Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Methodology Applied to Psychology
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Course Coordinator:
Dr Carlos Gª Forero (cgarciaf@uic.es)
Profesor asistente:
Jorge Piqueras Marqués (jpiqueras@uic.es)
Introduction
Statistics and Psychology have been closely related since the inception of both disciplines. The foundations of Scientific Psychology were conjoined with the beginning of methods for analyzing experimental data. Personality Psychology, Psychophysics or Psychometrics theoretical developments are rooted on results based on the creation of specific statistical techniques by psychologists.
Competence in analysing and analysing quantitative is essential in Health Sciences. Psychology researchers and applied professionals must be able to make inferences from data and to critically assess statistical results to keep up with the latest changes in their fields
Pre-course requirements
It is convenient to have passed the subject Introduction to Psychology Research.
Objectives
General objectives
- Develop an understanding of the importance of data analysis in the context of Psychology and Health Sciences
- Provide tools to appraise the potential and limitation of statistical analysis methods.
- Provide knowledge of the main techniques for statistical analysis of quantitative data.
Specific objectives:
- Systematise procedures for defining research questions as statistical hypotheses.
- Apply statistical analyses for answering research hypothesis
- Develop tools for creating analysis plans
- Establish a framework for understanding techniques for analysing differences and associations
- Appraise the limitations of statistical analysis.
- Write research reports based on statistical information
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB03 - Students must have the ability to bring together and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of study) in order to issue judgements that include a reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific and ethical nature.
- CB04 - Students must be able to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- CE02 - The ability to write reports on the results obtained during the evaluation process using Psychology-specific language.
- CE03 - The ability to make adequate decisions about what Psychology-specific methods and measuring instruments to use in each situation or evaluation context.
- CG01 - Capacity for critical and creative thinking, and capacity to investigate and adopt a scientific and ethical approach in distinct professional settings.
- CG02 - The ability to make critical and well-founded judgements and assessments as part of the decision-making process.
- CG03 - The ability to read scientific literature in a critical, well-founded manner, take into account its provenance, situate it within an epistemological framework and identify and contrast its contributions in relation to the disciplinary knowledge available.
- CG06 - Flexibility, respect and discretion in the use of data corresponding to people, groups and organisations.
- CT02 - The capacity to solve problems.
- CT03 - The capacity for analysis and synthesis.
- CT04 - The capacity to work in a team
- CT05 - The ability to reason and assess situations and results from a critical, constructive point of view.
Learning outcomes of the subject
After passing the course, students must be able to
1. Autonomously obtain information about data analysis in the research literature.
2. Set up a data analysis plan within the context of behavioural and health sciences, deciding appropriately between differences and relationships, and identifying the correct statistical techniques for comparing and associating variables.
3. Interpret correctly statistical results using the software for statistical analysis used in the subject, being capable of choosing and applying the correct technique.
4. Critically assess research reports, being able to differentiate their elements, and learning where to find strengths and weaknesses.
5. Work systematically in statistical data treatment to avoid errors and reach rigorous conclusions.
6. Write technical reports based on statistical results.
7. Preparing and processing data following statistical database conventions.
Syllabus
The course begins reviewing basic concepts in descriptive statistics and moves on to concepts of statistical inference (sampling, estimation, and hypothesis testing). Then, the most general and useful statistical techniques in behavioural and health sciences are explained, structured in two broad families:
1) Comparison techniques: Z-tests, t-tests and ANOVA models
2) Techniques for associations: regression and contingency tables.
Each method is conceptually explained, emphasising the logic of the statistical technique, objectives and performance. Then, the technique is applied using statistical analysis software of widespread use in professional settings and academia (SPSS; Statistical Product and Service Solutions).
CONTENTS
Block 1. Descriptive statistics and concepts of statistical
- General concepts of Descriptive Statitics
- Correlation and regression
- Probability, random variable, statistical distribution
- Inference, estimation and statistical testing
Block 2. Analysing comparisons
- Statistical tests for comparing proportions
- Statistical tests for comparing means
- Statistical testing for more than two means: ANOVA models
Block 3: Analyzing relationships
- Regression
- Contingency tables
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Presenciality
The course is carried out in face-to-face learning format. The course has six credits, an estimated student work time for the average student of 90 hours, so it requires a total of 150 hours of student work (60 in the classroom and 90 outside the classroom).
The estimated average work time is 150 hours over the four-month period. The estimated number of hours of activity is:
|
Activity |
Presence |
Place |
Type |
Hours |
|
Classroom training |
In-class |
Classroom |
Individual |
38 |
|
Practices |
In-class |
Classroom |
Individual |
14 |
|
Group practice Project |
In-class |
Classroom |
Group |
8 |
|
Tutoría individual |
In person |
Seminars |
Individual |
4 |
|
Trabajo personal |
Outside-class |
-- |
Individual |
80 |
|
Evaluación |
In-class |
Classroom |
Individual |
2 |
|
|
|
|
Total in-class |
60 |
|
|
|
|
Total outside-class |
90 |
|
|
|
|
Total (6 ECTS x 25 hours) |
150 |
Methodologies and Activities
In order to achieve the objectives of the course and to develop the proposed competences, several teaching methodologies will be combined:
1. Theoretical-practical classes: classes to the whole group in conventional classroom. The teaching team will explain the theoretical concepts of each subject and will present exercises on the theoretical concepts. Analyses will also be presented with the Jamovi program where the techniques explained in the program will be applied and interpreted.
2. Practical classes with pencil and paper and computer: complete group classes in a conventional classroom. Review exercises will be carried out to consolidate theoretical concepts. Between 4 and 5 exercises will be uploaded to Moodle a week before the problems to be worked in the sessions. The exercises will be corrected and the students will upload the corrected exercises as a second Moodle assignment.
3. Group tutorials: if students have difficulties, their work will be followed up in group tutoring sessions. Any doubts that may arise will be dealt with in tutoring sessions as they arise.
4. Course web page: the course web page will present all the available material (syllabus, bibliography, review exercises, forms, data files, etc.), assignments and schedule. The consultation forum will be available until two weeks before the exam.
In order to achieve the objectives, constant work by the student is necessary. Continuous review of the course material is essential.
REVIEWS
The solutions of the exam will be posted in Moodle after its completion. The revisions of the final grade will be made after requesting revision through the established channels with the subject REVISION METHODOLOGY. In them, the student will request the revision of exercises with which he/she does not agree and will explain the reasons why he/she requests the revision of those exercises according to the published solution. The student will receive a message in response to the request for review of those exercises that he/she has claimed, not others, and the eventual decisions taken regarding the claim. In case of discrepancies or if deemed appropriate by the faculty, a face-to-face review of the exam and the final grade will be made, which will be subject to positive or negative changes according to the second review.
Continuous assessment assignments will not be reviewed and re-evaluated globally. Grades received on assignments are final unless a grading error has been made. Students are encouraged to contact for a tutorial in advance of deadlines to discuss assignments.
COMMUNICATION and TUTORIAL SESSIONS.
Questions about homework and course procedures will be asked in the forums, where all students are encouraged to participate in the forums for clarification. No homework or procedural inquiries will be made via email. Forum inquiries may not be answered by the professor unless they require only a brief, clarifying response.
E-mail contact will be reserved for contacts of a personal nature that may have an impact on academic activity. No response to e-mail messages is guaranteed if they do not deal with these aspects.
It is encouraged to contact the professors through the forum with the professor about any concerns you may have about the evolution of the course.
For tutoring, a schedule will be made available to students on an online calendar. If you wish to request any tutoring (individual or in small groups of up to 3 people), an appointment will be made at that time. No cancellations of tutoring with less than 48 hours will be allowed, except if there is exceptional justification.
COURSE POLICIES
Other than the general grade normative, the course will be sobject to the following policies
Due dates: All due dates are closed. No extensions or exceptions will be opened on these dates. The student is responsible for the content of the material submitted, which must be in the accepted formats. If there are errors of any kind in the submitted documents or they are not in the proper format, no amendments or exceptions will be accepted.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the use of someone else's ideas or phrases in one's own work, presenting it as original in one's own way, without clarifying the origin of the copied material. The use of another student's work, from the same or another academic year, or the use of material from another source without disclosing its origin, will be considered plagiarism and the work involved will be cancelled and automatically reported to the student's advisor.
Submissions of material: Submissions of material will only be accepted through the Moodle of the course. Submissions by e-mail will not be accepted under any circumstances. When submitting assignments or homework, these will only be in Word (.doc .docx), Open Document (.odt) or Portable Document file (.pdf) formats. Photographed or scanned assignments will not be accepted.
Assignments should be submitted with this nomenclature:
LastName1 LastName2 Name_NumberExercise_NameExercise.extension.
The following will be considered as penalties for failure in this course:
(a) Consulting others during evaluable activities or using or consulting online sources or persons without authorization.
(b) Accessing a phone, tablet or other electronic device, during training sessions, quizzes or exam without authorization from the teacher. These are to be stored out of reach and only used at the request of the teacher. The computer may be used in the classroom, with the teacher's permission, but it is not allowed for connection to social networks or entertainment material.
(c) Submit own assignments when they are the work of others without acknowledgment.
(e) Submitting other people's homework as your own (although there is no problem in working with other students to check your own errors/calculations, submissions must be individual).
(f) Submitting group work without having participated in its completion.
(g) No phones or tablets will be allowed near you during the exam. These must be kept out of reach. They shall not be kept in the pocket, or open bags.
Students shall not be allowed to leave or enter the examination room during a quiz or examination.
Two penalizations will result in a reduction in the final grade of up to 25% . Three absences will be reported to grade coordination.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
ORDINARY CALL
Final examination
Theoretical-practical final exam. The exam will consist of two parts:
a) Multiple choice questions: 30 multiple choice questions with penalty for guessing responses (50%).
b) Practical exercises (60% of the qualification): This part involves choosing, applying, and interpreting practical problems using research designs and measures like those carried out during the case methods.
The format and difficulty level of the Final Exam questions will be like those in the Questionnaires and Case Methods during the semester. The final exam will be conducted on paper in a conventional classroom at the end of the semester. Students must bring a scientific calculator to the exam.
Additional ongoing evaluation activities
None of the activities in the ongoing evaluation will be mandatory. However, they will add up to 2.5 points to the final qualification, which will be added exam qualification, provided that it is at least 5 points.
1. Individual Case Method Learning Portfolio (+2 points): a compendium of tasks in practical activities of the case method sessions. A week before the case method sessions, the case activities will be uploaded for the students to resolve:
a) Pre-session: You will upload in a Moodle task a number of individually solved exercises of your choice from the proposed exercises.
b) Post-session: As indicated in the methodology, at the end of the case method session, all students must upload the correction of all exercises. If you delivered the pre-session activity, you will clearly indicate the corrections and self-assessments made to your pre-session task, and upload this correction as the Moodle task.
The extra grade will be based on the number of exercises you delivered AND self-assessed. Thus, you try and assess 10 exercises of the pre-session activities from a total of 20 proposed exercises, 1 points will be added to qualification; if you try and correct all the 20 exercises, you will get 2 points to the exam qualification (provided that exam has a mark of at least 4 points)
2. Questions (+0.5 points): During the subject, there will be small tasks and multiple-choice questionnaires that will be answered in the classroom on the subject matter, based on previous readings on session contents. Students will respond to each assignment in the classroom.
None of the additional activities is mandatory. However, plagiarism behaviours will not be tolerated in any of the evaluation activities. In case of suspicion of these behaviours, the entire activity will be cancelled for the entire group and will not count as the evaluation.
QUALIFICATION OF THE ORDINARY CALL
The qualification of the ordinary call will be calculated in two ways:
a) Exam grade over 10 points (minimum 5 points for the pass)
b) Qualification of the exam over 8 points (minimum 3.2 for the pass) + Qualification activities 1 and 2
The final grade will be the maximum of these two qualifications. In both modalities, it will be necessary to obtain a minimum 5 in the final grade to achieve the approval of the subject.
SECOND CALL
In case of obtaining a total of under 5 points in the first call, the student must attend the final exam in the second call. The qualification of the second call will be based solely on exam qualification. Passing the course on the second call will require a score of 5 points in the final exam
Bibliography and resources
The following manuals are compulsory bibliography:
1) Pardo A, Ruiz MA y San Martín R (2015). Análisis de datos en ciencias sociales y de la salud (vol I, 2ª ed). Madrid: Síntesis.
2) Pardo A y San Martín R (2015). Análisis de datos en ciencias sociales y de la salud (vol II, 2ª ed).vMadrid: Síntesis
The course will follow these materials carefully. The students are expected to have read session materials beforehand.
Evaluation period
- E1 17/05/2023 A02 10:00h
- E2 27/06/2023 A12 08:00h