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Syllabus

This document outlines the syllabus for a statistics course, including instructor information, course objectives, grading policies, textbook information, and a schedule of readings and assignments. The course covers descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, sampling, hypothesis testing, and students will complete a small research project. Grades are based on exams, homework, and a final project.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
18 views5 pages

Syllabus

This document outlines the syllabus for a statistics course, including instructor information, course objectives, grading policies, textbook information, and a schedule of readings and assignments. The course covers descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, sampling, hypothesis testing, and students will complete a small research project. Grades are based on exams, homework, and a final project.

Uploaded by

Nash Quinanola
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Statistics for Behavioral Sciences

PSYC 5, Summer 2011, 4 units


Section 1, CRN 51898, BATMALE 513
Monday to Friday, 9AM-11:30AM

INSTRUCTOR: Raymond J. Gamba, Ph.D.

This syllabus lays out the organization, goals, and requirements for this course. This syllabus represents our
"contract" or commitment to one another. Your continued enrollment in this course will serve as evidence of your
agreement to this contract. You must have completed and passed MATH 92, 860, or demonstrated MATH 860 exit
skills (2nd year high school algebra). This course is not open to students who have completed a course in statistics.
Verification of these prerequisites will be required. Because of the writing involved in the course, it is advised that
you have completed ENGLISH 92 or ESL 82 or ESL 160.

OFFICE HOURS: Monday thru Thursday 11:30am-12pm or By Appointment


Office: Batmale 354 Phone: (415) 239-3433
E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.ccsf.edu/rgamba
I strongly encourage you to make an appointment, so we can talk. It is a time for me to help a student who may have trouble with
some of the material; perhaps I can help with study strategies. Also, it is a chance for me to get to know you, so please use the time.
Please use my e-mail address for course correspondence only.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Primarily for prospective majors and related majors. Introduction to research design, measurement, descriptive statistics (including
correlation and regression), probability, sampling theory, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. Pass/No Pass available.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Statistics are part of our daily lives. Everywhere we look people are making claims about something based on statistical
calculations. How long does it take you to get home from campus? What is the probability that you will die from cancer? Will you
win the lottery? Does aspirin reduce my risk for heart attacks? The answer to all these questions is based on statistics. We use
statistics on a daily basis to describe events, predict future events, and make probability estimates.
This course will focus on the application, theories, and computational methods that are basic to statistics. This course will cover
many helpful principles that may be applied to improving your critical thinking skills and understanding the logic underlying
statistical thinking, designing, and interpreting scientific research.
My hope is to promote a feeling of comfort and self-confidence about you as a person who can apply basic statistical concepts. Upon
completion of this course the student will be able to do the following:

A. Calculate and explain descriptive and inferential concepts, in verbal or written format.
B. Assess when a statistical analysis is appropriate and discuss the limitations.
C. Solve data analysis problems, by hand with a calculator or through the use of computer, and explain the results in either written
or verbal form.
D. Critically analyze the strengths and weaknesses of research findings.
E. Analyze and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hypothesis testing.
F. Apply statistical analysis within a small-scale research project and write up results or present results.

TEXT
We will be using one main text: Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences with Study Guide by Fredrick J. Gravetter
and Larry B. Wallnau (Wadsworth, 7th Edition). The study guide is a useful tool for additional problems, easier explanations, and
practice multiple choice questions. There will be occasional supplemental readings that I will put on reserve in the library (under my
name and the course title). These materials are there to aid your comprehension of the materials presented in the lecture. It is
expected that students will read the chapter(s) and readings assigned for that week prior to class, and come prepared
for discussion.

GRADES
Grades for this course will be based on 3 exams (25% each exam x 3 = 75% of final grade), homework (10% of final grade), and a
final project (15% of final grade). The following are the percentages for your final grade: A = 90%-100%, B = 80%-89%, C = 70%-
79%, D = 60%-69%, F = 59% and below. If you decide to take the course pass/no pass you must achieve a final grade of 70% or
higher to earn credit.

ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION


Attendance is absolutely essential for success in a statistics class. You are expected to attend every class, to arrive on time, and
to participate during the entire class period. I absolutely deplore tardiness; therefore, if you are late three times to class this will
constitute one class absence, and an additional absence for every three tardies thereafter. If for some reason you are unable to
attend, it is a common courtesy to inform me prior to class time. You may leave a message for me at my office number (415) 239-
3433, but I prefer that you use e-mail. It is your responsibility to obtain notes from other students in the event of an absence.
E-mail or call me for any assignment that should be completed prior to the next class. To remove an absence or tardy
from your record, the absence or tardy should immediately be followed by submitting a Request for an Excused Absence or Excused
Late Form and providing documentation (i.e., doctor’s note, letter from a supervisor at work, etc.). No form, no documentation….no
excused absence.
Attendance will be taken every class period. A roll sheet will be passed out at the beginning of each class. Eventually I will get to
know you and take attendance myself. Missing class puts you at risk of missing valuable information. Please remember that I have
the right to drop students who miss more than ten hours (i.e., two weeks of class). I'm guessing you are getting the point that I am
serious about attendance!!!
You are all encouraged and expected to actively participate in any and all discussions, class demonstrations, etc., so get into an
early habit of asking questions and becoming involved. Exams will include questions on my lectures, discussions, demonstrations,
in-class videos, as well as the reading assignments. Your attendance and participation in class will greatly improve your
comprehension of material and increase your chances for success in this class.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are properly enrolled or withdrawn from this class. If you decide to drop the course, you
must do so no later than June 27, 2011 to ensure no record of enrollment. You will receive a "W" if you drop the course after June
27, 2011. The last day to drop without receiving an "F" is July 19, 2011. Again, it is your responsibility to inform Admissions and
Records of your status in this course (don't receive an "F" just because you failed to take care of the paperwork).

EXAMS
There will be three exams that will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and computational questions. Prior to the exams we will
have a review. You will need a #2 pencil, and a calculator for the exams. If you have testing accommodations with CCSF’s DSPS
office please inform me immediately. On exam days, immediately following the exam, I typically have a brief lecture on the next
topic. No whining!!!
There will be no make-up exams. If you have a true1 emergency, you will be given a make-up exam. If you do not have a "true"
emergency, you will receive no credit for that exam. If you must miss an exam, call my office or e-mail me on or before the exam
day to let me know that you will be absent. Do not come back to class until you have either made up the exam or spoken
to me about it.
All exams are "closed book and closed note" unless announced otherwise. I will provide you with all the necessary formulas you will
need to know for that particular exam. I hate to mention this, but if you cheat in this class, you will fail this course and I will refer
your name to the administration. Put simply, don't cheat!

HOMEWORK
There are three homework assignments and due dates are listed . Please pay attention to the items I occasionally add and subtract
from the homework assignment. In general, you must clearly display all the computational work (including formulas) and
use your own words in order to receive credit, and STAPLE EVERYTHING!!!. Do not merely copy the answers from the book
or you will earn no credit on the homework. Please note, no late homework (i.e., handed in after the class in which it was due) will
be accepted for credit, although you should hand in late homework regardless so that I may give you feedback. Homework problems
are very similar to the types of questions asked on exams. Get the hint!!! Homework is important!!!

FINAL PROJECT
To prepare you for your future careers in the behavioral sciences, you will conduct a research project where we collect data, analyze
it, and report on what you find. The goal is to give you written practice of how psychologists collect and report data. You will submit
a report in APA style (don't worry, I will go over format issues in detail). Further details about the report will be given in class.

NOTEBOOK AND MATERIALS


BUY A STAPLER!!!!!, and a hole-puncher. All your work should be kept in a separate three-ring notebook. Statistics is about
being prepared and organized. Your notebook should contain, in separate tabbed sections: Dated Lecture Notes, Classwork and
Handouts, Homework, Quizzes, Computer Printouts, Final Project, etc. In addition, please bring to every class your book, notebook,
paper (graphing paper as well), pencils, and a calculator (with at least a square root key).

1 "true" emergencies are either (a) death in the family or (b) serious illness. In either case, documentation is required.
PSYC 5 SCHEDULE OF READINGS, EXAMINATIONS, ASSIGNMENTS
Topics and readings are presented below on an approximate daily schedule. Please start your reading early. I recognize the fact that this is an
ambitious array of topics, but the schedule of readings and examinations is flexible and subject to change depending on the progress
of the class.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday


6/1 6/1 6/1 6/1 6/1
3 4 5 6 7
Introduction to Introduction to Frequency Distributions: Frequency Distributions: Central Tendency
Statistics: Chapter 1 Statistics: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

6/2 6/2 6/2 6/2 6/2


0 1 2 3 4
Central Tendency / Variability: Chapter 4 z-Scores: Chapter 5 z-Scores: Chapter 5 Exam 1 (Chapters 1-
Variability: Chapter 3/4 5)

6/2 6/2 6/2 6/3 7/1


7 8 9 0
Probability: Chapter 6 Probability: Chapter 6 Probability and Probability and Hypothesis Testing:
Homework #1 Due Samples: Chapter 7 Samples: Chapter 7 Chapter 8

7/4 7/5 7/6 7/7 7/8


Independence Day Hypothesis Testing: One Sample t-test: Two Sample t-test: Two Sample t-test:
Holiday Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 10
NO CLASSES
7/1 7/1 7/1 7/1 7/1
1 2 3 4 5
Exam 2 (Chapters 6- Repeated Measures t- Repeated Measures t- Estimation: Chapter 12 Estimation: Chapter 12
10) test: Chapter 13 test: Chapter 13
Homework #2 Due
7/1 7/1 7/2 7/2 7/2
8 9 0 1 2
Analysis of Variance Analysis of Variance Analysis of Variance Correlation and Correlation and
(ANOVA): Chapter 13 (ANOVA): Chapter 13 (ANOVA): Chapter 13 Regression: Chapter 15 Regression: Chapter 15

7/2 7/2 7/2 7/2 7/2


5 6 7 8 9
Correlation and Chi-Square Statistic: Chi-Square Statistic: Chi-Square Statistic: Exam 3 (Chapters 11-
Regression: Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 13, 15, 16)
Homework #3 Due

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