Statistics in Psychological Research

PSYU320
Prof. Rhea Eskew

Seq 4: M W Th 1:35 Fall 2004

Office: 241 Lake (Enter the corridor that is opposite Room 219 of Nightingale Hall).
Tel.: 373-3863
Office Hours: Monday 2:45-3:45 and by appointment.
email: eskew@neu.edu
Teaching Assistant: Mr. Farzad Mortazavi
Tel.: 373-2017
Office: 307 Nightingale (use the corridor phone to get into the floor)
Office Hours: Wednesday 10:00-11:00 and by appointment


Textbook: Witte, R. S., & Witte, J.S. (2004) Statistics (7th edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Syllabus

Dates are subject to change. Specified chapters are from Witte and Witte. Always skip the text sections called "Computer Printout".
Date   Topic Text Chapter
Sept 8 Introduction to Statistics 1, Appendix A
9-13 Frequency Distributions, Histograms 2, 3
15 Central Tendency or Averages 4
16-20 Variability 5
22 Homework 1
23 Quiz 1
27-30 Normal Distribution 6, 7
Oct 4-6 Correlation 9
7 Regression 10
11 Columbus Day NU closed
13 Regression (cont.) 11
14 Homework 2
18 Quiz 2
20-21 Population & Sample; Probability 12, 13
25 Sampling Distribution of the Mean 14
27-28 Intro to Hypothesis tests; z-test 15
Nov 1 Point and Interval Estimation 18
3-4 3 types of t-tests 19, 20, 21
8 Homework 3
10 Quiz 3
11 Veteran’s Day NU closed
15-18 Analysis of Variance 23, 26
22 Chi square 27
24-26 Thanksgiving Holiday NU Closed
29 Chi-square (cont.)
Dec 1 Homework 4
2 Quiz 4
6-7 Review
9 Reading Day no class


Examinations Percent of final grade
Four quizzes 65%
3 best out of 4
homework assignments		 15%
Final exam 20%

The quizzes are not "cumulative". The final exam is.


Class Policies:
  1. NO MAKEUP EXAMS OR ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE GIVEN. In emergency cases, with a valid excuse, fewer than four quiz scores will be used to determine your grade. Valid excuses include sickness with a doctor's excuse, documented family emergencies, etc.
  2. A missed homework assignment will be the one to be dropped.
  3. Late homework assignments will not be accepted, except in emergency cases with a valid excuse (defined above). Homework is taken up in class at the beginning of class; once lecture has started, the homework is late. Homework delivered elsewhere (e.g., the psychology office) after class has started is late.
  4. A missed final exam will be given a grade of zero. In emergency cases, with a valid excuse (defined above), the quiz grades will count for the missed final exam.
  5. Some material on tests and quizzes will be covered in lecture but is not in the reading; some may be in the reading but not in lecture (usually I will specifically point this material out).
  6. An "Incomplete" will be given only for valid reasons: family emergencies, serious illness, etc. In general, I will not give “Incompletes”.
  7. Cheating on tests and quizzes will not be tolerated. The MINIMUM punishment would be failure in the course. Homework assignments may be done cooperatively.
  8. Please arrive for class on time; late entrants to the classroom can be very disruptive.
  9. Please do not talk during lectures. If you have a question, ask me; if you want to chat, do not come to class to do it.


Notes:
Please come see me and Mr. Mortazavi during our office hours, even if you do not have specific questions to discuss. This is your chance to clear up any confusions and let us know more about you and your interests. Do not waste your opportunities: come talk to us.
Statistics is a practical subject, and it requires practice. Make a habit of working more problems than you are required to do, even if you don’t fully understand what you are doing at first -- the practice will help you to gain understanding.