Psychology 2856G 001 FW24
Research Methods in Psychology II
Western University
London Canada
Department of Psychology
Fall/Winter 2024
Psychology 2856G Section 001
Research Methods in Psychology II
1 Calendar Description
Building on students' knowledge of design and ethical issues in psychological research, this course will introduce more complex designs and data analysis. Students will design and conduct an original research project and communicate the findings in an APA-style written report. https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/academics/timetables.html
Antirequisites: Psychology 2800E, Psychology 2820E, Psychology 2830A/B, Psychology 2840F/G.
Prerequisites: A mark of at least 60% in Psychology 2855 F/G.
2 lecture hours; 2 laboratory hours; Course Weight: 0.5
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
2 Course Information
Instructor: Caroline Strang
Phone: 519.661.2111 ex.89759
Office Hours: see Brightspace for details
Email: cstrang@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: TBA
Office: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Email: TBA
Time and Location of Classes: Lecture and Labs are In-Person. See Timetable on Student Centre for days and locations.
For courses that include an online component, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements.
3 Course Materials
Research Methods in Psychology – 4th edition
Authors: Rajiv Jhangiani, I-Chant A. Chiang, Carrie Cuttler, & Dana C. Leighton This is an OPEN ACCESS textbook available online at https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/psychmethods4e/
A hard copy version is available for purchase. ISBN – 10: 1085976920
4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge · Analyse published articles and experiments in psychology · Design and conduct an experiment |
lectures, laboratory activities, group discussions, readings |
Research Project |
Knowledge of Methodologies · Recognize and compare experimental and non-experimental designs in psychology |
Tests, exam, lab activities, ethics documents |
|
Application of Knowledge · Critique experimental work and formulate new research ideas |
Research project |
|
Communication Skills · Identify and describe the important aspects of published research articles in psychology |
Research project, group presentation |
|
Autonomy and Professional Capacity · Develop oral and writing communications skills · Understand the ethical standards for research in psychology |
Research project, group presentation, ethics documents |
5 Evaluation
Essay Requirement: Evaluation consists of two components: (1) exams that cover lecture material and (2) lab work (research project). Each is worth 50% of the course final mark. Students must pass both the lecture component and the lab component to receive a final passing mark in the course.
Lecture component
Test 1 (25%) & Test 2 (25%)
There will be two non-cumulative tests in this course. Tests are based on lecture material and the course textbook. Tests are equally weighted, so each contributes 25% to the final course mark (2 tests x 25% = 50% for class component). Tests may include questions in several formats, including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, definitions, and short answer. All tests are closed book with no aids allowed.
Lab component
Participation – 5%
For each lab (Weeks 2-13, excluding Weeks 7 & 12) there will be participation marks available. These marks will be given based on completion of in-class activities and ‘exit tickets’ to be submitted at the end of class. There are 8 labs in which students will be able to earn .5 participation marks and 2 labs (Weeks 10 & 13) in which students can earn 1 participation grade. Only 10/11 participation grades will count for the final grade and each student can obtain a maximum of 5 marks.
Research Project – 45% (this includes all components described below)
Students work in teams of three to five (depending on class size) to generate their own research topics and, once approved, will conduct an original study. Evaluation will be based on a proposal (presentation & paper), ethics materials, and a final written lab report.
Each student must participate in their team’s data collection process in order to access the final data for her written lab report. In short, in order to use the data for your report, you need to help collect it.
- Proposal & Presentation – 10%
Each research team will be required to submit a written research proposal and do a 10 minute proposal presentation. The written proposal will consist of a single page, for which a template will be provided. The presentation is expected to involve PowerPoint slides. All groups members must be present during the presentation unless they have approved academic accommodation, but not all members are required to speak during the presentation. The purpose of the presentation is to receive feedback on the study design and all group members should be prepared to answer questions and discuss their study design.
- Ethics Documents – 5%
Before any research can be conducted, the research team must receive research ethics approval for its project for the course instructor. Any individual conducting research without ethics approval will receive an immediate failing grade in the entire course (course grade of F, 40%).
Research with human subjects is governed by university regulations and by provincial and federal laws that ensure the welfare of the subjects and the integrity of scientific research. Conducting research without the appropriate ethics review and approval is a serious offence. Each student project is reviewed for ethics approval by the instructor. It is expected that students will conduct their research at Western and will request participation from students on Western property. Students are not allowed to solicit research participation off of Western University property. It is expected that students will behave in an ethical and respectful manner. Participants cannot be coerced into participating in a study, nor harassed if they choose to not participate. It is important that student researchers abide by the statement in their letter of information, which clearly states that individuals may withdraw from the study at any time with no penalty. It is expected that when dealing with the data that they collect, students will respect confidentiality and privacy.
Laws and regulations governing scientific research require that research materials be kept after the conclusion of the study and presentation of the research data. Thus, questionnaires and other data records, and all signed consent forms must be submitted to the instructor with the lab report at the completion of the course for proper storage and eventual destruction. Note that the final lab report will not be considered “handed in” (i.e., late penalties will apply) until all materials have been submitted.
*Failure to submit questionnaires and other research materials and signed consent forms will be considered a breach of ethics and will result in a failing grade (grade of F, 40%) for the course.*
- Final Paper – 30%
The final report is an individual assignment completed by student based on the research completed with their team. The report is required to be in APA format and include full statistical analysis and reporting of the data that was collected during the term.
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4 and are necessary for meeting these learning objectives
Policy on Missing Coursework
University policy on academic considerations are described here. This policy requires that all requests for academic considerations must be accompanied by a self-attestation. Further information about academic considerations, and information about submitting this self-attestation with your academic consideration request may be found here. Please note that any academic considerations granted in this course will be determined by the instructor, in consultation with the academic advisors in your Faculty of Registration, in accordance with information presented in this course outline.
Test 1: Students who are approved for accommodation will be able to write a makeup test. The makeup may be a different format that the original test.
Test 2: Test 2 takes place in the final exam period and is subject to the university rules for examinations scheduled by the registrar (i.e. supporting documentation is required for accommodation).
Participation: Participation grades will be awarded based on work completed during labs. You can miss 1% of the available participation grades and still obtain 100% on the participation grade. Please note, because not all elements of this assessment are required in the calculation of the final course grade, the instructor reserves the right to deny academic consideration for these missed elements.
Presentation & Proposal: Please note that this assessment is considered to be central to the learning objectives for this course. Accordingly, students seeking academic consideration for this assessment will be required to provide formal supporting documentation. Students who are granted academic consideration for this assessment will be provided with the following opportunity to make up this work: alternate presentation format. Late penalties for the written proposal component of this assessment will not be applied for the first 48h past the deadline and will then be applied at 5% per day, with weekends counting as a single day. Please note, assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a numerical grade, but may not receive written feedback. This is a group marked assessment, so any late penalties will apply to all groups members.
Ethics documents: Late penalties will not be applied for the first 48h past the deadline and will then be applied at 5% per day, with weekends counting as a single day. Please note, assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a numerical grade, but may not receive written feedback. This is a group marked assessment, so any late penalties will apply to all groups members.
Final Proposal: Late penalties will not be applied for the first 48h past the deadline and will then be applied at 5% per day, with weekends counting as a single day. Please note, assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a numerical grade, but may not receive written feedback.
Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your written assignments must be at least 50%.
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf
The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses
72% 2100-2999-level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
In the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.
Policy on Grade Rounding
Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered.
6 Assessment/Evaluation Schedule
Component |
Weight |
Date/ Deadline |
Test #1 |
25% |
February 12th |
Test #2 |
25% |
Final Exam Period |
Research Project |
45% |
See below for component deadlines |
Presentation & Proposal |
10% |
Weeks 5 & 6 (in class) |
Ethics documents |
5% |
February 26th |
Final Project |
30% |
April 2nd |
Participation |
5% |
10 labs See dates below |
7 Class Schedule
Week/Class |
Date |
Description |
Assignments and/or Readings Due |
||
|
|
e.g., topic, content |
e.g., quiz, paper, group project, exam. |
||
1 |
Lecture |
Jan 8th |
Introductions/Course Overview |
None |
|
Lab |
Survey Scoring & Topic Submission |
||||
2 |
Lecture |
Jan 15th |
Review of single IV designs |
Readings: Chapter V |
|
Lab |
Research Teams Announced |
Participation Grade |
|||
3 |
Lecture |
Jan 22nd |
Within Subjects Designs |
Readings: Chapter V |
|
Lab |
Research Proposal Information |
Participation Grade |
|||
4 |
Lecture |
Jan 29th |
Factorial Designs Part I |
Readings: Chapter IX |
|
Lab |
Research Teams Consultations |
Participation Grade |
|||
5 |
Lecture |
Feb 5th |
Factorial Designs Part II |
Readings: Chapter IX |
|
Lab |
Proposal Presentations |
Participation Grade Due: Written Proposal for presenting groups |
|||
6 |
Lecture |
Feb 12th |
Test #1 (25%) Weeks 2-5 |
||
Lab |
Proposal Presentations |
Participation Grade Due: Written Proposal for presenting groups |
|||
7 |
Lecture |
Feb 19th |
Reading Week |
||
Lab |
|||||
8 |
Lecture |
Feb 26th |
Programming for Experiments |
None |
|
Lab |
How to write a research report |
Participation Grade Due: Ethics documents |
|||
9 |
Lecture |
Mar 5th |
Meta-analysis |
Readings: Chapters XI |
|
Lab |
Guest Research Talks |
Participation Grade |
|||
10 |
Lecture |
Mar 12th |
Psychological testing with animals |
Readings: will be posted on website |
|
Lab |
Bee Demo |
Participation Grade |
|||
11 |
Lecture |
Mar 19th |
Choosing a statistical test & graphing |
Readings: Chapters XIII |
|
Lab |
Data Analysis for research project |
Participation Grade |
|||
12 |
Lecture |
Mar 26th |
EDID considerations in research |
Readings: will be posted on website |
|
Lab |
No Lab |
||||
13 |
Lecture |
Apr 2nd |
Panel Discussion: Moving forward in science |
Participation Grade x2 (1%) Due: Final Research Project |
|
Lab |
|||||
Final Exam Period |
Test # 2 (25%) |
Lecture material weeks 8-12 |
|||
8 Academic Integrity
Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
Statement on Use of Electronic Devices
Students can use electronic devices in class (laptops, tablets, cell phones). Please do so respectfully and avoid distracting classmates, the professor, or teaching assistant.
Use of electronic devices is prohibited during tests/exams unless specific accommodations have been given.
Plagiarism Detection Software
All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com.
Use of AI
The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content.
Multiple Choice Exams
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
9 Academic Accommodations and Accessible Education
View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link.
Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western.
If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information. Email: aew@uwo.ca Phone: 519 661-2147
10 Absence & Academic Consideration
View Western’s policy on academic consideration for medical illnesses this link
Find your academic counsellor here: https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain academic considerations. Students must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence.
Medical Absences
Submit a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for Academic Consideration.
Nonmedical Absences
Submit appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Religious Consideration
Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.
11 Other Information
- Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
- Student Development Services: sdc.uwo.ca
- Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness@Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you.
If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf. Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal in writing to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).
Copyright Statement
Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
12 Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton. Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.