INTRO PSYCH STATS QUICK-START GUIDE

In an effort to be as transparent as possible (yay!), course syllabi are becoming unwieldy (boo). Here is a quick
list of the most critical components of the course. Extended course details on pages 2 - ∞.

What do I need for this course?

Textbook, calculator (nothing fancy), Canvas access, JASP software we will use for the practical assignments
(https://jasp-stats.org) – this is also installed in Somers Family Hall computer rms. 220/224

How do I #slay this course?

First of all, I think that each of you can earn an A in this course, provided you are willing to put in the work. Here’s how I
suggest doing that:
1) Come to class: For better learning, and for points (in-class work is worth attendance points).
2) Read the textbook: You should try reading before class, and definitely do some book problems.
3) Do the quizzes: You can take them as many times as you want so, like voting, do them early and often.
4) Do the assignments: Practical and conceptual assignments are designed to facilitate your understanding and
application of the course material, and give you practice with modern statistical methods.
5) Exams: Study using evidence-based principles (more on this in class).
6) Participate in research or alternative assignments: You can earn points for up to 2 hours of research in this
course, and credits double-count for other courses.

How do I calculate my grade in the course?

Don’t rely on Canvas to do it for you, the “total points” column will not be accurate. Instead, add up:

In-class work Quizzes Exams Assignments Research

= Grade is out of 575
(minus one (minus one low 4 conceptual, participation or
pts total
low score) score) 4 practical alternatives
(+extra credit on top)
/21 /70 /400 /80 /4

Can I get extra credit?

Sure! You can earn 5 points of extra credit for participating in an educational research study (or alternatives) – see
Canvas for details.

What about sports/religious/other accommodations or deadline extensions?

In general, I offer no makeups for missing class, or deadline extensions/date changes on quizzes or exams. There is no
need to tell me if you need to miss class unless you have specific concerns; you can drop one participation grade which is
designed for any circumstance.
HOWEVER, I understand things happen, so:
 For religious considerations and required University-sponsored events, please let me know by the end of the
second week of the semester if you have a conflict with an exam so we can work around it.
 I have a flexible late penalty policy on assignments should you need some extra time (2 points off per day, up to 2
days late, see full policy below).
 Public health is our shared responsibility! If your daily COVID screening indicates that you need to stay home or if
you are in quarantine, I will work with you so you don’t miss anything – contact me ASAP.
Please contact me directly and as rapidly as possible about extenuating personal circumstances that are impeding your
ability to succeed in the course. I strive for equity in this course and I genuinely want you all to do well.

What if I am bad at/dislike math?

First, consider adopting a more open attitude – students who believe they can get better at math with hard work actually
perform better than students who believe their math ability is fixed (see Yeagger & Dweck, 2012). This course requires
modest math skills + some hard work. There are excellent resources if you are having some trouble, including office
hours, review sessions, peer mentoring, in-class work, recommended problems, and some strategies to study
better. As always, come talk to us or the peer mentoring team if you want to do better!
 INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGICAL STATISTICS FULL SYLLABUS
Instructor: Assistant to Instructor:
Dr. Emily Cohen-Shikora Marylin Willison
ecohensh@wustl.edu marylin@wustl.edu
Somers Family Hall, 419A Somers Family Hall, rm 208A

Office hours: Tues 3:30-4:30, Thurs 12-1 Office hours: Mon 1-2pm, Tues 2-3pm
(zoom and in-person, see Canvas for zoom link) (zoom and in-person, see Canvas for zoom link)

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify and characterize important features of study design
2. Analyze those features of the study design to select the appropriate statistical test
3. Perform statistical tests by hand and on the computer
4. Interpret and construct appropriate data visualizations for each study design and data
type
5. Articulate and analyze how we use features of probability in inferential statistics
6. Be able to review statistical analysis in some form and understand what analyses were
conducted, draw appropriate and valid inferential conclusions, and write up a full
summary with inferences, in APA style
Materials Requirements:
1. Spatz, C. (2019). Exploring statistics: Tales of distributions (12th ed.). Conway, AR: Outcrop
Publishers. Note: A permanent download of the e-book is available online for $24 at
https://exploringstatistics.com/. No need to get the study guide.
2. Calculator (exams and classroom activities will involve working problems). Calculators on
laptops are fine for class and exams.

Course Requirements:
1) Class attendance and participation (21 pts for in-class work)
Attendance and participation are strongly encouraged to improve your understanding of the
material as well as your performance on exams. Throughout this course, we will work on
problems during class meetings and apply statistical concepts to real examples. We will also
collect and analyze data and work on assignments in class. If you miss class, it is up to you to
learn the material on your own. The instructor and AI will not provide notes or re-teach the
material, although we are available for questions during office hours. Some course meetings
you will submit work for participation/attendance grades.
There are no excused absences*, but you may drop one in-class work grade for
any reason, including religious observances and University-sponsored events.
*The one exception to this is for COVID-related concerns: forward results of your self-
screen or follow-up email from Habif or the COVID Call Center to document a need to
miss class due to COVID symptoms or exposure.

2) Quizzes (15 quizzes, 5 pts each – lowest quiz grade dropped)

Quizzes are due by midnight the day after we finish discussing that chapter/topic (except for the
first quiz, see schedule). They are intended to provide both you (the student) and me (the
instructor) with feedback regarding your understanding of the material, will include basic
application and calculation questions (more basic/easier questions than the exams). Quizzes
auto-submit at the deadline but stay active after their due date for review purposes, even if you
forgot to take the quiz initially. You can take the quizzes as many times as you want before
the deadline to earn a better grade. There are no late quizzes accepted for any reason,
including technical problems – be sure to leave yourself enough time and make sure they
submitted.

3) Exams (4 exams, 100 pts each)

Exams will consist of multiple-choice, short answer, and calculation questions based on both
class material and the assigned readings. They will be completed in class during our regular
meeting time (paper/pencil), and you can bring 1 double-sided 8.5*11-in sheet of notes
with you. There will be 4 unit exams, about 75% material from the current unit and 25%
cumulative material. Make-up exams will only be allowed due to required University-sponsored
events, and you must inform me prior to the second week of class. You must take all exams to
pass the course.

4) Assignments (8 assignments, 10 points each)

There will be several practical (computer) and conceptual assignments over the course of the
semester. The practical assignments will require a free, user-friendly statistical analysis
software called JASP (https://jasp-stats.org). Conceptual assignments will be provided at least a
week ahead of their due date and will often be started in class, so their exact dates may vary.
Assignments may be submitted up to 48 hours late, with a 2-point deduction per 24-hour period
late beginning the minute after the assignment is due.

5) Research participation (4 pts)

You can participate in up to 2 hours of research participation. Each hour of research study
participation will be worth 2 course points, so for example if you complete both hours you will
receive 4 course points, whereas if you only do half an hour of research participation, you will
receive 1 course point. See Canvas for details on how to sign up, and alternatives to
participation.

**Extra credit opportunity: You may earn 5 points of extra credit for participating in an educational
research study (or completing alternatives) – see Canvas for details.

Grading: The total number of possible points is 575 (400 for exams, 70 for quizzes, 80 for assignments,
21 for in-class work, 4 for research participation or alternatives). Extra credit is awarded on top of those
points. If you are taking this class Pass-Fail you must earn a C- or better, and take all exams, to earn a
passing grade.

Academic Support: The Learning Center offers a variety of out-of-class academic support programs led
by trained peers for undergraduate foundational courses, check
here https://learningcenter.wustl.edu/academic-programs/help-with-courses/ for the list of courses the
Learning Center offers support for and to access the schedule of sessions. If you are looking for support
in the areas of time management, navigating resources, managing procrastination, effective study
strategies and test anxiety, meet with one of The Learning Center’s peer academic coaches
(https://learningcenter.wustl.edu/academic-programs/develop-skills/) for strategies.

Academic Honesty: As a member of the Wash U academic community, you have agreed to abide by the
academic integrity policy of the university. I expect exams to be completed without the assistance of
others, including current or past students. Any violation of this policy will be reported to the Dean
along with a score of 0 on that exam. Please review the university policy, as claiming ignorance of these
standards will not be accepted:
https://acadinfo.wustl.edu/WUCRSLFrontMatter/WebWUCRSLInfo_AcadIntegrity.htm
Week Date Topic for each day Due Dates for the week
Course policy quiz (need >80% to access course materials;
Intro & Background
note: this is not one of the class chapter quizzes and does
1 Wed, 1/19 Orientation to statistical approach: variables, test
not count toward your grade)
types (ch. 1)
Ch. 1 Quiz due (extension to Thurs, 1/27)

Mon, 1/24 Data visualizations (ch. 2, ch. 5 pp. 82-86) Ch. 2 Quiz due (extension to Thurs, 1/27)
2 Conceptual Assignment #1 (Data Vizes) due Sun, 1/30
(note: this assignment will be available starting 1/24 because I
Wed, 1/26 Central tendency (ch. 3) anticipate a busy return to campus; you can start early)

Variability (ch. 4)
Mon, 1/31
Other descriptive statistics, z scores (ch. 5) Ch. 3/4 Quiz due Tues, 2/1
3 Ch. 5 Quiz due Thurs, 2/3
Practical Assignment #1 (Intro/Descriptives) due Sun, 2/6
Wed, 2/2 Empirical & theoretical distributions, probability (ch. 7)

Mon, 2/7 Empirical & theoretical distributions, cont. (ch. 7) Ch. 7 Quiz due Tues, 2/8
4
Wed, 2/9 UNIT 1 EXAM

Mon, 2/14 Samples & sampling dists, intro to t tests (ch. 8)

5 Ch. 8 Quiz due Thurs, 2/17
Wed, 2/16 Confidence intervals (ch. 8)

Mon, 2/21 Effect size and intro NHST (ch. 9)

Ch. 9 Quiz due Thurs, 2/24
6
Conceptual Assignment #2 (Distributions) due Sun, 2/27
Wed, 2/23 NHST, continued (ch. 9, except pp. 195-197)
 Mon, 2/28 Paired-samples t (ch.10)
Ch. 10 quiz due Thurs, 3/3
7
Practical Assignment #2 (t Tests) due Sun, 3/6
Wed, 3/2 Independent-samples t (ch. 10)

Mon, 3/7 Wrapping up t tests

8
Wed, 3/9 UNIT 2 EXAM

Mon, 3/14
9 Spring break, no class
Wed, 3/16

Mon, 3/21 One-way, between-groups ANOVA (ch. 11)

Ch. 11 Quiz due Tues, 3/21
10
Ch. 12 Quiz due Thurs, 3/23
Wed, 3/23 One-way, within-groups ANOVA (ch. 12)

Mon, 3/28 Two-way ANOVA (ch. 13)

Ch. 13 Quiz due Thurs, 3/30
11
Practical Assignment #3 (ANOVA) due Sun, 4/3
Wed, 3/30 Two-way ANOVA, continued (ch. 13)

Mon, 4/4 Wrapping up ANOVA (ch. 13)

12
Wed, 4/6 UNIT 3 EXAM
 Mon, 4/11
Correlation (ch. 6)
Ch. 6 Quiz 1 due Thurs, 4/14
13
Ch. 6 Quiz 2 due Thurs, 4/14
Correlation, continued (ch. 6)
Wed, 4/13
Intro to Regression (ch. 6 selections)

Mon, 4/18 Regression (ch. 6 selections)

Practical Assignment #4 (Correl/Reg) due Wed, 4/20
14 Ch. 14/15 Quiz due Thurs, 4/21
Chi square & non-parametric statistics (chs. 14, 15 Conceptual Assignment #3 due Sun, 4/24
Wed, 4/20
selections)

Beyond NHST Quiz due Tues, 4/26

Mon, 4/25 Beyond NHST: Bayesian stats, “New Statistics”
Conceptual Assignment #4 due Mon, 5/1

15
UNIT 4 EXAM
Wed, 4/27 Unit 4 exam may also be taken during final exam period: 5/9, 3:30 – 4:50PM
**Note that final period timing is equated with last day of class timing (80 mins only)