PSY 3393 Experimental Projects Spring 2005

Course: PSY 3393 - 002 Classroom: GR 4.204

Instructor: Dr. Peter Assmann Computer Lab: MP 2.220
Class time: Tues 2:00-4:45 pm TA: Crystal Novitski
Office: GR 4.126 Office: MP 2.216
Tel: 972-883-2435 Tel: 972-883-2376
Email: assmann@utdallas.edu Office hours: Tue 1:00-2:00 pm
Office hours: Tues 11:00 am -12:00 noon Email: novitski@utdallas.edu

Prerequisites: PSY 3392 (Research Design and Analysis) or PSY 3490

Required text: American Psychological Association (2001). Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association. (5th edition) (APA, Washington, DC).
McDermott library reserve materials:
Elmes, D.G., Kantowitz, B.H. and Roediger, H.L. (2001). Research Methods in Psychology. (7th
edition). (Wadsworth).
Sternberg, R.J. (1989). The psychologist's companion. (Cambridge Univ. Press).
Martin, D.W. (2000). Doing Psychology Experiments. (5th edition). (Wadsworth).
Online web materials: http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/PSY3393/
Course goals: Experimental Projects is the third course in the sequence of quantitative methods
courses. It provides hands-on experience in the design and conduct of research in experimental
psychology. The course fulfills the Advanced Writing requirement, and places strong emphasis
on writing and preparing research reports. Students participate in all stages of research, including
the formulation of research hypotheses, review and interpretation of published literature, choice
of research design and measurement variables, statistical data analysis, and presentation of
results in oral and written reports.
Course requirements: Grades are based on written assignments, class presentation and
participation.
• Quizzes, homework, class participation (20%)
• Project 1 (30%)
• Project 2 (40%)
• Presentation (10%)
Computer labs and participation:
• all students will need to obtain a computer account (NetID and password).
• Late assignments (homework / projects) will be penalized 5% per day.
• Class attendance is mandatory. If there are circumstances that require more than 2
absences please see the instructor to discuss the situation. Each class includes a brief quiz
based on material covered in the previous class or other project-related topics.
• Plagiarism. In accordance with University policy, anyone found copying the work of
others (published or unpublished) will receive a grade of F in the course.
 Class timetable

Class Dates Topics Readings/assignments

1 Jan 11 Introduction. Stages of research. Project I assignment

2 Jan 18 Library tour. Writing a scientific paper

3 Jan 25 Research design and data analysis Draft: Methods

4 Feb 1 Interpreting data SAS lab

5 Feb 8 Writing the Discussion section. SAS lab

6 Feb 15 Choosing topics for Project II Project I due

7 Feb 22 Oral presentations of Project II topic proposals

8 Mar 1 Analysis of variance. Draft: Methods section

9 Mar 8 SPRING BREAK

10 Mar 15 Complex designs SAS lab

11 Mar 22 Graphical data presentation SAS lab

12 Mar 29 Writing workshop SAS lab

13 Apr 5 Preparing oral presentations

14 Apr 12 Oral presentations of Project II

15 Apr 19 Oral presentations of Project II Project II due