UT Dallas Syllabus for psy3393.0u2.11u taught by Shannon Layman (sll071000)

8/6/2019 UT Dallas Syllabus for psy3393.0u2.11u taught by Shannon Layman (sll071000)

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PSY 3393.0U2Experimental ProjectsSummer 2011

Green Hall (GR 4.204) Tuesday and Thursday, 4:00pm-5:50pm

Instructor Contact Information

Shannon Layman M.S.

[email protected]: GR 4.712

Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 2:30-3:30pm

(and by appointment)

Teaching Assistant Contact Information:

Joshua Arduengo M.S.

[email protected]: GR 4.308

Office Hours: Thurs 3-4pm

(and by appointment)

Course descriptionThis course will focus on designing and conducting psychological research, with a major emphasis on the writing of

research reports. This course fulfills the advanced writing requirement for Psychology majors and also fulfills the Texas

Core Area requirement 010 - Communication (English rhetoric/composition).

Prerequisite: PSY 3392 (Research Design and Analysis) or PSY 3490 (Accelerated Quantitative Measures).

Student learning objectives

After completing the course, students should be able to:2.3 Locate, accurately summarize, and evaluate bodies of scientific literature in psychology.

2.4 Use critical thinking to design and conduct basic studies to address psychological questions using appropriate

research methods.

2.5 Demonstrate proficiency in writing research reports followingAPA StyleGuidelines that include an abstract,

introduction, methods, results and discussion sections.

3.2 Use critical thinking to analyze empirical reports.

2.2 Explain and apply basic statistical analyses and employ critical thinking to

evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions derived from their use.

Required text:Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition (2009).

(Use only the 2009 versionit contains several important changes from previous versions)

Required handouts and readings for this course will be posted on e-learning. Please check often for new postings.

https://elearning.utdallas.edu/webct/entryPage.dowebct

Overview of the classThe objectives of the class are two-fold:

1) To design and carry out a psychological experiment and to interpret the results2) To write-up the research in the specialized format known as APA format

I place considerable emphasis on the ability of students to write effectively and clearly. So, although

designing and carrying-out your experiment are important components of this class, the quality of your writing is equally,if not more, important.

Early in the semester, students will work on designing individual experiments and locating appropriate references

from the literature, which provide theoretical and practical support for their experiment.

As the semester progresses, students will turn in preliminary versions of each of the sections of the paper. Turning

in individual sections of the final paper during the semester ensures that students keep up with the great deal of writing

that this course requires, and also allows students to receive feedback on their writing, which is useful for the required

revisions needed for the final paper.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Structure of Final Course Grade

Component Weight PointsFinal Letter Grades:

1. Attendance 5% (10 pts)

2. Writing assignments 25% (50 pts) A = 179-200

3. Quizzes 20% (40 pts) B = 159-1784. Data collection & analysis 10% (20 pts) C = 139-158

5. Class Presentation 10% (20 pts) D = 120-138

6. Final paper 30% (60 pts) F = below 120

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Total: 100% (200 pts)

Attendance (5%)See below.

Writing assignments (10 pts each; 50 pts total)

These assignments consist of the four major sections of the final paper: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, plus oneadditional writing assignment towards the beginning of the semester.

Quizzes (10 points each; 40 pts total)There will be 4 quizzes (worth 10 pts each) that cover assigned readings and class lectures.

I do not give make-up quizzes unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

Data collection and analysis (20 pts)There will be three graded assignments that involve data collection and analysis.

In addition, before you collect any data, you will need to obtain IRB approval for your experiment.

This is a relatively easy process that requiresyou to submit a few forms about your experiment to UTDs internal review board. More

information on this later in the semester

Class Presentations (20 pts)At the end of the semester, each student will give a PowerPoint presentation of his or her experiment to the class.

Final Paper (60 pts)Your final paper will include revisedsections of the paper that you turned in earlier in the semester, as well as an abstract, a reference

page, figures, and if necessary, an appendix.

Your grade on the final paper will not necessarily equal the sum of the grades of its original parts.

Because rewriting is an important part of the process of academic writing and research publication,you are expected to revise your

paper as the semester progresses.

Course and Instructor Policies

AttendanceStudents are expected to take responsibility for attending class and attendance will be formally taken each class. If you do miss a class

you are responsible for getting any notes and/or assignments from a willing classmate. As this is not a typical course with exams,I do

not post lecture notes, although I do post information about assignments on e-learning.

Perfect attendance is often a determining factor when a students final grade average is on the border between a B+ orA, a C+ or B,


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etc.

If you find that you will be unable to attend a significant number of classes and need to withdraw from the course, the last day to drop

the class without a W is Thursday June 2nd, See Comet Academic Calendar for details.

Late Assignments

Do not miss deadlines. So that I can read your papers and assignments and get them back to you in a timely fashion, Istrictly enforce due dates and thus, do not accept late papers.

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date posted on the syllabus. In other words, if you more

than 15 minutes after class begins, it will be counted as late (deduction of one letter grade).

If you have an emergency, you should notify the TA or me by email. Or, at the very least, you may leave a message for

me with the Deans office (972-883-2355). In case of illness, accommodations will be made only with a doctors note.

If you know in advance that you will be unable to attend class on the date that an assignment is due, you must make

arrangements with me before the due date.

***I never accept assignments that are sent by email. You must turn in all assignments in-person***

Other

~When sending email to me or to the TA, use only your UTD email account.

For security reasons, we will only open email with a UTD address.

~Plagiarism, especially from the web, is taken seriously. Should you have questions about how to correctly cite and

paraphrase the work of others, please ask. See also the section on the next page, Academic Integrity.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Student Conduct & DisciplineThe University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their

business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations, which govern

student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which isprovided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures aredefined and described in theRules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3 , and in Title V,

Rules on Student Services and Activities of the universitysHandbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available

to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local

laws as well as the Regents Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline forviolating the standards of

conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon theabsolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrates a high standard of individual honor inhis or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree,and/or the submission as ones own work or material that is not ones own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the followingacts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinaryproceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt

with under the universitys policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which


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searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email UseThe University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail.At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages

all official student email correspondence be sent only to a students U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from

students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in theidentity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is

to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for studentsto have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts

Withdrawal from ClassThe administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and times are published in thatsemester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from anyclass. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of

"F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance ProceduresProcedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the UniversitysHandbook of Operating

Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation ofthe student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance

originates (hereafter called the respondent). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If thematter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondents School Dean. Ifthe matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the

grievance is not resolved by the School Deans decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education

and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academicappeals process will be distributed to all involved parties. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean ofStudents, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade PolicyAs per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semesters end and only if 70% of the coursework has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If therequired work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed

automatically to a grade ofF.

Disability ServicesThe goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. DisabilityServices is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday,8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22PO Box 830688Richardson, Texas 75083-0688(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis ofdisability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for

students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for astudent who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. Thecollege or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the students responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students withletters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special

accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy DaysThe University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day

for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.


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The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of theassignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: aperiod equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam orassignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a

failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar

disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student orthe instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designeemust take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officeror designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Date Topics Assignments Due Corresponding Readings

5/24

Course Overview-Experimentation in Psychology

- -

5/26

Experimental Design:Variables

Locate an experimental resultthat you find interesting

READ YOUR SYLLABUS - APA manual:Read Ch. 1

5/31

Locating Journal ArticlesComponents of an experimentWriting style

Quiz 1 - 10pts Oppenheimer article

6/2

Discuss experimental ideas -generating hypotheses

Due: 1.5 page journal articlesummary with Reference page -

10 pts (article may be on anypsychology topic of your

choosing)

APA Ch 2 (section 2.05) APA Ch 3 e-learning handouts: Writing Summaries,Finding References, Citing References

6/7

In-class conferences - discuss

graded summariesWritten experimental sketch due -

6/9

In-class conferences - discussgraded summaries

You should be in the process ofwriting your Introduction

-

6/14 IRB form APA Manual 2.13-2.17

6/16

Ethics - Conducting yourExperiment

INTRODUCTION DUE; 10 (ormore) references

You need to have data collected byJune 30th

6/21 Writing the method section Quiz 2 - 10pts

6/23

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) -Refer to APA Ch. 4 for Method section

(punctuation, abbreviations, italics,numbers, etc.)

6/28Using SAS - Handout for using SAS provided in-class

6/30

Data analysis lab (class willmeet in a computer lab oncampus--TBA)

Methods section due 10pts -

7/5

Interpreting data - writing aresults section

Quiz 3 - 10pts APA Ch 2 (section 2.07: Results)


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7/7 Graphs - Handouts on Results and Graphs

7/12Interpreting graphs Results Section due 10pts

Refer to APA Ch 4 (pp 116-120) for yourResults section

7/14

Putting your results in context;writing the discussion

Quiz 4 - 10pts Bem article (section about Discussion)

7/19

How to present yourexperiment - putting togetheryour final paper

- -

7/21 Class Presentations Discussion section due 10pts -

7/26 Class Presentations - -

7/28 Class Presentations - handouts on the final paper

8/9 The "Final"Final paper due - 60 pts Refer to sample paper provided in APA

(Figure 2.1, beg. p.41)

Documents

UT Dallas Syllabus for psy3393.0u2.11u taught by Shannon Layman (sll071000)