Syllabus for PSY-322-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Research in Experimental Psychology (PSY-322) provides an introduction to the research methods used by experimental psychologists as they attempt to understand human behavior. Examples of research studies, chosen from a variety of areas of experimental psychology, demonstrate these methods and provide you with an understanding of the knowledge these studies have produced.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

After successfully completing all course assignments, you should be able to:

• Explain why the scientific thinking used in psychological research is better than common sense as a means of acquiring knowledge about behavior.



• Explain the logic of the psychology experiment and describe the features of experimental methodology intended to satisfy that logic.



• Compare and contrast predictive and causal relations between variables.



• Compare and contrast manipulated and non-manipulated variables.



• Explain the problem of confounding in psychological experiments and describe methods used to minimize the problem.



• Describe ways of summarizing patterns of data.



• Explain the principle of drawing inferences from patterns of data and describe ways of measuring the confidence that should be attached to these inferences.



• Describe factors that limit the generalizing of experimental findings in psychology.



• Describe the analysis required to determine whether experimental findings are accidental.



• Describe the format for reporting research findings.

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COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete the work of the course. These materials are available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbook

• Experimental Psychology, 6th ed., by Anne Myers and Christine Hansen (Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2006).
  ISBN-13: 978-0-534-63441-4

Please note: The Study Guide was written to accompany the 5th edition of the textbook. In that edition the current Chapter 5 had been Chapter 4. Therefore, the supplement in the Study Guide titled "Supplement to Chapter 4: Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient" is a supplement to current Chapter 5, not Chapter 4. Also, you will not be able to check answers to your Review and Study Guide Questions in the Study Guide. In all other ways the Study Guide matches the current textbook.

Study Guide

• Study Guide for Research in Experimental Psychology, edited by Elizabeth Wilson (Trenton: Thomas Edison State College, 2002).

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Research in Experimental Psychology is a 3-credit online course consisting of five (5) modules. Assignments include readings in the textbook and study guide.

In addition to to the reading assignments for this course, you are also required to submit seven (7) written assignments (including a research project) and participate in three (3) graded online discussions. You will transmit written assignments to your mentor for correction and grading. (see Assignment Modules).

For details about online discussions, scroll down to Online Participation.

You will also be required to take two examinations: a proctored midterm and an unproctored, online final. For details about the examinations, scroll down to Examinations.

For all of the course's assignment activities (reading assignments, online discussion, and written assignments), click Assignment Modules on the navigation bar to the left of your screen. That will take you to a list of the individual modules, which you can then click for the relevant assignments.

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ONLINE PARTICIPATION

In addition to submitting seven written assignments for this class, you are required to introduce yourself and participate in three (3) graded online class discussions.

Your first posting, "Introductions," will give you a chance to tell your mentor and classmates something about yourself and to find out who they are. You should post your introduction in the Introductions forum on the class Discussion Board and respond to at least two of your classmates' responses.

Communication with the mentor and among fellow students is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a discussion question and at least two subsequent comments on classmates' responses.

Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate or your mentor, state and support your position.

You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation, including your use of relevant course information to support your point of view, and your awareness of and responses to the postings of your classmates. Remember, these are discussions. responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, mature, and respectful.

Your initial responses to the discussion questions and subsequent comments on classmates' responses are due on the days specified by the course Calendar.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

The first six (6) written assignments in this course all build toward the research project report, to be turned in as the seventh assignment. Directions for the written assignments can be found in the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site. (See also the course Calendar.)

Please input all work and include references.

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment

link provided at the bottom of the respective assignment page. Use the Browse button within this link to locate and submit your assignment file.

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EXAMINATIONS

This course requires you to take two examinations: a proctored midterm examination and an unproctored, online final examination.

Midterm Examination

The midterm is a closed-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and covers material from Modules 1 and 2 of the course. It consists of definitions and essay questions. The exam is drawn from the text and assigned readings. You will not be asked to do any statistical calculations on the exam.

You may take the examination only during the designated exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In preparation, you must submit a "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation to the Office of Test Administration during the first week of the semester.

If you are on a course extension and have not yet taken the midterm exam, you must let your examination proctor know when you plan to take the exam and contact the Office of Test Administration (609-984-1181) two weeks in advance to request that your exam be sent to the proctor.

For more information on scheduling a proctored examination, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.

Final Examination
The final is a closed-book, unproctored exam. It is two hours long and covers material in Modules 3, 4, and 5. Like the midterm exam, it consists of definitions and essay questions. The exam is drawn from the text and assigned readings. You will not be asked to do any statistical calculations on the exam.

The final exam is taken online in Blackboard. An exam link will be activated and made available to you in the Tests & Quizzes area of the course site at the start of the final week in the semester. You may take the exam at any time during that week, but no later than midnight Saturday (eastern time). If you are on a course extension, you will need to arrange with your mentor a time to reschedule the final exam.

Sample Examination
You will find a sample online examination in the Tests & Quizzes area of this course site. Use this sample exam to familiarize yourself with the online testing setting and format before you take your online exam. Keep in mind the following potential differences between the sample exam and your online exam:

• The content of your exam will match the content of your course; the sample exam has some generic questions on art history, world history, and environmental science.
• Your exam will include only identification and essay questions. The sample exam includes all the types that you might encounter in an online assessment at Thomas Edison State College.
• You will be able to enter and take your exam just once—once you have entered the exam you must complete it. The sample exam may be taken as often as you like.
• There will be a penalty for exceeding the time limit in your actual midterm and final exams (see the "Statement about Cheating" below), whereas there is no corresponding penalty with this sample exam.

Statement about Cheating
The final examination in this course is an unproctored exam. That means you will not be supervised while taking the test. You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

• Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
• Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
• Plagiarizing answers.
• Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
• Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
• Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Please also note that the exam is time-limited. That means you only have the allotted time in which to complete the exam. If you exceed the time limit on the exam, you will be penalized by having two points deducted for every minute that you exceed the time limit. This may also result in your failing the course.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Letter grades for online participation, written assignments, and the final examination are based on the following numerical grades:

Note: To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, projects, papers, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.



2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule your midterm exam and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.



3. Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA). You must make arrangements to take your examination and send in your "Proctor Request Form" to OTA before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)



4. Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.



5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking your examination. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.



2. Each week, consult Assignment Modules and the Calendar to determine which chapter in the textbook you are to study. In most weeks you will also be assigned parts of the collection of previously published research papers (in the Study Guide for Research in Experimental Psychology) compiled by Elizabeth Wilson. (Some of the readings are reassigned at several points in the course. Please read them as directed.) The Calendar indicates due dates for submitting written assignments and when you should schedule your midterm examination. It is essential that you follow the Calendar each week to ensure that you stay on track throughout the course.
3. When beginning a new chapter of the text, follow this procedure: (a) Read the Chapter Objectives and the chapter introduction. If you work with the objectives in mind, you will be well prepared for the assignments and exam questions. (b) Read for understanding, highlighting terms, definitions, and examples as you read. (c) Know all the Key Terms at the end of each chapter. (d) Complete assigned Review and Study Questions. Learn from your successes and shortcomings. Pay particular attention to your mentor's comments on your assignments. In each successive assignment, try to build on and improve your previous work.
4. Review for the examination. It is comprehensive and is drawn from the text and assigned readings. Be sure you know the material highlighted in the Chapter Objectives and Review and Study Questions for the chapters assigned in the Calendar.
5. This material will lead you through the steps necessary to develop your own experimental design, perform the experiment, and write the report. One important question you will need to answer in your report is whether your results are accidental or not based on a statistical test.
6. Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

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