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 |