Please log into Moodle to download

the slides for this lecture

Download
these two pdfs

1
This Lecture Will Be Recorded.
(Note to self: Remember to share sound.)

2
PSYC123: Research Methods &
Statistics
Dr. LEE Huey Woon
([email protected])
Consultation times: By Appointment

3
 We Want To Understand Human
Behaviour

To do that, we need to conduct research studies.

4
 Research Methods & Statistics
• Research Methods
– How we get our sample (participants)
– Who we get and how many
– The procedures we use in our studies
• How to manipulate, what to observe, what to compare, how
to measure…
• Statistics
– Processing our observations (data) to make sense of it
– Analysing
– Interpreting (figuring out what we found)

5
 But Why Do I Need To Learn This?
• To be a smart producer of research
– Use the appropriate research methods and
interpret the data correctly to find out things
you’re interested in, especially in your future jobs
(e.g., HR, insurance, finance)

Not doing so can sometimes have drastic

consequences.

6
 WWII Fighter Planes

Which part of military aircraft should get the most armor?

7
 The Data From Returning Planes
Section of Plane Bullet holes per
square foot
Engine 1.11
Fuel system 1.55
Fuselage / Body 1.73
Rest of the plane 1.80

Which part of military aircraft do you think should get the most
armor? 8
 Abraham Wald
BUT this is a biased result. We must remember that
the data obtained was from ONLY planes that
To investigate this problem, here is the outline of a
RETURNED.
fighter plane.
We should really be concerned with the areas that are
Next, mark out the areas where returning planes had
NOT marked with bullets.
been shot.

The marked
unmarked
areas
areas
areare
where
where
thethe
returning
planes that
planes
didhad
notbeen
return
shot.
had been shot. 9
 Ignoring the way data is obtained can lead
researchers to the wrong (and sometimes fatal)
conclusion.

10
 But Why Do I Need To Learn This?
• To be a smart consumer of research
– Understand and evaluate research accurately for
professional and personal uses (e.g., health)

Need to understand how data was obtained and analysed. 11

Leading Questions 12
 Different conclusions if…

… different (leading) questions

are asked together

… data had included ALL

planes
13
 Therefore…
• To be both a smart producer and a consumer
of research, you need to think critically about:
– How data are obtained (methods)
– Pattern of data observed and potential alternative
explanations for the pattern of data (statistics)

This subject teaches you how to do that ☺

14
In addition, data analysis has been
identified as a skill that is urgently
needed by the Singaporean
workforce.

15
 SkillsFuture Report 2021

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/skillsfuture-report-pinpoints-skills-singaporeans-
urgently-need-in-the
16
This subject can equip you with
the skills needed in today’s
economy.

17
 Alrighty… Let’s go through some
admin stuff right now before we
continue onto our lecture proper. ☺

18
 For details,
please read the
Subject
Outline!
(on Moodle)
19
 Subject Objectives
1. Describe and use elementary statistical procedures
2. Calculate statistics by hand
3. Describe fundamental issues in research design in
relation to theory and hypotheses in social sciences, and
understand the limitations of causal inference based on
statistical association
4. Recognise the importance of reliability and validity in
measurement and the importance of ethical
considerations in research

20
 Administrative Matters
• Staff
– Subject Coordinator: Assoc Prof Steven
ROODENRYS
– Lecturer / Tutor: Dr LEE Huey Woon
• Textbooks
– Available under Subject Readings on Moodle

• Non-programmable calculator (‘O’ / ‘N’ levels

calculator okay)
21
 Structure of the class
• Format of the class
– 10 Lectures
– 5 Tutorials
• I’ll do my best to remember to record all classes!

• Class Materials
– Uploaded onto eLearning site (Moodle)
– Lecture slides uploaded before lecture (latest Tues
night)
– Workbook (for tutorial) already available on Moodle
(we’ll go through the answers in class)
22
 Assessments
Assessment Item Due Date
Research participation During Class in Week 3 (Based on completion)
Methods Test 1 & 2 During Class in Week 5
(22%)
Statistics Test 1 (10%) Week 9 (3 attempts, highest will be recorded)
Assignment (15%) Week 10
Statistics Test 2 (10%) During Class in Week 14
Workbook (3%) Week 15 (Based on completion)
Final exam (40%) Exact Date TBA (2 hrs, MCQ)
*All assessments except the final exam are open book.

Make sure Moodle is in SG time, not AU time! (Change timezone in the profile page)
23
 Academic Integrity
“Academic integrity... involves acting with the principles of
honesty, fairness, trust and responsibility and requires respect
for knowledge and its development.” UOW Academic Integrity Policy

Types of Academic Misconduct

Penalty
1. Cheating 1. Mark penalty
2. Collusion/facilitating academic 2. Zero for assignment
dishonesty
3. Zero for subject
3. Fraud
4. Suspension
4. Misrepresentation/fabrication
5. Expulsion
5. Obstruction/interference
6. Plagiarism

No matter the penalty, there will be a permanent record of your academic misconduct.
24
 Academic Integrity
• All work on the assessments must be your
own
• Don’t cheat, collude, plagiarize, or pay
someone else to do your assessments.

The UOW subject coordinator and I take

academic integrity violations very seriously.
There will be consequences so please don’t do
it.
25
Distribution of grades (last semester)
Grade Number
High Distinction (85 – 100) 7
Distinction (75 – 84) 13
Credit (65 – 74) 9
Pass (50 – 64) 0
Pass (Supplementary) 0
Fail 0
Total 29
Past cohorts have found the statistics section of this module challenging
but otherwise do pretty well!
 What To Expect
• Maths
– There will be quite a bit of math from Lecture 4
onwards. I try to explain the logic behind each
formula so the formula doesn’t feel so
scary/foreign.

27
 What To Expect
• Communications
– I use email and Moodle forum regularly to
disseminate important information and to contact
students. Make sure you check your UOW email. I
will not send mails to the SIM email.
– Please do approach me if you have questions
• Email ([email protected])
– Arrange consultation sessions or ask me questions
– I will try to reply within 3 business days
– But please don’t ask me questions about other
subjects as I may do more harm than good!
28
 What I Expect
• Punctuality
– I will start exactly on time
• Pay attention in class
– It’s hard to follow once you lose me
• If you are lost during the lecture/tutorial, stop
me, please!
– If you are struggling, chances are others are
struggling too
• Please answer my questions
– It’s lonely to talk to myself
29
 What I Expect
• Conflicting or erroneous information
– Please clarify as soon as you encounter conflicting
or erroneous information
• I’m human—I make a ton of errors, and I don’t know
everything.
• Do not upload any of my materials to “study
resources sites” like Course Hero and StuDoc
– I work very hard to develop the materials for my
students. It would break my heart to see them on
those sites.

30
 Remember…
• It’s perfectly normal to struggle with
unfamiliar concepts so be patient with
yourself
• Becoming good at a skill takes time
– Practice, practice, practice! That’s what the
workbook and practice questions are for! ☺

31
Questions?

32