Palomar College
Psychology / Sociology 205L
Data Analysis in the Behavioral Sciences

Term: Fall 2006 Instructor: Marilyn Johnson-Kozlow, PhD
Day/time: MW, 12:30-1:50PM Email: mfjohnson@palomar.edu
Location: Lower Library-104

Units: 1 unit
Lab Hours per Week: 3 hours
Grading Basis: Grade/Credit/No Credit
Co-requisite: Current enrollment in Psych/Soc 205

Scope of Course: Use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze research data. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, including nonparametric statistics. Data management, formatting, and research methodology will also be covered.

Specific Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Use SPSS to analyze research data
2. Interpret statistical output from SPSS
3. Input and format data for a given study design
4. Received instruction in statistical methods covered in Psychology/Sociology 205
5. Learn good data management techniques to support data integrity

Methods of Instruction: Lecture, lab demonstration, one-on-one student-teacher interaction, students work collaboratively to complete assignments

Content:
1. Computer Basics
2. Inputting Data Directly Into SPSS and Defining Data
3. Transforming and Manipulating SPSS Data
4. Frequencies, Descriptives, Identifying Outliers
5. Graphic Displays of Data
6. Measures of Central Tendency and Variability
7. Scaled Scores, Normal Curve
8. Correlation and Simple Linear Regression
9. Probability and Random Sampling
10. Experimental Design, Study Variables, Hypotheses
11. One-Sample, Paired Sample, Two-Sample Independent T-Tests
12. One-Way ANOVA and Post-Hoc Analyses
13. Two-Way ANOVA and Post Hoc Analyses
14. Chi Square, Mann-Whitney U Test, Wilcoxon T-Test, Kruskal-Wallis Test
15. Creating Text and Spreadsheet Files

Textbook/Resources:
Johnson-Kozlow, Data Analysis Using SPSS, ISBN# 1-59159-553-3 Revised, Version 1.1. This lab manual is available at the Palomar College bookstore.
Required Items: Bring to class each day: the lab manual which has been inserted into a 3-ring binder, a mechanical pencil, and eraser. Bring the three-ring binder to class everyday, so that handouts and returned materials may be kept for future use.

Required Writing:
Assignments, quizzes and the research report require that students provide a short written description of the interpretation of statistical results.

Outside Assignments:
The class has been formatted so that assignments are completed during class time. Time is provided during class to complete the research project.

Methods of Assessment:
Students will be assessed by completion of in-class assignments, quizzes, and the report on a research project.

Grading:
Grading is based on completion of in-class assignments, quizzes, and the research project. There are 26 assignments given during the class period. Each assignment is scored 0 or 1. Zero points are given for unacceptable or assignments not turned in. A score of 1 is given for an acceptable assignment. Assignments are due at the end of the class period. Late assignments are not accepted. Twenty-five of the 26 available assignments count toward the grade.

Five quizzes will be given, each worth 10 points. Four of the five quizzes count toward the grade. No make-up quizzes are given. Quizzes count toward 40 points of the overall grade.

The research report is worth 35 points. It is composed of several open-ended questions similar to the assignments. The reports involve analyzing data and students are given the choice of what research question to investigate. Reports are due at the regularly scheduled final exam date during finals weeks.

Grading Summary Contribution toward Grade

Assignments