Psychology 205: Research Methods in Psychology
Fall, 2012

205, Fall, 2012 Outline
Version of 10/17/12
Remember to check for revisions!
Date
Subject
Supplementary Studies or activities
Assignment
Readings to be done before class
Week 1

Oct 1
Introduction and Overview
Statistical and Experimental Inference
A study on memory: data collection Bring data sheets to class on Wednesday
Oct 3 Reasoning in Research
Review of statistical concepts
the basic t.test
A classic example of experimental reasoning
Madsen and McGaugh (1961)
review statistics from 201
Leary: Chapter 1, 2
Turn in stats quiz
Week 2
Oct 8
Examples of experimental reasoning
Research design as solving a puzzle
Embracing the power of randomness
A short introduction to R
Descriptive statistics using R
Optional readings for your enjoyment
simulating distributions
Why you should not use Excel for statistics (Simonof) or
how to fight spreadsheet addiction (Burns)
Leary Chapter 3

Roediger and McDermott (1995)
stats home work solutions
Solving the homework by using R for statistics
Oct 10 Overview of Design Experimental approaches to personality Revelle (2007)
Leary: Chapters 8, 9, 10
Week 3
Oct 15
Variables in Experimentation
Within Subject designs
Modality effects on false memory results
and the most recent results
October 17 Variables in Experimentation
Within Subject designs
Writing a research paper
Estimating the central tendency/dispersion
Bem (2003), Writing the empirical journal article
using LaTeX to format an APA style paper
Three output styles: journal, document, manuscript
But one tex file (with an accompanying boxplot and another graphic file as pdfs and an example bib file embedded in the text document.)
APA Manual of Style
see also the APA style FAQ
as well as the APA tutorial of the basics of APA style
Web based style guides by Dewey or by Plonsky as well as the U.W. writing center's guide
Week 4
October 22
Experimental Control and
Between subject designs
The use of ANOVA and Linear Regression in interaction designs
Possible figures to include in your paper may be taken from the results handout.
Remember the instructions for writing a research paper
Leary Chapter 4, 15
Using Endnote for references
or using BibTex for references

October 24
Mid Term 1 Sample test
Another sample test with key
Leary Chapter 11
Week 5
October 29
Artifacts in Experimentation Theory Testing materials used in R & M study
R & M results and analysis
Possible figures to include in your paper may be taken from the results handout.
Leary Chapter , 10
October 31 Design in Experimentation
Measurement Issues
Correlational designs (reliability)
Correlation and regression - an overview
Week 6
Nov 5
Correlational designs (continued)
Interaction designs and analysis
subject variables
Simulations as theory testing
Anderson and Revelle, 1994 see also Revelle, (1993) which reviews Thayer's results and discusses performance
arousal theories Revelle, Humphreys, Simon and Gilliland, 1980 (this gives some of the EPI items to measure impulsivity and
Revelle, Anderson, and Humphreys, 1987 (very large file)

Paper 1 is DUE!
Appointments for paper grading
A simulation experiment handout describing the experiment.
Block randomization using R
Experiment-2
You get to choose what to do within the constraints of this web based experiment.
Nov 7 experiments versus field studies: the example of health
Random assignment in field trials (Born et al., 2002)
Long guide to R
Shorter guide to R
An even simpler guide to R
Week 7
November 12
searching the literature
Exploratory and Confirmatory
data analysis
Searching the literature using Google Scholar or Psych Lit
Using statistics in psychological research
A short guide to R for 205 students
Long guide to R
Detailed handout on data analysis for experiment 2
An even simpler guide to R written by a 205 student
(use an NU account/VPN or a proxy server)
Psych Lit
and the Social Science Citation Index
Google Scholar
November 14 Methods in Differential Psychology
Pitfalls in scientific research
Methods in differential psychology Help on data analysis
Week 8
Nov 19
Ethics in Research

On Being a Scientist (NAS)
Ethical Standards of APA (2002)
Nov 21 No class Course Review
Week 9 Nov 26 Alternatives to Experimentation
Advanced statistical procedures
other kinds of designs Course Review
Paper 2 is DUE!
Schedule appointments for grading
Leary Chapters 14, 12, 13
Research Proposals for final project due
November 28 Midterm # 2

Week 10 November 28
Reading Week begins appointments for analysis help Analyze study 3
How to use R to score scales
Finals Week
December 13
course evaluation (CTEC) Paper 3 due
Optional Final Exam

Key for Midterm 2
The assigned readings are to be read before class so that class discussion can focus on the readings. They are available on the personality-project web server.
William Revelle
October 17, 2012.