Thursday, 31 March 2016

PSY 325 Week 1 Discussion Data Analysis


PSY 325 Week 1 Discussion Data Analysis
Data Analysis. 1st Post Due by Day 3. For this discussion, you will organize data sets into meaningful number groupings, calculate basic descriptive values, and communicate written critiques of statistical analyses.
This exercise requires the use of a descriptive statistics calculator. You can find this tool in some versions of Excel (as part of the Analysis ToolPak) or you can use one of the many free online descriptive calculators such as the Descriptive Statistics Calculator by Calculator Soup.
To begin, come up with 20 different data points (that will form a set of data) and enter them into the first column of an Excel spreadsheet. The data points can be any numbers you want as long as there are 20 of them.
You will then use the descriptive statistics option in your descriptive statistics program or calculator. This is explained in Chapter 1 of your course text. You should get an output similar to the image in Figure 1.1.
This output must contain the following values: mean, standard error, median, mode, standard deviation, sample variance, kurtosis, skewness, range, minimum, maximum, sum, and count. Address the following points in your initial post:
  • Begin your discussion by reporting your results for each of the values listed above.
  • Based on this output, which single value best describes this set of data and why?
  • If you could pick three of these values instead of only one, which three would you choose and why? It is important to note that the answers to these questions may be different for each of you since you are each using unique sets of data.
Guided Response: Review several of your classmates’ posts. Provide a substantive response to at least three of your peers, and respond to comments on your post. Do you agree with your classmate’s selection of the best value based upon their data? What suggestions might you make for other options? Explain your suggestions citing relevant information from the article and/or your text. Cite your sources in APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
For this exercise, you may elect to use the “Analysis ToolPak” within Excel. This feature is already part of the 2007 and 2010 Excel program for Windows; however, it must be activated. The following directions were provided by the Help function within Excel. If you experience issues while following these steps, utilize the Help function within Excel or contact Microsoft’s technical support for Excel.
The Analysis ToolPak includes the tools described below. To access these tools, click Data Analysis in the Analysis group on the Data tab. If the Data Analysis command is not available, you need to load the Analysis ToolPak add-in program.
Load the Analysis ToolPak:
1. Click the File tab, click Options, and then click the Add-Ins category.
2. In the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins and then click Go.
3. In the Add-Ins available box, select the Analysis ToolPak check box, and then click OK.

Tip: If Analysis ToolPak is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse to locate it.
If you are prompted that the Analysis ToolPak is not currently installed on your computer, click Yes to install it. 

PSY 325 Week 2 Assignment Inferential Statistics Article Critique


PSY 325 Week 2 Assignment Inferential Statistics Article Critique
Inferential Statistics Article Critique. Due by Day 7. Read the article “Differential Effects of a Body Image Exposure Session on Smoking Urge Between Physically Active and Sedentary Female Smokers,” and identify the research questions and/or hypotheses as they are stated. Consider the following questions: What are the variables (sample sizes, population, treatments, etc.)? What are the inferential statistics used in this article? Were the proper steps of hypothesis testing followed?
Write a two- to three-page paper presenting the information listed below. Include a title page and reference page in APA style. Cite any references made to the article within the body of the paper in APA style. Your paper should begin with an introductory paragraph (including a thesis statement) and end with a concluding paragraph summarizing the major points made in the body of the paper and reaffirming the thesis. When writing the article critique, your paper must:
  1. Determine what question(s) the authors are trying to answer by doing this research 
  2. Determine the hypothesis being tested and the concepts that were applied in this process. 
  3. Evaluate the article and critique the statistical analysis employed in the study. 
• Would you have included more and/or different variables? Explain your answer.
4. Examine the assumptions and limitations of the statistical study.
• What would you have done differently in this case? Why?
5. Identify how the authors applied statistical testing to the problem.
6. Interpret the findings of the author(s) using statistical concepts.
Writing the Article Critique
The Assignment:

  1. Must be two to three double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to
    APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
  2. Must include a title page with the following: 
    1. Title of paper 
    2. Student’s name 
    3. Course name and number 
    4. Instructor’s name 
    5. Date submitted 
  3. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
  4. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 

PSY 325 Week 2 Discussions Standard Normal Distribution


PSY 325 Week 2 Discussions Standard Normal Distribution
Standard Normal Distribution. 1st Post Due by Day 3. For this discussion, identify the appropriate application of standardized scores to reflect on their benefits and to interpret how test scores and measures are commonly presented.
Review Chapter 3 of your course text, which introduces probability and the standard normal distribution. Examine the assumptions and limitations presented in these topics and then consider and discuss the following questions:
  • This is an easy to understand video that takes you step-by-step through the basic hypothesis testing process. It is helpful for learning what a p-value is and how statistical significance works. 
  • Accessibility Statement does not exist 
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  • When comparing data from different distributions, what is the benefit of transforming data from these distributions to conform to the standard distribution? 
  • What role do z-scores play in this transformation of data from multiple distributions to the standard normal distribution? 
  • What is the relationship between z-scores and percentages? 
  • In your opinion, does one do a better job of representing the proportion of the area under the standard
    curve? Give an example that illustrates your answer.
    Guided Response: Review your classmates’ posts. Respond substantively to at least three peers. What did you find useful about their explanations and examples? What suggestions would you make for improvement? Ask a question for further clarification as to the meaning and use of the z-scores. 

PSY 325 Week 3 Assignment ANOVA Article Critique


PSY 325 Week 3 Assignment ANOVA Article Critique
ANOVA Article Critique. Due by Day 7. Read the article “Cognitive Effects of Risperidone in Children with Autism and Irritable Behavior”, and identify the research questions and/or hypotheses as they are stated. Consider the following questions: What are the variables (sample sizes, population, treatments, etc.)? How was the analysis of variance used in this article (and what type of ANOVA was used)?
Write a two- to three-page paper presenting the information listed below. In addition, provide a title page and reference page in APA style. Cite any references made to the article within the body of the paper in APA style. Your paper should begin with an introductory paragraph (including a thesis statement) and end with a concluding paragraph summarizing the major points made in the body of the paper and reaffirming the thesis.
The body of your paper must:
  1. Determine what question(s) the authors are trying to answer by doing this research. 
  2. Determine the hypothesis being tested and the concepts that were applied in this process. 
  3. Evaluate the article and critique the statistical analysis employed in the study. Would you have included more
    and/or different variables? Explain your answer. 
  4. Examine the assumptions and limitations of the statistical study. What would you have done differently in this
    case? Explain your answer. 
  5. Identify how the authors applied statistical testing to the problem. 
  6. Interpret the findings of the author(s) using statistical concepts. 
Access the Critical Thinking Community website for tips on how to formulate your thoughts and discussion of these questions in a logical and meaningful manner.
Writing the Article Critique
The Assignment:
  1. Must be two to three double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
  2. Must include a title page with the following: 
    • Title of paper 
    • Student’s name 
    • Course name and number
  1. Instructor’s name 
  2. Date submitted 

  1. Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
  2. Must include a separate reference page formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 

PSY 325 Week 3 Discussion ANOVA


PSY 325 Week 3 Discussion ANOVA
ANOVA. 1st Post Due by Day 3. In this discussion, you will evaluate a research question and determine how that
question might best be analyzed. To do this, you will need to identify the appropriate application of course specified statistical tests, examine assumptions and limitations of course specified statistical tests, and communicate in writing critiques of statistical tests.
A researcher wishes to study the effect of a new drug on blood pressure. Consider and discuss the following questions as you respond:

  • Would you recommend using a z-test, a t-test, or an ANOVA for the analysis? Explain your answer. 
  • What would your choice of test depend on? For the test you select, explain your design and your
    comparison groups. 
  • Would the hypothesis be directional or non-directional? 
  • Would the test be one-tailed or two-tailed? 
  • What would be the null and what would be the alternative hypothesis?
    Guided Response: Review your classmates’ posts. Respond to at least three of your classmates. Do you agree or disagree with the test selected by your peer? How does the number of groups being compared affect the statistical analysis? What suggestions would you make for change or improvement? Why would these suggestions potentially be more useful? 

PSY 325 Week 4 Assignment Research Report


PSY 325 Week 4 Assignment Research Report
Research Report. Due by Day 7. Write a research report based on a hypothetical research study. Conducting research and writing a report is common practice for many students and practitioners in any of the behavioral sciences fields.
A research report, which is based on scientific method, is typically composed of the different sections listed below:
  1. Introduction: The introduction states a specific hypothesis and how that hypothesis was derived by connecting it
    to previous research. 
  2. Methods: The methods section describes the details of how the hypothesis was tested and clarifies why the study
    was conducted in that particular way. 
  3. Results: The results section is where the raw uninterpreted data is presented. 
  4. Discussion: The discussion section is where an argument is presented on whether or not the data supports the
    hypothesis, the possible implications and limitations of the study, as well as possible future directions for this type of research. 
Together, these sections should tell the reader what was done, how it was done, and what was learned through the research. You will create a research report based on a hypothetical problem, sample, results, and literature review. Organize your data by creating meaningful sections within your report. Make sure that you:
  • Apply key concepts of inferential hypothesis tests. 
  • Interpret the research findings of the study. 
  • Examine the assumptions and limitations of inferential tests. 
  • Develop a practical application of the research principles covered in this course.
    Focus of the Research Report
    To begin, create a hypothetical research study (you do not have to carry out the study; you will just have to describe it) that is based on the three pieces of information listed below. Once you have your hypothetical study created, write a three- to four-page research report (excluding title and reference pages) that outlines the study. You are encouraged to be creative with your research study, but be sure to follow the format outlined below and adhere to APA formatting as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Your hypothetical research study should be based on the following information:
• •
Recent research has indicated that eating chocolate can improve memory. Jones and Wilson (2011) found that eating chocolate two hours before taking math tests improved scores significantly. Wong, Hideki, Anderson, and Skaarsgard (2009) found that women are better than men on memory tests after eating chocolate.
There were 50 men and 50 women who were randomly selected from a larger population.
A t-test was conducted to compare men and women’s performance on an assessment after eating chocolate. The results showed an independent t-test value of t .05(99) = 3.43; p < .05
Your research study must contain the following:
1. Title Page
  1. a)  Title of your report 
  2. b)  Your name 
  3. c)  The course 
  4. d)  Instructor 
  5. e)  Date 
2. Introduction
  1. a)  Introduce the research topic, explain why it is important, and present the purpose of the paper and the research question and hypothesis. 
  2. b)  Discuss how this study is related to other research on the topic. 
  3. c)  Elaborate on the information from the references you were given. State how they relate to your hypothesis. 
  4. d)  Your introduction must: 
    • Consist of a paragraph explaining what you are studying and why. Use previously cited research to explain your expectations and discuss how those expectations led to your hypothesis. 
    • State a clear and testable hypothesis and whether it is one-tailed or two-tailed. Make sure it is understandable to someone who has not read the rest of your paper yet. State the null hypothesis. 
    • Include a justification of the direction of your hypothesis. In other words, explain why you chose the direction of your hypothesis if it is one-tailed (e.g., previous research suggests that people with big feet are more likely to score higher on math tests; therefore the hypothesis is one-tailed) or if it is two-tailed (e.g., previous research is not clear on which group will perform better; therefore, the hypothesis is two-tailed).
    • Describe why this study is important.
3. Method
4.
  1. a)  Design: State the experimental design of your study, the independent and dependent variables, and what the task was (e.g., what you had the participants do). 
  2. b)  Participants: Identify and describe your sample, how the participants were selected
    to be in the study, and why you chose them. Provide details for how each individual was assigned to each group. 
  3. c)  Procedure: Describe the precise procedure you used to conduct this research (i.e., exactly what you did). It should be clear enough that anyone could replicate your study. This is the subsection where you tell the reader how you collected the data. 
  4. d)  Data Analysis: Describe the statistical procedure used in the study to analyze the data.
    Results: In this section, you will describe the statistical results: 
  1. a)  State the statistical tests that were used. 
  2. b)  Justify the choice of test. 
  3. c)  State the observed value and significance level and whether the test was one or two-tailed. 
  4. d)  State your conclusion in terms of the hypothesis. 
  5. e)  Did you accept or reject the null hypothesis? 
5. Discussion: Discuss your results as they relate to your hypothesis.
  1. a)  Did you accept the hypothesis or reject it? 
  2. b)  Compare your results to the previous studies mentioned in the introduction. Are your results similar or different?
    Discuss why. 
  3. c)  Tell the readers what your findings mean. Why did you get the results you did? 
    • Identify limitations to your study. 
    • Suggest ways your study could be improved. 
    • Suggest ideas for future research, not just a continuation of your study, but research that is similar to this
      study. Perhaps one of the variables could be changed or a different sample could be investigated. 
    • Finish with a concluding paragraph that is a statement of your findings and the key points of the discussion.
  1. Conclusion: Write a paragraph detailing your experience with writing a research report. Discuss how easy/difficult it was to write a false report that reads like real results, and how this experience might affect you review research in the future. Do you think this experience will provide you with a useful skill in your potential career? 
  2. References: You will create a minimum of three fictitious references in the following format based on the information you have created in the preceding sections of the report: 
    • a)  Author, A., & Author, B. (Publication year). Title of the article. Journal Name, volume number(issue number), page numbers. 
    • b)  Example: Jones, A., & Williams, B. (2013). Why monkeys are good pets. Journal of Silly Science, 23(4), pp. 221-222. 
Writing the Research Report
The Assignment:

  1. Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to
    APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
  2. Must include a title page with the following: 
    • Title of paper 
    • Student’s name 
    • Course name and number 
    • Instructor’s name 
    • Date submitted 
  3. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
  4. Must include the sections with the appropriate headings and content listed above. 
  5. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 

PSY 325 Week 4 Discussions Correlation


PSY 325 Week 4 Discussions Correlation
Correlation. 1st Post Due by Day 3. In this post, you will be challenged to look at how statistical tests, such as correlation are commonly used and the possible limitations of such analyses. In addition, you will need to identify the appropriate application of course-specified statistical tests, examine assumptions and limitations of course specified statistical tests, and communicate in writing critiques of statistical tests.
Much has been written about the relationship between students’ SAT test scores and their family’s income. Generally speaking, there is a strong positive correlation between income and SAT scores. Consider and discuss the following questions as you respond:

  • What does this correlation tell you? 
  • Is this correlation evidence that having a high family income causes one to have high SAT scores? 
  • Is this correlation evidence that high SAT scores are a cause of higher income? Or, does this tell you
    something else? Explain your answer. 
  • Explain why correlation alone is rarely sufficient to demonstrate cause.