Aims of this course are to develop advanced knowledge and understanding of statistical thinking and analyses as they apply to psychological phenomena. Broad goals are advancing students’ understanding of what classical statistical analyses used by psychologists involve and their limitations and introducing valuable alternatives. Learning objectives include: (1) advancing understanding of how statistics are used and abused in psychological research and implications for designing and analyzing research studies, (2) developing skills in identifying appropriate statistical procedures to analyze and assess research data, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and interpreting their results, and (3) developing familiarity with using selected computerized statistical tests and the hazards involved. This course will review key basic topics that students already have studied then introduce more advanced statistical material to help students: understand the conceptual and some of the mathematical bases for test and calculation formulae, choose appropriate statistical analyses, conduct appropriate statistical tests, compute statistical analyses, and interpret findings. Emphasized are concepts and models that underlie various standard statistical tests, major research designs associated with each test, and emerging alternatives to standard statistical testing. Objectives are to clarify what statistical analyses involve and their limitations, and to consider alternative and/or complementary approaches.
- Teacher: Anne E Russon