Course

Applied Intermediate Research Methods & Data Analysis

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
Psychology
Course Code
PSYC 3300
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
35
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Lab
Course Designation
None
Industry Designation
None
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
This course expands on concepts learned in PSYC 2300 and 2301. Students will learn how to choose, apply and analyze appropriate research designs using both data analysis and inferential statistics. Applied projects will allow students to gain experience with computer programs such as SPSS or Microsoft Excel. Topics may include ANOVA (both one- and two-way), correlation, and the general linear model (bivariate and multivariate regression). Focus will be on the application of research designs along with interpretation and effective communication of research results.
Course Content
  1. The Scientific Approach: Theory, Hypotheses and Formulating a Research Question
  2. Measurement: Operational definitions, Validity and Reliability, Types of variables
  3. Data collection procedures and sampling, including practical and ethical issues
  4. Evaluation of published research in scholarly journals and other research reports
  5. Review of Statistical Inference: sampling distributions, critical values, understanding p-values, Type I and Type II errors, power, effect size and hypothesis testing
  6. Experimental Designs: ANOVA and Factorial Designs
  7. Relationships: Correlation and Regression
  8. General Liner Model and Multiple Regression
  9. Writing a formal APA style research report
Learning Activities

This course will employ a number of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives and will include some of the following:

  • lectures
  • audio visual materials
  • small group discussion
  • research projects
  • computer-based tutorial exercises

There will be laboratory meetings throughout the semester in which students will develop and carry out their own research projects.

Means of Assessment

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy.  Evaluation will be based on course objectives and will include some of the following: quizzes, multiple choice exams, essay type exams, term paper or research project, computer based assignments, etc.  The instructor will provide the students with a course outline listing the criteria for course evaluation. 

An example of one evaluation scheme:

10 Statistics assignments -- 30%

4 Critical Summaries -- 20%

Midterm exam -- 25%

Final exam -- 25%

Total -- 100%

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, the successful student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate and apply key statistical concepts, such as random sample, variability, sampling distribution, level of significance, critical value, p-value, effect size, power, Type I and Type II errors, and hypothesis testing;
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses, and applications of specific research designs, including correlational, complex experimental and quasi-experimental designs;
  3. Explain the rationale and assumptions of ANOVA;
  4. Compute and interpret the results of a One-Way ANOVA;
  5. Construct a summary table of ANOVA results;
  6. Compute and interpret the results from factorial designs, including main effects and interactions;
  7. Explain the rationale of the General Linear Model (Multiple Regression);
  8. Interpret model fit and coefficients of a regression model;
  9. Construct a summary table of Regression results;
  10. Explain the difference between parametric and non-parametric statistics;
  11. Choose and apply the appropriate statistical analysis in a real or hypothetical applied research setting;
  12. Interpret and communicate the results of an applied research study;
  13. Gain enhanced APA style writing knowledge and skills for full research reports;
  14. Have a working and practical knowledge of computerized data analysis software, such as SPSS or Microsoft Excel.
Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:

Textbook(s) and materials such as the following, the list to be updated periodically:

  • Freeman, W. H.; Keppel, G.; Saufley, W. H. Jr.; Tokunaga, H.  Introduction to Design & Analysis:  A Student’s Handbook (Current ed.). Worth.
  • Gliner, J.A., Morgan, G.A., & Leech, N.L.   Research methods in applied settings: An integrated approach to design and analysis (Current ed.). New York, NY: Taylor-Francis.
  • Howell, D. C.   Statistical methods for psychology (Current ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Thompson-Wadsworth.
  • SPSS Student Software (also available in DC computer labs)

 

Requisites

Prerequisites

PSYC 1100 AND 1200, both with a C- or better

AND

PSYC 2300 with a C or better AND one of PSYC 2301 OR CRIM 2254 with a C or better

AND

Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Program or the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Honours Program or Bachelor of Arts  in Applied Criminology or Bachelor of Arts in Applied Criminology-Honours or Psychology (Minor) Program or permission of the instructor.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for PSYC 3300
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU PSYC 3300 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG PSYC 2XXX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU PSYC 301 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU PSYC 3XXX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU PSYC 322 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW PSYC 3XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO PSYO_O 2nd (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV PSYC_V 2nd (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC PSYC 315 (4)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV PSYC 301 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC PSYC 2XX (1.5)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025