PSY550 full course – August 2017

PSY 550 Week 1 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

How does the scientific method point towards truth? What is
truth, and how do you know when you have found it?

dq 2

Contrast deductive and inductive reasoning, and explain how
they can each be used to generate a hypothesis.

 

 

PSY 550 Week 2 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Definereliability andvalidity in
your own words. Briefly describe the different types of reliability and
validity, including why it is important to conduct a study that is reliable and
valid.

dq 2

Stanley Milgram’s obedience to authority experiment is one
of the most controversial studies in psychology’s history. Considering this
example as well as others, critique such experiments from an ethical
standpoint.

 

 

PSY 550 Week 3 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Discuss the proper placement and usages of a table and a
figure within the manuscript.

Define the four general writing guidelines using APA style.
Why is it important to write using these guidelines when communicating your
study? Explain.

dq 2

Discuss what stage in the publication process should
potential authors talk about publication credit. Explain.

Describe how the sections of a poster, for presentation, are
organized.

 

 

PSY 550 Week 4 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

In your own words, definenaturalistic ovservation.
Discuss examples of when a naturalistic observational study would be the most
appropriate design to select. What are two sources of bias during an
observation period?

dq 2

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the following
nonexperimental research methods: (a) naturalistic observations, (b) surveys,
and (c) correlational studies. If you were asked to use one of these designs in
a study next week, which nonexperimental design would you select and why?

 

 

PSY 550 Week 5 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

One of the best-known longitudinal designs is Lewis Terman’s study of
giftedness. He began tracking gifted children into adolescence and adulthood in
1925; the study is supposed to conclude in 2020. Explain the unique benefits of
such a study, and then explain the problems caused by this type of design.

dq 2

Explain the circumstances when a quasi-experimental design
would be preferable to a between-subjects design, but also discuss why an
explanatory research method is superior to a predictive method.

 

 

PSY 550 Week 6 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Contrast the three types of factorial designs.

dq 2

Lay out the design for two between-subjects experiments: (a) an experiment
involving an experimental group and a control group, and (b) a factorial design
with three independent variables that have 3, 2, and 2 levels, respectively.

 

 

PSY 550 Week 7 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Suppose that, for at-test, your computed value fort is
+3.28. The critical value oft is +2.048. Explain what this means.
Do you reject the null hypothesis or not? Now suppose that you have 28 degrees
of freedom and are using a two-tailed (nondirectional) test. Draw a simple
figure to illustrate the relationship between the critical and the computed
values oft for this result.

dq 2

Choose an article from the newspaper, an online source, or a
magazine, then identify the descriptive statistics included in the article.
Were the statisitcs appropriately described in the article? Explain. Discuss if
the descriptive statistics used in your source supported the arguments made in
it. Were the descriptive statistics misleading? Explain.

 

 

 

PSY 550 Week 8 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Design a 10-12 slide PowerPoint presentation (not including
title and reference slides) focusing on the Research Proposal: Project Paper
(submitted last week). Consider aforementioned elements in the Research
Proposal:

1. Introduction/Hypothesis

2. Method

3. Results

4. Discussion

5. Figures and Tables (total of two from paper)

Make sure your reference slide matches the references from
your proposal.

Include speaker notes below each content-related slide that
represent what would be said if giving the presentation in person. Expand upon
the information included in the slide and do not simply restate it. Please
ensure the speaker notes include a minimum of 50 words.

dq 2

A researcher computed theF ratio for a
four-group experiment. The computed F is 4.86. The degrees of
freedom are 3 for the numerator and 16 for the denominator.

1. Is the computed value ofF significant atp <
.05? Explain.

2. Is it significant atp < .01? Explain.

 

 

 

PSY 550 Week 2 Benchmark – Article Critique

Details:

View the library tutorial on using the databases and the
empirical journal checklist. Find a scholarly peer reviewed journal from the
library. Select a research study (complete with Method, Results, and Discussion
sections).

In 750-1,000 words, analyze the article.

1. List the research question(s)/hypothesis being considered
in the article.

2. Summarize the study being conducted, including the
purpose of the study.

3. Describe the method and design used to test the research
question(s)/hypothesis, including:

o Discuss if you believe the method and design was the
correct method and design for the study. If not what would your suggestion for
method and design be.

o Describe the variables, how they were defined and
operationalized.

1. Discuss if the study is ethically sound. Why or why not.
What elements are present, or lacking, to show it is ethically sound.

Include at least two to four scholarly sources.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in
the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not
required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric
prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for
successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.
Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

This benchmark assignment assesses the following
programmatic competencies: 3.2: Critically evaluate psychological research;
3.4: Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice;
and 4.1 Effective writing for scientific purposes.

 

 

 

PSY 550 Week 3 Informed Consent and Debriefing Assignment

etails:

Psychology students need the ability to create informed
consent and debriefing forms that adequately state the purpose of studies to
the participants in an ethical manner. In your capstone class (your last
class), it is an expectation that you have a created a consent and debriefing
form for your research proposal. It could be beneficial if you create this
assignment around the topic you would like to research.

Before you begin the assignment, view theAPA website and
read the ethics listings.

Using the Library, research consent and debriefing
forms. Locate two to four scholarly resources to support your form.

Create an informed consent form and a debriefing form that
explains the nature and true purpose of the study (students may adapt the
examples from the textbook, see pages 76-77). Be sure to cite your sources at
the conclusion of the document.

While APA style is not required for the body of this
assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources
should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the
APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a scoring guide. Please review the
scoring guide prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the
expectations for successful completion.

 

 

 

PSY 550 Midterm exam

· For each of the research topics listed below, indicate the
type of nonexperimental approach that would be most useful and explain why.

1. Pushing ahead in line

2. Daydreaming

3. Locating the most popular painting in an art gallery

4. Studiousness in college students

5. Determining whether a particular patient has improved
with psychotherapy.

·

Q2

· List the main sections (and subsections) of a research
report.

·

Q3

· Compare and contrast the following terms: (a) test-retest
reliability with inter-rater reliability, (b) content validity with both
predictive validity and construct validity, and (c) internal validity with
external validity.

·

Q4

Define and describe the six steps of the scientific method.
Give an example of each step.

Q

When designing survey questions, how would you control for
each of the following response styles: (a) willingness to answer, (b) position
preference, and (c) yea- or nay-saying?

Q

· Use Stevens’ model of measurement scales to answer these
questions:

1. What type of scale is used when the variable is social
class? Explain.

2. What type of scale is used when the variable studied is a
Top 40 list of popular songs? Explain.

3. What type of scale is used when the variable studied
is intelligence scores (for example, on the Stanford-Binet-R)?
Explain.

4. What type of scale is used when the variables studied
are low and normal birth weights of newborns?
Explain.

·

Q

Contrast experimental with quasi-experimental methods;
generally speaking, which methods are most useful?

Q

When is it appropriate for a researcher to use deception in
a study? When is it not appropriate? How can the negative effects of deception
be minimized?

Q

Researcher Sandy Beach found a correlation coefficient of
+2.3 between variables X and Y. She is thrilled because that correlation is
“like, way high.” She also feels that this answer “proves that X is like,
causing Y.” What are three problems with Sandy’s conclusions?

Q

Contrast probability and nonprobability sampling methods;
generally speaking, which methods are most useful?

 

 

 

PSY 550 Week 5 CLC Assignment

Details:

This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment.

Before beginning this assignment, each group should submit a
filled-in copy of the CLC Agreement Form.

Each CLC team will design a correlational study, groups will
need two variables with at least five sets of data. between these two
variables: time spent playing video games and aggression.

Then in 500-750 words, do the following:

1. Create a hypothesis for the group’s study. Consider the
hypothesis and how the group will define operationally and measure the
variables.

2. Describe how the group will obtain a random sample of
participants.

3. Assume the study produces a correlation of .56 between
the variables. Analyze three possible causal reasons for the relationship.

4. Submit an SPSS output for the correlational study.

Use two to four scholarly resources to support your
explanations.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in
the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not
required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric
prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for
successful completion.

 

 

 

PSY 550 week 7 Benchmark Research Proposal

Using the topic you have developed in PSY-530, write a
Research Proposal (2,000-2,500 words) on a topic relevant to the course. To
complete the Research Proposal, do the following:

Review the attached document “Research Proposal
Guidelines”, as well as Topic 7 lecture section on The Results and
Discussion Sections in the Research Proposal for a brief overview pertaining to
“how to” complete the assignment.

1. Introductory section: Include hypothesis and a review of
the literature.

2. Method section: Include subsections on Participants,
Apparatus/Materials/Instruments, Procedure, and Design.

3. Results section: Include statistic, critical values,
degrees of freedom, and alpha level.

4. Discussion section: Include interpretation of results,
ethical concerns, limitations of study, and suggestions for future research.

5. Figures and Tables section: Include a minimum of two
(either two figures, two tables, or a figure and a table).

Include at least 8-10 scholarly references.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in
the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not
required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric
prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for
successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.
Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

This benchmark assignment assesses the following
programmatic competencies: 3.3: Design an innovative research study and 4.3:
Plan and manage the necessary process for the completion of a research project.

 

 

PSY 550 week 8 CLC Video Game Violence and Aggression
Assignment

Details:

This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment.

Before beginning this assignment, each group should submit a
filled-in copy of the CLC Agreement Form.

Each CLC team will design a quasi or a true experimental
study, investigating the impact of the independent variable on the dependent
variable.

Address the following in 500-750 words:

1. Design either a quasi or experimental study to
investigate the variables. What is the hypothesis? Describe the types of
hypotheses with respect to testing. What does the experimental method allow
that the correlation design does not?

2. Identify the independent variable. Identify the dependent
variable.

3. Describe how the group will define operationally and
measure the variables.

4. Describe how the group will obtain a random sample of
participants.

5. Discuss how the group will ensure the study has high
internal validity. Will the subjects be assigned randomly to the groups? Why or
why not.

6. Are there any ethical concerns about the treatment of
participants emerging from the experiment?

7. Consider the data presented, would you uset orFscore?
Why? include the appropriate effect size.

8. Submit an SPSS output for the quasi or true experimental
study.

Include at least two to four scholarly sources.

While APA style is not required for the body of this
assignment, solid academic writing is expected and in-text citations and
references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be
found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.