Do you love statistics?

Do you love computer programs that are designed to do statistical analyses?

Do you have to take this class even if you answered “no” to the first two questions?

A few people really love statistics. If you don’t love statistics, you might be afraid of taking a computer class centered on statistics. Please do not be afraid. This class is for everyone. Granted, some may have more of a knack for what we’ll cover than others but know that everyone (yes, everyone) can earn an “A” in this class. I’ll explain how in the next section. First, I want to explain what this class is about and why it is a required course for SVSU Psychology Majors.

What is this class?

What do cute dogs have to do with this class? Nothing. They are just cute dogs that make me feel good. When you are dealing with something that can make you feel nervous or scared (e.g., statistical analyses), it is a good idea to offset that with some positivity. Thank you, dogs.

Back to the matter at hand: this class. PSYC 302 Computer Applications in Data Analysis had three specific content areas:

  1. APA style formatting of statistical results
  2. Logic of statistical analytical procedures
  3. Analyzing data using IBM SPSS Statistics

You have already taken PSYC 202, which focused heavily on APA style. You have taken (or are currently enrolled in) PSYC 299, which focused heavily on statistical analyses. Why should these be revisited in this class? There are two reasons to continue to include these content areas. The first is that we all need continual practice to master whatever we’re working on. The second is that we will be covering new information in these areas.

APA Style

You’ve learned about the tone of scientific writing, how to be concise, and the way in which we paraphrase and cite. In this course, we will learn how to present the results of statistical analyses in a similar manner. That is, we will write in a scientific tone, we will be concise, and we will summarize while citing our evidence. We’ll also make some easy to read tables and figures by following the mantra of “clear and concise.”

Analytical Logic

The following is wrong.

“I conducted an experiment and now I need to figure out how to test if my IV had an effect.”

It stands to reason that one would analyze data AFTER collecting the data. However, you should have figured out how to test your data before you even started collecting it. That is, we need to plan our analyses while we are planning our studies. We need to understand the kind of data we are collecting before we can summarize it and make inferences. It is the absolute worst feeling to have spent months (or even years) collecting data to answer a question to later find out that the data cannot answer the question at all.

To avoid this feeling of dread, we will review data classification, approaches to statistics, analyses, and rules for determining which analyses are appropriate. This is the core of statistics. What program you use and even, to some extent, the exact procedure can be swapped for another without changing conclusions.

SPSS

SPSS stands for Statistical Package for Social Sciences because it caters to those in psychology, sociology, economics, etc. It has become a very popular program because of the point-and-click interface (although one can perform all the analyses using syntax, or code, as well). One of the downfalls of the ease-of-use is that it can be very easy to do the wrong thing. It can also be difficult to do the right thing. There are pros and cons for any software you choose to learn but in each case, it is far easier and faster to use the software than to perform the calculations by hand.

We will cover the how-tos including: making figures, creating tables, evaluating data, selecting analyses, including requested statistics, etc.

Why take this class?

I think the cute dog giphy is enough of a reason but the faculty of the psychology department have actually thought a lot about how this course helps students with several important goals.

Most importantly, this course requires students to problem solve and to think critically about data and analyses. Science requires practitioners to be able to design studies and to correctly interpret the results of the studies and one must be able to problem solve and think critically to do that. By the way, this is not the only course that address this (e.g., PSYC 202, 299, 305, lab courses, etc.).

This course also includes generalizable computer skills such as using Microsoft Word, notating your work, saving files, creating screen shots, and more. We will definitely get into the specifics of SPSS (perhaps ad nauseam). These skills are part of becoming an effective data analyst. We’ll explore data, ask the right questions, perform analyses, and clearly communicate our findings. These skills may be some of the most important you learn for any future career. Being able to effectively communicate evidence-based recommendations will serve you well.

At the most practical level, this class will prepare you for your lab courses and extra-curricular research with faculty.

Being Successful in this Course

In brief, you should do the following to earn a good grade:

Read the assigned readings

The readings are short. I know because I wrote them that way. I ditched the textbook to make the material that students should know more clear and accessible. If something is not clear or you cannot access a reading, please let me know.

Watch the walkthroughs

Whenever I ask you to do something in SPSS, I will explain how to do so in the text. I will also show you how to do it in a video. Each walkthrough will be linked from our Canvas home page.

ALWAYS. ASK. Questions.

This came as a shock to me but I am not always as clear or complete in my lessons as I think that I am 😲! Good thing I have you to help me out. When you ask a question, I learn what I’ve not made clear. When you ask a question, you gain a better understanding of the content or skill. When you ask a question, a fairy gets its wings. Well maybe not the last one.

Asking questions is the most effective way to learn. I like answering questions because I like to help my students learn. If you have a feeling of uncertainty, please ask for clarification or feedback. It always makes me sad when a student tells me “I wasn’t sure how to answer that.” Don’t wait until it is too late to ask.

I may not always answer your question directly. For example, if you ask me “when is worksheet 3 due?” I will likely direct you to the syllabus or the Canvas site. This may be because I don’t remember but it is more likely because I am directing you to the resources you have. I want you to have confidence in finding the information on your own. I want to facilitate learning but I don’t want to be treated as Google. I will never shame you for asking a question. I might make you think about the question and press you to work on the answer but we will be sure that you have the answer by the end.

So….. ALWAYS. 👏 ASK. 👏 QUESTIONS. 👏

Success in a HyFlex Class

This semsester will be different. Hopefully it will only be a little different but that is unlikely. It is still 2020! We will be employing a HyFlex model in which the way you attend can change from fully in-person to sometimes in classs to fully online. I have set up the course to work with whatever scenario we find ourselves. Regardless of how the first part of the semester turns out, we will be fully online for the last two weeks. With such a potential for changes, you need to stay tuned in to announcements and emails.

Here is the top 10 for doing well in a HyFlex class

  1. Don’t forget that you are taking the class when not in-person
  2. Log in to Canvas at least once a week
  3. Check your email daily
  4. Complete the assignments before they are due
  5. Attend office hours (via Microsoft Teams)
  6. Ask questions
  7. Take notes on what you read and watch
  8. Read the text, watch the videos
  9. Schedule time for class
  10. MAKE A COMMITMENT TO DO WELL

Welcome to PSYC 302 Computer Applications in Data Analysis, HyFlex Edition, Fall 2020. Now, let’s…