use a table of random digits and a computer to sample both with replacement and without replacement. Use resampling to compare sample results. Distinguish between a priori and a posteriori probabilities. Compute each of them. Apply the addition and multiplication rules of probability. Connect probabilities to Z - scores.	Due: 10/22: 2, 3, 4, 9 - 5, 17, 20 - 23 Computer lab: Handout
9	Use the binomial table to simplify the binomial expansion. Use Pascal's triangle to simplify the binomial expansion. Compute the mean and standard deviation of a binomial distribution.	Due 10/26: 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 Computerlab: Handout
10 Back to top	Identify the features of a repeated measures design. Define these terms: alternative hypothesis, null hypothesis, decision rule, alpha, Type I error, Type II error, one-tailed probability, two-tailed probability Conduct and interpret the Sign test Understand the concept of statistical power, and know how to compute it and maximize it.	Due 10/31: 9, 10, 12, 13 Computer lab: Handout
12 Back to top	Know the general characteristics of sampling distributions. Use resampling to generate sampling distributions of the mean. Apply the sampling distribution of the mean in the Normal Deviate Test using Z - scores. Know the Central Limit Theorem Apply the Critical Region approach to statistical decisions, using resamplling.	Due 11/7: 5, 8, 17 - 23 Computer lab: Handout
13	Understand the concept of degrees of freedom. Apply the t-test for single samples, and compare it to the Normal Deviate Test with Z. Use t to establish confidence intervals and critical regions. Use t to evaluate Pearson r.	Due 11/12: 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 18 Computer lab: Handout
14 Back to top	Distinguish correlated groups from independent groups. Understand and apply the relevant t test for correlated groups and for independent groups. Know the assumptions underlying the t test.	Due 11/16: 9, 11, 16, 23 Computer lab: Handout
15	Understand and apply the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Know the relationship between ANOVA and t tests. Understand the concepts of factorial designs and interactions.	Due 11/26: 4, 7, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 Computer lab: Handout
16 Back to top	Understand and apply the t test for independent groups to planned comparisons Understand and apply Tukey's HSD test for post hoc comparisons	Due 11/30 : 1, 5, 6, 9 Computer lab: Handout
17	Compute, evaluate, and interpret the two-way or factorial analysis of variance	Due 12/10: 8, 9, 10 Lab: Handout
18	Understand and apply the chi-squared tests for goodness of fit and for independence Know when to apply the Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests	Due 12/14 : 5, 17, 18, 19, 21 Computer lab: Handout

Computer Usage: Excel and SPSS

2. Drawing column charts with Excel.

3. Setting spacing between columns in Excel charts.

5. Z-scores in Excel and SPSS

6. Pearson correlation in Excel and SPSS

Spearman correlation in SPSS

12. The normal deviate test in Excel: Z-test for samples

Links to Statistics Sites

Several statistical databases maintained by federal government agencies are available on this site.

E-Discussion

A discussion group folder should be available to you in Outlook.

Remember that items you post to the discussion group may be read by any member of the class, including the teacher. However, nobody else has access to your musings.

PowerPoint Slides

Click on the date of the presentation you wish to review. You will reach an index of the day's (or week's) slides. Click on the first of the list if you wish to see the entire presentation, or on any slide in the list where you wish to start.

Please tell me of any improvements you can suggest.

9/3	9/5	9/7	9/10	9/12	9/14	9/17
9/19	9/21	9/24	9/26	9/28	10/1	10/3
10/5	10/8	10/10	10/12	10/15	10/17	10/22
10/24	10/26	10/29	10/31	11/2	11/5	11/7
11/9	11/12	11/14	11/16	11/19	11/26	11/28
11/30	12/3	12/5	12/7	12/10	12/12	12/14

Last updated30 August, 2001