Basic Research Methods

PSYC 592/892: Special Topics

Instructor: Matt Peterson

Time: 1:30 – 4:10pm Thursdays

Classroom: David King ArchLab Conference Room

Office: 2058 David King Hall

Ph: 993-4255

email: (please put PSYC 892 in the subject header)

Text: None – I will provide downloadable readings on the course web site. Critical papers will be in my ArchLab mailbox.

Prerequisites: Psychology 530 & 611 or consent of instructor.

Objectives: This course will teach you the critical research methods needed for a career as an experimental psychologist. Topics range from the micro level (speed-accuracy trade-offs, RT distributions) to the macro level (how to get published).

This course will be taught in a combined lecture and seminar format -- the classes will be largely discussion, with two (or more students) leading a discussion of one of the papers each week. At times, I will lead the discussion or lecture on background topics (e.g. explaining steady-state visual evoked potentials, fMRI, or neuroanatomy). I expect everyone (especially the discussion leaders!) to read the assigned articles before class.

Attendance Policy: Although I do not grade on attendance, this is a graduate level course and I expect (barring unforeseen circumstances) to see you in class each week.

GMU Honor Code: George Mason University has a code of Honor that each of you accepts by enrolling as a student. My expectation is that all of the work you do for me in this class will be the work of one individual. Having said that, I fully encourage you to discuss the readings and topics raised in this class with your fellow students.

Disabilities: If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 703-993-2474.  All academic accommodations must be arranged through that office."

Exam Make-up Policy: You may take a test after (or before) the scheduled date only if you (a) receive my permission before the day of the test, or (b) have a valid excuse (note from a doctor, judge, sergeant, etc.). Papers will not be accepted beyond the due date. Homework assignments will not be accepted late.

A+	97+
A	93-96	Grading	Critical Papers	15
A-	90-92		Participation	15
B+	87-89		Mid Term	25
B	83-86		Presentation	20
B-	80-82		Final Paper	25
C	70-79			100	points total
F	0-69

Critical Papers (15%): Over the course of the semester, we will be critiquing the methodology of several journal articles and tech reports. These will not be available online. Each student will be responsible for leading at least 1 discussion throughout the semester. The remaining students should email me a list of the flaws they found in the paper before class.

Participation (15%): Part of the class time will be spent having lively discussions about the papers covered in class. If you do not say anything during class, you will not receive any points.

Mid Term Exam (25%): The mid-term exam will be take-home format. Students will need to critically analyze a data set using the techniques learned in class.

Presentation (20%): This will be a presentation of your final paper.

Paper (25%): Your grade for this class will be based in part on a paper in which you will either critically examine a published peer-review article or write a literature review of a new research methodology.

Calendar:

Note: The schedule below is tentative, and though I will try to follow it as closely as possible changes may occasionally be necessary.

Note that February 6th is the last day to add this class and February 23rd is the last day to drop this class.

Notes on Readings:

The methodology articles will be available either online or in my Archlab mailbox.

The critique articles (CA) will only be available in my mailbox.

Date	Topic	Methodology Articles	CA	Assignment
25-Jan	Intro – bad data
1-Feb	Accuracy & outliers	Ratcliff, 1993
8-Feb	Speed-accuracy trade-offs	Wickelgren, 1977; Ratliff, 1985
15-Feb	Living beyond your means - Mixture models	Johnson 1995, Ratliff 1998	HW
22-Feb	Processing stages	Donders, 1869; Townsend, 1990; McClelland 1979	AJ
1-Mar	Timing and expectations	T&A 36-39; Luce 8-10,13-15, 51-56, 71-80; Destrebecqz A, 2001; Walthew 2006
8-Mar	Dual-Tasks	Johnstone 1995; Hegarty, 2000	WL	Midterm
15-Mar	SPRING BREAK
22-Mar	Roll-your-own: regions of interest, bootstrapping, and other techniques	Ratcliff, 2000; Ratcliff, 2004	AH
29-Mar	Individual differences	Maccallum et al. 2002; Verhaeghen 2003	RE
5-Apr	Threats to validity	West et al., 2002	IG
12-Apr	Complex experimental designs		TR
19-Apr	Hot to get published / professional issues	Sternberg, 1993; Bradley, 1982
26-Apr	Presentations
3-May	Presentations			Paper

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