Psychology 3780F 001

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

Psychology 3780F (001) — Research in Social Psychology  

Western University | Department of Psychology | London, Ontario, Canada 

Summer 2021 Intersession (May 10 – June 18) | Mondays & Wednesdays 2:30pm-4:30pm 

 

  1. CALENDAR DESCRIPTION 

 

An introduction to the methods and techniques used in the study of human social behavior. Students will conduct studies using a variety of procedures, and will develop an independent research proposal. 

 

Antirequisite(s): Courses that overlap sufficiently in course content that both cannot be taken for credit. If you have taken any antirequisites, your mark/credit earned in 3780F will replace the mark/credit you earned in the earlier course. The antirequisites are:  

 Psychology 2780E. 

 

Prerequisite(s): Courses that must be completed before enrolling in 3780F, unless written special permission was given by the instructor and your Dean. If you do not have the necessary prerequisities, you may be removed from the course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will not receive an adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. The prerequisites are:  Psychology 2800E, Psychology 2810, and one of Psychology 2070A/B or Psychology 2720A/B, plus registration in third or fourth year Honours Specialization in Psychology or Honours Specialization in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Psychology Majors and Psychology Special Students who earn 70% or higher in Psychology 2820E (or 60% or higher in Psychology 2800E and Psychology 2810), plus 60% or higher in one of Psychology 2070A/B or Psychology 2720A/B) also may enroll in this course. 

 

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours. 

 

Course Weight: 0.5 

 

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health. 

 

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION 

 

Instructor: Rebecca (Becca) Koessler, M.Sc. Office: SSC 6323 (Meetings held via Zoom)   

Student Hours: TBD Email: rkoessle@uwo.ca   

 

Class: Mondays & Wednesdays 2:30pm-4:30pm Class Location: Online delivery (Zoom) 

 

2.1 OWL Site 

 

The course OWL site can be found at http://owl.uwo.ca. OWL will be used as the main source of communication between the instructor and the students. Announcements, rubrics, lecture slides, assignments, due dates, and resources will be posted to OWL. Students will be expected to check OWL regularly.  

 

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. 

 

Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: All of the remote learning sessions for this course will be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the participant has the prior written permission of the instructor. 

 

  1. What To Do When You Have Questions 

 

1) Read the Syllabus & Check OWL 

Before contacting the instructor with questions about the course, read the syllabus and explore the course page on OWL. These should contain everything you need to know about the structure of the course, deadlines, assignment instructions, etc. Please do your due diligence to find the answer to your question before reaching out the instructor. If you cannot find the answer to your question, proceed to the next step below.   

 

2) Course FAQ 

A course FAQ google doc has been posted on the front page of the course OWL site. This document is meant for students to post any content or course related question they have. If one student has a question, it is likely that others do to. This FAQ lessens the number of duplicate questions via email the instructor receives throughout the course. NOTE: This document editable and viewable by every student in the course. As such, this is not the appropriate platform to ask personalized questions (e.g., accommodations, mark-related issues, etc.). If your question does not contain any personal information, post it on the course FAQ and the instructor will respond to it promptly. If your question is personal, connect with the instructor via email following the guidelines below.   

 

3) Contact the Instructor via Email 

When emailing the instructor, “3780F” must be in the subject line. Emails will be responded to within 48 hours. If 48 hours has passed and you have not received a response, it is appropriate to send a follow up email. Please review the information in the syllabus, the course FAQ and on OWL before asking questions about the course structure and policies.  

 

Caveats 

Emails sent within 24 hours of marks being released (e.g., assignments or midterms) will not be granted a response. I will be happy to chat with you after 24 hours has passed. 

 

4) Attend Student Hours! 

Student hours are weekly times that are set aside for students to meet with the instructor to ask questions. The date and time of Becca’s student hours will be posted on OWL and will be held via Zoom.  

 

2.3 Class Conduct  

 

Cultivating a comfortable virtual classroom environment conducive to facilitating intellectual growth is a priority. You will be expected to be an active member of the classroom community by attending lecture, participating, and being encouraging and supportive of your peers to the best of your ability.  

 

  1. COURSE MATERIALS  

 

3.1 Lecture Preparation 

There is a free, open-access textbook for this course. You may access and/or download the textbook here: Research Methods in Psychology – 2nd Canadian Edition. There will often be assigned readings, videos, and/or activities to complete, ideally before each class. 

  1. OWL Weekly Lessons 

 

Each week will have a “Lesson” tab on the left-hand side of OWL. This lesson tab will include the topic for the week, a weekly to-do list, announcements and reminders, and the pre-lecture preparation tasks for each day (Monday and Wednesday). Lecture slides and recordings for the week will also be found here: slides will be posted shortly before each class, recordings shortly after class.  

 

  1. Collaborative Lecture Notes 

 

Within each weekly lesson, links to collaborative google docs for taking lecture notes will be provided for each lecture. This may also be a useful tool to ask your peers questions about the course content. The use of this tool is entirely optional, and the instructor will not be monitoring or moderating its use at all. 

 

A word of caution… 

Everyone can edit these documents, meaning someone could jot down something incorrectly, or could delete the notes (either accidentally or on purpose). Be cautious about depending on these notes when it comes time to study for the exam. In other words, “but the collaborative lecture notes said X was true so I should get points for that question I missed on the exam” or “someone deleted the lecture notes so I couldn’t study for the exam” are not valid excuses for poor exam performance.  

 

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. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147. 

 

4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES 

 

The purpose of this course is to introduce the methods and techniques used in the study of human social behavior. Students will develop an independent research proposal using an existing open-access dataset (rather than conducting their own studies/experiments). Students will gain valuable experience critically evaluating published literature, developing research questions, creating informed hypotheses, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of research designs, analyzing data, and writing and presenting research findings.  

 

4.1  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

Learning Outcome 

Learning Activity 

Assessment 

Depth & Breadth of Knowledge 

 

Find, interpret, and critically evaluate original empirical research 

Assignments 

Research Report 

Presentation 

Knowledge of Methodologies 

 

Evaluate the appropriateness of different methodological approaches for specific research questions 

Assignments 

Research Report 

Presentation 

Final Exam 

Application of Knowledge 

 

Generate original research ideas and hypotheses 

Apply relevant quantitative skills to the analysis and interpretation of empirical data 

Assignments 

Research Report 

Presentation 

Communication Skills 

 

Communicate research ideas and results (your own and others’) clearly and concisely, in language accessible to intelligent non-experts (oral and written formats) 

 

Research Report 

Presentation 

Awareness of Limits of Knowledge 

 

Identify questionable research practices when they appear in published research and articulate weaknesses/knowledge gaps within a topic area 

 

Assignments 

Research Report 

Presentation 

Final Exam 

Autonomy & Professional Capacity 

 

Practice resourcefulness in finding existing literature, open data, statistical resources, etc. during independent research pursuits  

Communicate and collaborate clearly and professionally with peers and the instructor in informal (class) and formal (presentation) settings 

Participation 

Assignments 

Research Report 

Presentation 

Final Exam 

** These learning outcomes were adapted from Dr. Lorne Campbell’s offering of this course in Winter 2021, and Dr. Samantha Joel and Dr. Corey Isaacs’ offering of 2800E in 2020-2021. 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

 

Component 

Description 

Weight 

Participation  

Completion of “Exit Tickets” at the end of each class 

5% 

Assignments  

Assignments due Sundays of Weeks 1-5 (5% each) 

25% 

Research Report 

APA style written research report of independent project 

35% 

Presentation 

Oral and/or visual presentation of independent project 

10% 

Final Exam  

Assessment during the Final Exam Period (June 21 – 22nd)  

25% 

 

The final exam will be hosted on OWL, will be open note/book and will not be proctored. The final exam will be cumulative. Students are expected to work independently. The final exam will take place on the time and day specified by the Registrar. 

5.1 Late Policy 

The participation and weekly assignment components of the course will have “soft” due dates that are specified on the evaluation/assessment schedule in Section 6.0 of this syllabus. These components are strongly recommended to be completed by these dates to better ensure that students are on track throughout the course. However, these components can be submitted at any time up until June 18th at 12:00pm noon. Participation Exit Tickets and Assignments will not be accepted after this date/time without proper official accommodation, and subsequently will be given a 0. 

The Research Report and Presentation components will be subject to a 10% deduction for every 24 hours they are late. Research Reports and Presentations that are not submitted by the final exam will not be accepted without proper official accommodation, and subsequently will be given a 0.  

5.2 Bonus Marks  

Students will be given the opportunity to earn 5 bonus marks that they can choose to apply to their score on either their Research Report or Final Exam.  To earn these bonus marks, students must select a holiday from the Multicultural Calendar (2021) that occurs between May 10th and June 22nd, 2021 and provide a brief oral presentation (5 minutes maximum) about the holiday. The presentation could include information about the historical significance of the holiday, what country(ies) or culture(s) observe the holiday, what celebrations of the holiday typically involve (if any), and/or any interesting facts related to the holiday. Digital visual aids (e.g., PowerPoint slides, infographics, collages, etc.) are encouraged but not required. A sign-up sheet for presentation days will be made available on the first day of class. Only two students will be allowed to present per class and sign-ups will be first come first serve. 

5.3 Senate Regulations  

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%. 

 

This course is exempt from the Senate requirement that students receive assessment of their work accounting for at least 15% of their final grade at least three full days before the date of the deadline for withdrawal from a course without academic penalty. 

 

Final grades in this class reflect student achievement. Per Department policy, grades that are close to the next grade level (e.g., 79%, 89%) will not be rounded up.  

 

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks 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 

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf) 

 

A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level 

A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average 

B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory 

C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements 

D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable 

F below 50 Fail 

 

6.0 CLASS & ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE 

 

The following topic schedule is tentative, meaning it may change slightly. Any changes will be made well in advance and announced on OWL and in class. In addition to textbook chapters, additional required materials may be assigned and will be posted on OWL.  

 

Week 

Date 

Topic 

1 

May 10 

Introduction to the Course & Scientific Thinking 

May 12 

Theory, Evaluating Existing Literature & Developing Research Ideas 

May 16 

ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

EXIT TICKET 1 & 2 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

2 

May 17 

Psychological Measurement   

May 19 

Experimental Designs 

May 23 

ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

EXIT TICKET 3 & 4 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

3 

May 24 

**NO CLASS – VICTORIA DAY** 

May 26 

Non- Experimental Designs 

May 30 

ASSIGNMENT 3 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

EXIT TICKET 5 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

4 

May 31 

Complex Research Designs  

June 2 

Data Analysis in JASP Part I 

June 6 

ASSIGNMENT 4 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

EXIT TICKET 6 & 7 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

5 

June 7 

Data Analysis in JASP Part II 

June 9 

Presenting Your Research 

June 13 

ASSIGNMENT 5 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

EXIT TICKET 8 & 9 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

6 

June 14 

Research in Social Psychology Potpourri & Final Review 

June 16 

Presentations & Final Review  

June 18 

RESEARCH REPORT DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

EXIT TICKET 10 & 11 DUE 12:00pm (noon) 

7 

 

FINAL EXAM TBA (Exam Period is June 21st – June 22nd) 

 

  1. INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  

 

I acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. 

 

With this, I respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. I acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and I accept responsibility as a public university instructor to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation as well as fostering respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through my teaching and mentorship of undergraduate students. 

 

The Indigenous Student Centre (ISC) provides a variety of services, programs, and resources for Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students (First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Status, Non-Status, and Self-Identifying). For more information please visit their website at http://indigenous.uwo.ca/.    

 

8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES 

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf 

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. 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 (http://www.turnitin.com). 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

9.0 STATEMENTS ON ACCOMMODATIONS 

 

9.1 Accommodation for Documented Disability 

 

Academic accommodation consists of arrangements that allow a student with a disability a fair opportunity to engage in academic activities and fulfill essential course and program requirements. 

 

To request accommodation, see the Student Accessibility Services website here: http://sdc.uwo.ca/ssd/academic_accommodation/index.html 

 

9.2 Accommodation for Religious Holidays 

 

When scheduling unavoidable conflicts with religious holidays, no student will be penalized for absence because of religious reasons, and alternative means will be sought for satisfying the academic requirements involved. 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. For more information, please refer to: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/accommodation_religious.pdf 

 

9.3 Accommodation for Illness or Other Absences 

 

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:  
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12 

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:  

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours); 
  1. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;  
  1. For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate. 

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html 

 

Students seeking academic consideration: 

  1. are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;   
  1. are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence; 
  1. must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence 

 

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf 

 

10.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE 

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette: 

  • please “arrive” to class on time 
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet) 
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material 
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise 
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak 
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable 
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting 

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following: 

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question. 
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking. 
  • Self-identify when speaking. 
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise). 

 

General considerations of “netiquette”: 

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course. 
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing. 
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate. 
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately. 

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct. 

 

11.0 Resources  

 

11.1 Mental Health and Wellness  

 

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, various resources and supports are available on campus, off campus, and online to assist you: 

 

Psychological Services provides professional and confidential services, free of charge, to students needing assistance to meet their personal, social and academic goals. Book an appointment in-person by visiting UCC Rm 11, or by phone at 519-661-3030. If you are in need of immediate support during weekday business hours, walk-in at the Student Services Building, 4th floor, Rm 4100. For more information visit: https://www.uwo.ca/health/psych/ 

 

Reach Out is a confidential 24/7 information, support and crisis service for people living with mental health or addictions concerns in Elgin, Oxford, Middlesex and London. Contact Reach Out by phone at 519-433-2023 or toll free at 1-866-933-2023, or visit their website for more information: https://reachout247.ca/ 

 

If you or someone you know are in need of assistance for any wellness-related need but do not know where to start, visit the Wellness Education Centre in UCC Rm 76: https://www.uwo.ca/health/wec/   

 

  1. Academic Skills  

 

If you are interested in accessing services to improve your writing, learning and/or study skills there are a variety of resources available on campus to assist you: 

 

Learning Development & Success (formerly Learning Skills Services) offers confidential 1:1 counseling appointments to help students cope with their course loads, identify strengths and help develop new skills and strategies for success. Appointments can help address stress, anxiety, and demotivation. This service is appropriate for students who are struggling and for students who wish to maintain their current skills. For more information visit WSSB 4100 or https://www.uwo.ca/sdc/learning/ 

 

The Writing Support Centre offers a variety of services to help improve writing skills. One-on-one appointments, drop-in services, workshops, and online writing help and resources are available for all students. Explore http://www.sdc.uwo.ca/writing/ for more information. 

 

12.0 Detailed Academic Policies 

 

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca   

 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca  

 

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following: http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html 

 

  • Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct 
  • Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations 
  • Policy on Attendance 
  • Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines 
  • Policy for Assignments 
  • Short Absences  
  • Extended Absences 
  • Documentation 
  • Academic Concerns 
  • 2021-2022 Calendar References 

 

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 to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).