READINGS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Spring 2020
Office Hours: M 3-4; F 1-2:50; whenever I’m around Course
Information Course Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, you should be able to: ·
Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific literature
relevant to a hypothesis or research question; ·
Collect, manage, and/or analyze empirical data or obtain an
existing dataset to test a hypothesis or research question; ·
Demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles in research; ·
Present a research project to others; ·
Participate actively in discussions about research; and ·
Use research tools and programs (e.g., SPSS, Qualtrics,
SONA, mTurk, salivary cortisol analyses, biometric
equipment) Instructor Course description: You will
prepare and write a Master’s Thesis proposal. You must have or obtain IRB
training and participate regularly in research team meetings. You will also
do readings relevant to your thesis topic and meet with me each week to
discuss them. You will also design a study and write a thesis proposal and
have a thesis proposal meeting. I will help and advise you during all the
steps of the project. You may also help with other projects in the lab,
getting involved in at least one group project with student co-PIs and
helping provide feedback and collect and/or analyze data for other projects. One
credit equates to four hours per week of work. Course
Catalog Description: Individualized readings. May be repeated for maximum of 6 hours.
Prerequisite(s): consent of instructor. (Fall, Spring, Summer) |
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Benefits of Research Experience:
Course Policies
Missed Meetings Policy: We will have regularly scheduled meetings to discuss the progress of your project. When you miss a meeting, you affect the progress of the entire research team. You may miss one meeting per type (i.e., large group, small group) for good reason (e.g., illness, conference presentation) per semester without any penalty. Missing more than one meeting may negatively affect your grade.
Academic Ethics Policy Statement: Students must observe the Academics Ethics Policy (http://www.uni.edu/policies/301). You
should adequately cite your sources on PowerPoint slides and in your presentations
and papers. You should not use another’s words on your slides or in your
presentation without proper attribution. All sources should be ones that you’ve
read directly; do not cite secondary sources.
Open Science Policy: My lab is committed to open science principles.
As such, all studies will be pre-registered, materials and data will be made
public where possible, and we will strive for transparency and ethicality in
all our projects.
Diversity and Inclusion Policy: It is my intent that students from all diverse
backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’
learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity
that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit.
It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of
various types of diversity, including but not limited to gender, sexuality,
disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, religion, and culture.
Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to
improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other
students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict
with your religious events, please let me know so that we can make arrangements
for you.
Civility Policy: It is important that we discuss topics calmly
and respectfully. We want to have an open setting where everyone feels free to
contribute, where no one tries to dominate the conversations, and where we all
remain open to other’s ideas. Ad hominem comments are not appropriate.
Credit Hour Statement: This course meets the Course Credit Hour
Expectation outlined in the Course Catalog. Students should expect to work a
minimum of 2 hours per week outside of class for every course credit hour. You
should expect to work a minimum of three hours per week (including meetings)
for every course credit hour for undergraduate credit and four hours per week
for graduate credit.
Harassment Policy: You do not have to put up with inappropriate
treatment (e.g, verbal, physical, or sexual
harassment) of any kind. If you have problems with a lab member, participant,
or conference goer (or other person you interact with through your lab
assignments), please let me know. It is important to note that if you do report
it to me, I may have to report it to the university. If you are not comfortable
talking with me about the issue, you can talk to the department head, Adam
Butler.
Authorship Policy: For small group
projects, authorship is determined by the amount each person in the group
contributes to the project. For conference presentations, I will usually take
last author, but for manuscripts the order may change based on contributions,
especially to writing.
Required Readings
Required readings can be found at https://osf.io/enm45/. They include:
· Harton Lab pre-registration form
· Harton Lab instructions for running psychology studies
· Introduction to OSF
· Lab inclusion-exclusion (of data) document
· Qualtrics basic information
·
Harton, H. C., & Nail, P. R. (2008). Political orientation and contemporary racism
in America. In M. A. Morrison & T. G. Morrison (Eds.), The psychology of modern prejudice (pp. 51-75). New York: Nova Science
Publishers.
· Harton, H. C., & Bourgeois, M. J. (2004). Cultural elements emerge from dynamic social impact. In M. Schaller & C. S. Crandall (Eds.), Psychological foundations of culture (pp. 41-75). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Students will do also
readings relevant to their projects as well as general readings relevant to
psychology methods or lab topics.
Course Elements
and Expectations
Lab Activities: As a member of my
lab, you’ll also work on projects that benefit others in the lab. For example,
you may be asked to give suggestions on a questionnaire, pretest a study, or
serve as a confederate.
Meetings: You’ll schedule
a half hour meeting with me each week for your individual project. We’ll also
have one, hour-long large group meeting per week. You are expected to attend
and participate actively in these meetings.
Open Science
Requirements: You will create an account on OSF and keep all of your study
materials up-to-date there. All studies will be pre-registered and gain IRB
approval before data collection begins. Materials and data will be made public
where possible. All data will be independently analyzed by at least two people,
and files will contain proper and clear documentation.
Data Blitz: Toward the end of the
semester, you will do a 5 minute presentation on your project for the lab.
Thesis Proposal: By the end of the semester,
you will have completed a thesis proposal and scheduled a proposal meeting.
Final Grade
Determination
Grading in the course is based on the
quality of your participation (e.g., punctuality, meeting attendance and
participation, preparation, ethical behavior, attention to detail,
pre-registration, data cleaning, data analysis), timeliness (e.g., meeting
deadlines), and your outputs (e.g.,
quality of thesis proposal and presentation). If you do everything well, you
will earn an A in the course. Deficiencies in one or more areas will result in
a lower grade. You must have completed your thesis proposal to get a grade in
this class (until then, it will be RC).
Course Schedule
This
is a general guideline. The main expectation is that by the end of the
semester, you have a completed proposal and scheduled proposal meeting.
|
Week of |
Tasks/Topic |
|
Jan
13 |
Read
and discuss relevant research |
|
Jan 20 |
Read
and discuss relevant research; begin study design |
|
Jan
27 |
Work
on study design |
|
Feb
3 |
“Finalize”
study design |
|
Feb
10 |
Outline
of thesis proposal |
|
Feb
17 |
Begin
writing proposal |
|
Feb
24 |
Revise
proposal (I’ll be gone to SPSP February 26-March 1) |
|
Mar
2 |
Revise
proposal |
|
Mar
9 |
Continue
revisions; Submit abstract to UNI conferences |
|
Mar
23 |
UNI
presentation completed |
|
Mar
30 |
UNI
conference (March 30) |
|
Apr
6 |
Make
changes for MPA presentation (UNI grad conference April 7) |
|
Apr
13 |
Complete
revisions |
|
Apr
20 |
MPA
(April 22-25); Give thesis proposal to committee |
|
Apr
27 |
Clean
up files in OSF; Prepare for proposal meeting; data blitz |
|
Exam
week |
Complete
proposal meeting; Complete post-meeting paperwork; Complete any final
documentation in OSF |
Resources
and University Policy Statements
Counseling Center: UNI’s Counseling Center is free, confidential,
convenient, and effective. It is the mission of the University of Northern Iowa Counseling Center to promote the personal development
and psychological well-being of all students and to encourage a college
environment that is conducive to growth and learning. To make an appointment,
call 273-2676 (8:00-5:00 M-F). For urgent situations outside of office hours,
call the Counseling Center at 273-2676 and press 2 to speak to a crisis
counselor. Call 911 in case of immediate danger.
The Learning Center: The Learning Center @ Rod Library has office
hours for assistance with writing, math, science, and college reading and
learning strategies. A graduate assistant assigned to help graduate students
with writing will be in the LC Mondays and Thursdays from 11-2. You can also
schedule appointments with Kat Wohlpart at https://uni.libcal.com/appointments/meetwithkat.
Beginning week two, The Learning Center (TLC) operates on a walk-in basis and
is open 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday through Thursday for general help. For more
information, go to https://tlc.uni.edu/tutoring, email TheLearningCenter@uni.edu
, call 319-273-6023, or visit the TLC desk located on the main floor of
Rod Library. If you are unable to come in during normal tutoring hours, online
tutoring is available through Smarthinking. You will
need your CATID and passphrase to gain access. To access the Smarthinking platform go to https://tlc.uni.edu/schedule.
Rod Library: Rod Library is here to help, so take advantage
of their services. Need help finding resources for a research paper? Need to
find some information and can’t figure out where to look? Contact the Rod
Library! You can stop by, chat, email, text or call
the library all hours the library is open. www.library.uni.edu/research/ask-us
Need Other Assistance?: I am happy
to help you with class content, program issues, writing, etc. If you’re a
victim of a crime, you can call 1-800-770-1650 to talk to an advocate 24/7 or
text IOWAHELP to 20121. If you are experiencing food insecurity, you can access
the Panther Pantry in the lower level of Maucker
Union (right of the computer lab) from 12-7pm (til 8
S-Th) for confidential help. I can also help you
locate other resources, but be aware that if you report certain things to me
(e.g., sexual abuse, criminal activity), I may be required to report it to the
university.
Office of Compliance and Equity Management
Statement: The University of Northern Iowa
does not discriminate in employment or education. Visit 13.03 Equal Opportunity
& Non-Discrimination Statement (https://policies.uni.edu/1303)
for additional information.
Student Accessibility Services Statement: The University of Northern Iowa
(UNI) complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008
(ADAAA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Fair Housing Act,
and other applicable federal and state laws and regulations that prohibit
discrimination on the basis of disability. To request accommodations please
contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS), located at ITTC 007 for more
information, either at (319) 273-2677 or via email to
accessibilityservices@uni.edu. Visit Student Accessibility Services (https://sas.uni.edu/) for additional
information.