An introduction to selected quantitative techniques used in psychological research and practice, such as applications of statistical techniques in the design and analysis of experiments and surveys, and construction and applications of techniques of psychological measurement in experiments and surveys. This course is considered by the Departments as required preparation for fourth year, and may present difficulties for students who do not have a quantitative background. This course is also compulsory for the BPsych and BSc(Psych)programs.

Note: This course PSYC2009 (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for PSYC3018, although other backgrounds will be considered on individual merit.

Entry to this option is subject to the approval of the course convenor. Students taking this option are required to consider a real data set which addresses several issues relevant to a range of areas of psychological science. Students are required to complete weekly exercises, most of which pertain to this data set. These exercises replace the lab exercises (20%) in the normal offering.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. use basic descriptive statistics and related methods for summarizing data, including graphing techniques
2. construct effective survey questions
3. explain the basics of probability and apply this knowledge in the use of inferential statistics
4. describe and use several of the widely used types of confidence interval-based estimation techniques and significance tests, for both experimental and nonexperimental methods.

Assessment is arranged in consultation with students, but consists of an invigilated component or components accounting for at least 40% of the overall assessment package which must be passed for an overall pass in the course to be awarded, together with some combination of laboratory reports, essays and other formal assignments.

The anticipated assessment components are: 

• Lab exercises (20%), with attendance of at least 80% of the labs required to pass the course
• Open-book mid-semester exam (35%)
• Open-book final exam (45%)

Two hours of lectures per week and 20 hours of laboratories spread across the semester

PSYC1003 and PSYC1004 (or PSYC1001)

Smithson, M. (2000) Statistics With Confidence, London: SAGE.