PSY 201: Statistical Methods in Psychology 101 Javits

Fall 2019 Mon. Wed. & Fri, 12– 12:53 PM

Instructor: Antonio Freitas Office: 203 Psych-B Bldg.

antonio.freitas@stonybrook.edu Hours: Mon & Wed 9-10:30 AM

Graduate Teaching Assistant: Linjing Jiang Office: 145 Psych-B Bldg.

linjing.jiang @stonybrook.edu Hours: Mon 1:15-2:15pm; Th. 5:30-6:30pm

Course Description
This course is designed as a conceptual and practical introduction to statistics as they are used in psychology
and the behavioral sciences. We will begin with the basics of how we describe data (in terms of frequency,
central tendency, variance, and covariance), and we then we will progress to an intense focus on the logic,
execution, and application of testing scientific hypotheses through inferential statistical analyses (including t-
tests, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, and Chi-square). This course satisfies Stony Brook
University’s DEC (C) and QPS requirement.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the semester, you should have a foundational knowledge and understanding of statistics and
their use in psychological science. Achieving that understanding will require you to learn to: recognize and
identify data patterns (such as positive or negative “skews” and “outliers”); explain and interpret important
ideas and concepts (such as the implications of the results of a statistical analysis); execute and carry out the
statistical methods you have learned in class when later confronting a new dataset; solve and analyze
statistical problems in problem sets and on exams; and appraise and critique the extent to which particular
statistical conclusions are warranted (e.g., given the extents to which the most appropriate statistical method
has been selected and to which its necessary assumptions have been met). What you learn here will enable
you to think critically about the use of statistics, to choose and perform appropriate statistical analyses for
many research designs, and to make sense of research reported in popular media, relating to issues including
health (does chocolate prevent cancer?) and politics (will a proposed tax cut benefit you?).

Text: Aron, A., Aron, E.N., & Coups, E.J. (2013). Statistics for Psychology, (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.

There also is one required and one suggested reading posted in Blackboard (Documents/Additional Readings)

Also Needed: A basic calculator with square-root function (these are sold for around $5.00 at office-supply
stores). Bring calculator to all exams. Phones/computers cannot be used during exams for any reason (e.g., as
calculators).

Please note that there may be tutoring available for this course via Academic Success Tutoring:
https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/academic_success/
 Weekly Students will not be allowed to take quizzes (or the final) if they arrive over 10
Quizzes minutes late. Each week, we will post suggested problem sets on Blackboard.
Approximately each week there will be a quiz, focusing on both conceptual and
computational material. If you master the problem set, you should do well on the
quiz that week.
Each student’s 11 highest quiz scores (out of 13) will be averaged to determine
each student’s final grade. Because you will be allowed to drop your lowest quiz
score, there will be no makeups except for documented emergencies. If you
have to miss a quiz, that one will count as the one to be dropped from your
average.

Extra-credit Students can earn a maximum of 4 experiment credits. Sign up via the Sona System
experiment at http://sunysb.sona-systems.com/
participation Each credit earned will count as .5 of a point added to your overall GPA.

Optional Tues., Dec. 18, 5:30 PM, in 101 Javits

Final Exam No exceptions to date allowed. Do not register for this class if you cannot attend this
final exam. It will be in the same format as the quizzes, but longer in duration.
This is a 2nd chance… if you’re not happy with your quiz average, study for and take
the cumulative final, which then will be worth 50% of your grade (in this case, your
overall quiz average, based on your 11 best quiz scores, would then count for 50% of
your grade).
The final will be cumulative; it will cover all information learned over the course of the
semester. Also, keep in mind that, once you show up for the final, whatever
grade you receive on it will constitute 50% or your grade (i.e., you will not have
the option of dropping your final exam grade).
Students’ grades will be based only on the criteria listed in this syllabus.
Grading
policy Letter Grade = Score Letter Grade = Score
A = 93-100 C = 73-76.999
A- = 90-92.999 C- = 70-72.999
B+ = 87-89.999 D+ = 67-69.999
B = 83-86.999 D = 60-66.999
B- = 80-82.999 F = < 60
C+ = 77-79.999
NOTE: These are exact cutoffs. University rules strictly prohibit any professor from changing the
grade of any one particular student without allowing all students in the class the same opportunity.

Grading
Grading example:
(a) Imagine you scored an average of 84% on the weekly quizzes (after dropping your two lowest
scores), and you completed 2 extra-credits (worth ½ a point each), giving you an average of 85%.
You would receive a “B” in the course, and you would not need to take the cumulative final.
(b) Imagine you have scored an average of 80% on the weekly quizzes (after dropping your two lowest
scores), you didn’t do any extra-credits, and you are not happy with this grade (which would be a
B-). You then take the optional final, and you score 90% correct. In this case, your quiz and final
exam scores would be averaged to 85%, and you would receive a “B” in the course.
Date Event Topic Assigned Readings
Mon., Aug. 26 Lecture Introduction / Basic Concepts Ch. 1

Wed., Aug. 28 Lecture Data Display Ch. 1

Fri., Aug. 30 Lecture/Quiz 1 Data Display / Quiz 1 (Ch. 1)

Mon., Sep. 2 No Class Labor Day

Wed., Sep. 4 Lecture Central Tendency Ch. 2 Ch. 2 (pp. 34 – 43)

Fri., Sep. 6 Lecture Variability Ch. 2 (pp. 44 – 58)

Mon., Sep. 9 Lecture Variability Ch. 2 (pp. 44 – 58);

Wed., Sep. 11 Quiz 2 Ch. 2

Fri., Sep. 13 Lecture Z-scores Ch. 3

Mon., Sep. 16 Lecture Intro to hypothesis testing Ch. 4

Wed., Sep. 18 Quiz 3 Chs. 3 & 4

Fri., Sep. 20 Lecture Central Limit Theorem Ch. 5

Mon., Sep. 23 Lecture One-sample t-test Ch. 7 (pps. 233-246)

Wed., Sep. 25 Quiz 4 Chs. 5 & 7 (pps. 233-246)

Fri., Sep. 27 Lecture Dependent-samples t-test Ch. 7 (pp. 248-265)

Mon., Sep. 30 Lecture Independent-samples t-test Ch. 8

Wed., Oct. 2 Quiz 5 Chs. 7 & 8

Fri., Oct. 4 Lecture One-way ANOVA Ch. 9 (except 340-350)

Mon., Oct. 7 Lecture One-way ANOVA Ch. 9 (except 340-350)

Wed., Oct. 9 Quiz 6 Ch. 9 (except 340-350)

Fri., Oct. 11 Lecture Factorial ANOVA Ch. 10

Mon., Oct. 14 No Class Fall Break

Wed., Oct. 16 Lecture Factorial ANOVA Ch. 10

Fri., Oct. 18 Quiz 7 Ch. 10

Mon., Oct. 21 Lecture ANOVA: Specific CH. 9 (pp. 340-350)

Comparisons
Wed., Oct. 23 Lecture ANOVA: Specific
Comparisons
Fri., Oct. 25 Quiz 8 CH. 9 (pp. 340-350) & lecture

Mon., Oct. 28 Lecture Repeated-measures ANOVA W3 (online posting)

Wed., Oct. 30 Lecture Repeated-measures ANOVA

Fri., Nov. 1 Quiz 9 W3 (online posting)

 Mon., Nov. 4 Lecture Correlation Ch. 11

Wed., Nov. 6 Lecture Correlation Ch. 11

Fri., Nov. 8 Quiz 10 Ch. 11

Mon., Nov. 11 Lecture Regression Ch. 12

Wed., Nov. 13 Lecture Regression Ch. 12

Fri., Nov. 15 Lecture Multiple correlation Lecture material

Mon., Nov. 18 Quiz 11 Ch. 12 & Lecture Material

Wed., Nov. 20 Lecture Chi-square

Fri., Nov. 22 Lecture Chi-square

Mon., Nov. 25 Quiz 12 Ch. 13

Wed., Nov. 27 No Class Thanksgiving Break

Fri., Nov. 29 No Class No Class

Mon., Dec. 2 Lecture Non-parametric approaches Ch. 14

Wed., Dec. 4 Lecture Non-parametric approaches Ch. 14

Fri., Dec. 6 Lecture Non-parametric approaches Ch. 14 & Online Material

Mon., Dec. 9 Quiz 13 Ch. 14 & Lecture Material

Dec. 18 FINAL 5:30 PM 101 Javits Please do not register for this
Tuesday EXAM class if you cannot make this date.
(optional)

General Policies

Preparation. To succeed in this course, you need to be fully prepared for class, by keeping up with the readings
and problem sets. Anyone can learn this material, but you must work at in on a regular basis. Statistics is
unlike other courses, in that it is nearly impossible to learn everything at one time. Instead, statistics
requires learning basic concepts and then building on them in an incremental fashion. If you must miss a class,
get class notes from your peers.

Academic Integrity. Plagiarism, cheating, or any deliberate misrepresentation of information or work will be
referred to the college for disciplinary action. Avoid any behavior that may be reasonably viewed as suspicious.

Accommodations for Students. If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may
impact on your ability to carry out assigned course work, please consider contacting the staff in the Student
Accessibility Support Center (SASC), Room 128, Educational Computing Center, 632-6748/TDD. DSS will
review your concerns and determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All
information and documentation of disability are confidential.