PSYC 3435 Statistics and Methods I Lab

for PSYC: 3435 01, 991/9U1, 992/9U2, 993,9U3

Fall 2024

 

​Manager and lead tutor:                            Lindsey Carl (lxcarl@ualr.edu)

The preferred mode of communication   Through each tutor’s respective email: See below

Department Office Location                     Stabler Hall 602

Office Phone                                               501.916.3171

Meeting Times with tutors                         Virtual: Schedule here or through the Wix lab website

Required materials                                     There is not a textbook specifically for the 1-hour statistics

                                                                     lab, but your primary instructor does require a textbook                                                                         (see the syllabus for your section of PSYC 3435). Some of                                                                       the assignments will pertain to information in the PSYC                                                                           3435 textbook

Prerequisite                                                MATH 1302, 1305, 1321 with C or better

Lab website:                                               https://rbflynn4.wixsite.com/statlab

Important                                                    A "C" or better is required in both this lab and the                                                                                course to pass this class. This course is a requirement for                                                                        a BA in Psychology

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Statistics lab content and purpose

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This one-hour statistics lab is designed to supplement your statistics course. The goal is to give students experience working with data, using statistical software (either R or Excel). We will primarily perform tasks that are covered in chapters 1-10 in the textbook, but there will be a few instances in which the instructions will make points that are covered in later chapters of the textbook.

 

Specific Learning Objectives

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​Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:

1. Use R or Excel to obtain descriptive statistics of variables.

2. Use R or Excel to produce univariate graphic displays of variables.

3. Use R or Excel to produce bivariate graphic displays of relationships between two variables.

4. Use R or Excel to create new variables.

5. Use R or Excel to collapse variables.

6. Use R or Excel to transform variables.

7. Use R or Excel to work with subsets of variables.

8. Use R or Excel to find areas under the curve of the normal distribution (these exercises cover probability and null hypothesis testing).

9. Use R or Excel to produce confidence intervals.

10. Use R or Excel to conduct simple analyses (e.g. correlations and bivariate regression).

11. Use R or Excel to solve simple probability questions

 

Method of Instruction​

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Method of instruction will be video lectures on Wix. Please read all documents and study all videos. It is a good idea to follow the videos and practice what is being demonstrated on the video. 

It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with the class schedule and check UA-Little Rock emails regularly.

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Tutors

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The lab has two tutors:

Lindsey Carl (also the Lab Manager): lxcarl@ualr.edu

Matthew Lawton: mlawton@ualr.edu

 

The Wix website has their available schedules and allows you to schedule appointments.

 

Note: Please do not wait until the last minute to schedule a time with a tutor or to get your questions answered. There may not be available appointments, and you may need more time after the appointment to implement the answer.

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Appointments with tutors are held through Google Meet: Be sure to log in using your @ualr email. If you have to ask to be admitted to the session, then you need to leave the meeting, log out of your personal gmail, and rejoin the meeting (if there is still time.)

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Please be on time. Tutors will wait only 10 minutes in a Google Meet session.

 

 

Emailing your tutors

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Always include all necessary information in your communications to make the process most efficient. Short (text-style) communications may result in multiple emails until the question or problem is clarified – a waste of the tutor’s and your time.

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​If you do not already know how to take screen shots, please learn how to. It helps to see screenshots of issues or questions that you try to communicate to us. For example, send us a screenshot of the errors you receive from Wix, R, or Excel.

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Technology

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 In order to take an online course, you must have access to a compatible computer with a reliable internet connection. You will also need to learn how to use the tools used in this lab (e.g., Google Meet, Excel and R).

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Note: It has come to our attention that several students try to take online classes entirely with their cell phones. Although it is possible to view some of the class material on a cell phone, this course is designed for an up-to-date desktop or laptop computer. Students who have tried using a cell phone have reported difficulties viewing videos and reading documents produced with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

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Setting up an account in Wix

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Detailed instructions for this process can be found under Getting Started tab in the Wix lab website.

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1. ​It is very important to use your UALR email to create your user account in Wix. If you do not sign up with your UA Little Rock email account, you may not receive important messages and you will not be able to access the assignments on the Wix site.

2. After you sign up to be a member of the Wix site, the Lab Manager will receive an email that you have requested to be a member. The Lab Manager will verify your enrollment in PSYC 3435 and then grant you membership. After your request is granted, you will be able to see the lab assignments. Be sure to log in when you visit the site. The login icon is at the top right-hand corner of the Wix homepage.

 

Grading     

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Important information about grading

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To pass the course (earn the 4 credits associated with PSYC 3435 and satisfy the requirement) you must pass both the lab and the lecture part of the course. The grade you earn with your instructor (the lecture) will provide 75% of your final grade, and your lab grade will count for 25% of your final grade.

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If you fail the lab or the lecture part of the class, your primary instructor will assign either a D or F for your final grade. This will depend on how well you did in the lecture part.

 

To be clear, even if you make an A in the lecture part of PSYC 3435, you will fail the overall course (PSYC 3435) if you make a D or F in the lab.

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Feedback on assignments and grades

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Feedback and assignment grades will be communicated to students @ualr email. The course instructor will also post it on Blackboard.

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Calculating your grade

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There are 8 assignments and they are worth 10 points each. Your grade in the lab may be calculated by dividing the number of points that you earn by the total number of points possible. For example, if you earn 70 points out of 80 possible points, your grade will be 87.5% (i.e. B).  Ninety to 100% is an A, 80 to 89% is a B, 70 to 79% is a C, 60 to 69% is a D and less than 60% is an F.

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Make-up Policy

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Deadlines are not flexible. Students are expected to work on all assignments well before the due date. Students should never wait until the last couple of days to work on assignments in this lab because failure to turn in an assignment will result in a score of zero on that assignment.

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Scheduling and assignment delivery

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It is advisable to work ahead as much as possible and start assignments as soon as possible. All assignments are available from the first day of class. Please do not start assignments on the day that they are due. Imagine that each assignment is due a week before the actual due date, because there will not be an opportunity to turn in late assignments.

 

Tips for Success:

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1. Do not wait until the last minute to work on assignments.

2. You must always complete your own assignments.

3. The tutors will not do the work or tell students how to complete the assignment. When you ask for help, you will need to send your work to the tutor and ask detailed questions. (Saying “I do not know how to do the assignment” is not specific enough.)

4. The videos were carefully developed to guide students through the assignment. It may take more than one viewing to master the help they provide.

5. If it is determined that a student did not complete his/her own assignment, the tutor or instructor will file a complaint with Dean of Students, and the student will receive a score of zero on the assignment.

6. We recommend students have backup copies of the assignments as they work on them. Backups should be refreshed regularly. Be careful not to change the file name along the way, as you may end up with several versions and be uncertain which is the most recent or accurate one.

 

General Policies

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Attendance and withdrawal

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Please note that, if a student decides to drop this class, it is the student’s responsibility to drop the class. Failure to drop the class will result in a zero on all tests that are not taken. Students may be administratively removed from the class by the instructor, due to excessive absences. See the university policy on attendance and withdrawal here.

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Inclement Weather Policy

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The university's policy can be found here. Because lab-related work is online, campus closings, etc., will not impact deadlines.

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Nondiscrimination

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UALR adheres to a policy that enables all individuals, regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability, to work and study in an environment unfettered by discriminatory behavior or acts. Harassment of an individual or group will not be condoned and any person--student, faculty, or staff member--who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary  action.

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Students with Disabilities

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Your success in this class is important to us, and it is the policy and practice of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to create inclusive learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have a documented disability (or need to document a disability) and need an accommodation, please contact me privately as soon as possible so that we can discuss with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) how to meet your specific needs and the requirements of the course. The DRC offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process among you, your instructor(s) and the DRC. Thus, if you have a disability, please contact me and/or the DRC, at 501-916-3143 or  (VP): 501-246-8296. For more information, please visit the DRC website at https://ualr.edu/disability/. (UA Little Rock Policy 404.9).

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Any accommodations (that are not mandated by the Disability Resource Center or Title IX) are at the Lab Manager’s discretion and are based on course policies. The department strives to treat all its students without prejudice, therefore individual requests may be evaluated in the context of the larger community.

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Academic Integrity

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College and university regulations regarding academic dishonesty, as set forth in the UALR student handbook and other University documents and publications, will be strictly enforced in this class. Any student caught in the act of cheating (to include plagiarizing and self-plagiarizing) may be assigned a grade of zero points for the assignment in question. Repeated instances of cheating may result in a grade of "F" in the lab.  University policies can be found here and here.

Using any Generative Artificial Intelligence tools (for example, but not limited to, Chat GPT or Bard) is strictly forbidden in all or any lab assignments. The Lab Manager and tutors reserve the right to require a virtual meeting (with an active camera), which may be recorded, and ask questions about the assignment. Failure to meet with the instructor at the assigned time will result in a grade of zero for the assignment. Students who inaccurately or inadequately answer the instructor's questions may be reported to the Dean of Students as well as receiving a failing grade in the lab.

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Communication Policy

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We respond to emails within 24 hrs. Emails sent Friday after 5 p.m. will be answered on Monday by 5 p.m. If there is an emergency, please call the department office: 501.916.3171 or email psychology@ualr.edu. If you would like to meet or talk, we will be happy to schedulean appointment at a mutually convenient time.

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Academic Etiquette

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Academic etiquette and netiquette, simply defined, are the manner in which one behaves in an online environment. Just as social norms exist in other places, there is a culture and correlating set of standards for online interactions. As this is an ever-changing environment, these expectations also change and grow accordingly. The following guidelines are recommended in an effort to achieve effective communication in a positive distance learning environment.

• Refrain from using inappropriate and/or offensive language. Be respectful of the other students and instructors when participating in a discussion environment. Civil discourse is vital, whether addressing a peer or the instructor. If a misstep occurs -- apologize. Breaches of civil discourse may result in the student being reported to the Dean of Students and other university consequences.

• When emailing, address the individual(s) from whom you seek a response. The instructor will not respond to an email addressed to a large group.

• Finally, remember this is an academic endeavor at the university level (e.g., avoid chat/IM lingo, think critically, cite sources, and proof your postings).

 

Schedule

 

Date                                              Day1                                     Assignment #

August 30                                     Friday                                   #1

September 13                              Friday                                   #2

September 27                              Friday                                   #3

October 4                                     Friday                                   #4

October 18                                   Friday                                   #5

November 1                                 Friday                                   #6

November 15                               Friday                                   #7

December 2                                 Monday                               #8

 

All assignments are due at 4 p.m.