Conceptual understanding. You must get a conceptual understanding of why psychologists make use of statistics and underlying the meaning of statistical techniques that is most commonly used.

Practical experience. Instead of understanding the basic concepts underlying statistics, you need to know how you can do exploratory data analysis and different statistical tests. You can statistical analysis exclusively on computers, and therefore you will be asked to utilize a standard commercial statistics package for the majority of the coursework.

Psychologists hardly ever develop equations for statistical tests any longer. While an equation underlying loads of statistical ideas will be described.

Homework, and Grading

Honestly, because the material is so primary to scientific work in psychology, I feel like course must be graded completely pass or fail--either you know the material sufficiently well to do analyses on your personal or you don't. But, a extra delicately discriminate grading scale is more often than not expected.

There will be standard homework and two exams, midterm and final. Both of these exams will be take-home exams, which will need data analysis with statistical packages and the written work. Due period for homework assignments will be given when the assignments are handed out, although will be by next class session.

The idea of class participation might seem odd in statistics course, but it is relevant, particularly when we get in the discussions of when and how to use what you have learned. The breakdown will be:

10% Participation

25% Midterm

30% Homework

35% Final

The division will be curved, with a minimum assurance that if you acquire 90% of the points, you get "A," 80% for "B," etc.

Homework policy

At the beginning of the class itself homework is due, i.e., 1:00 p.m. Homework, which is handed in 24 hours late will penalize 20%. Additional 24 hours will bring upon another 20% penalty. There are two requirements:

If a homework difficulty is discussed in the class, no credit for that difficulty will be earned if homework is handed after that discussion.

Once answers are posted, penalty becomes 100% that is you get a zero.

Statistics Software

Course will be taught on the basis of SPSS software package. Though, other packages are as well familiar in psychology, and homework/exams is accepted if done in other packages and can provide homework answers in other forms if people have interest. You can use whatever package you like better.

SPSS allows you to do analyses through GUI (i.e. graphical user interface). This has positives and negatives you must learn the command language that SPSS calls is "syntax." Even if you make use of GUI to make all your analyses, you still have to turn in corresponding syntax. The excellent news is that SPSS can make this mechanically for you.

In addition, you will be required to produce graphs of your data. But, you are strongly encouraged to study these packages since SPSS is not good at making high-quality graphs.