Statistics for Psychological Research · St. Joseph's University, New York · Professor Magee
| Meetings | Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:40–3:05 PM · Room MCE 402 (computer lab) |
|---|---|
| Instructor | Michael Magee, Ph.D. |
| Office | Lorenzo Hall (top floor) · Office hours by appointment, in person or Zoom |
| mwmagee@sjny.edu | |
| Prerequisite | PSY-100 and MAT-151 |
| Credits | 3 |
Let's get the scariest myth out of the way first: this is not a math class. Statistics uses arithmetic — and none of it is harder than eighth-grade algebra — but the real skill is thinking: knowing which number answers your question, running it, and saying what it means in plain English. You'll do every calculation in Google Sheets, the same way real researchers do, so we spend our energy on understanding instead of on long-hand arithmetic. By the end of the semester you'll take raw data and carry it all the way to a real analysis — the kind you'll use in Research Methods and beyond.
This course covers inferential statistical techniques for hypothesis testing in psychological research — including group comparisons, bivariate correlation, and linear regression — along with the logic of probability, sampling, and parameter estimation that underlies them. Prerequisites: PSY-100 and MAT-151.
You'll work on a lab computer every class, so there is no textbook to purchase and nothing to print.
Almost everything is auto-graded on Canvas, and the low-stakes work is designed to reward students who simply show up and keep up.
| Component | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in-class exams | 50% | Hands-on; you analyze real data in Google Sheets |
| Weekly T/F quizzes | 25% | Short, auto-graded; two lowest dropped |
| Multiple-choice tests | 20% | A few across the term; lowest dropped |
| Citizenship (attendance) | 5% | See policy below |
A = 90–100% · B = 80–89% · C = 70–79% · D = 60–69% · F = below 60%
Before almost every class, a short true/false quiz on the previous class's material is due on Canvas. They're quick, they keep you current, and they're the easiest points in the course. Your two lowest quizzes are dropped, so a couple of rough weeks won't hurt you.
A handful of slightly tougher, auto-graded tests (with some light calculations) that pull a whole block of material together. Your lowest test is dropped.
Four exams across the semester (not cumulative). You'll use Google Sheets to analyze a dataset, make a graph, and interpret the result — exactly what we practice in class. There is no final exam.
I create your exam Google Sheet and share an individual copy with you from my own account, so the file lives in my Drive and I retain access to it — including its full edit history. Work only in the copy I share with you; please don't make your own or share it with anyone. This keeps everyone honest and lets me see your real work.
You begin the semester with the full 5%, and simply attending protects it. You may miss three classes with no penalty. Beginning with your fourth absence, each absence deducts 2% from your final course grade. Three late arrivals count as one absence. Because this course is hands-on and cumulative, missing class is the single biggest predictor of a low grade — please come.
We work on the lab's computers, so you won't need — and may not use — personal laptops or tablets for note-taking (unless you have an approved accommodation), and phones may not be on you during class. Please leave them at the threshold: at the start of each class, put your phone in your assigned spot in the phone cubby (always in sight, behind the door). You'll sign the "No Digital Device" policy before our second meeting. The reasoning is evidence-based — see the science of digital devices in the classroom. Violations cost points off your final grade. Thanks for helping keep the room distraction-free.
Recording of lectures. You may not film or record lectures without my permission. Unauthorized audio or video recording of any lecture material is prohibited and will be reported to the University administration.
Email & Canvas. Email is my main channel — check your college email often, sign every email with your full name, and include the course in the subject (I teach several; I generally reply within two business days). Canvas is used exclusively for announcements, materials, quizzes, and assignments, so set it up to reach you: in Canvas go to Account ▸ Notifications and set Announcements to notify you immediately. "I didn't see it" isn't an excuse once something is posted. The Canvas mobile app helps too.
Scanning handwritten work. A few assignments ask you to write by hand and upload a PDF — easy to do on an iPhone/iPad or Android device.
Late & make-up work. Meeting deadlines is a life skill. Quizzes and tests have generous Canvas windows, so plan ahead — nothing is accepted late (miss the deadline, miss the points; your dropped scores are your cushion) and there are no make-up quizzes. If you're absent, you're responsible for finding out what you missed — please don't email to ask. Exam make-ups are granted only for serious, documented emergencies.
Getting help. If something doesn't click, ask early — this material builds on itself. Use class time and office hours; I'm always glad to walk through something again.
Academic integrity. The University expects students to observe academic integrity in all aspects of their academic life. Plagiarism, cheating on examinations, and all forms of academic dishonesty are forbidden and treated very seriously; consequences will include a reduction in grade and may include failure in the course, suspension, or expulsion. In this course you'll use Google Sheets for all analysis — that's expected — but quizzes, tests, and exams are your own individual work. For exams you work only in the individual Google Sheet I share with you from my account, and I retain access to it (including its full version history).
A central goal of this course — and of SJNY — is to help you become an independent, critical thinker. You are therefore forbidden from using AI tools to create any text, images, audio, or other media that ends up in your work for this class (assignments, activities, responses, quizzes, tests, exams). Any work crafted even in part by AI tools is treated as plagiarism under SJNY's academic-integrity policy: a first infraction earns a zero on the assignment and a report to the Academic Dean; a repeat infraction results in failure of the course. If anything here is unclear, talk with me before you submit.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), St. Joseph's University provides reasonable accommodations for students with documented physical, psychological, cognitive, and/or medical disabilities. Contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services, Brooklyn Campus — McEntegart Hall, Room 300A · Coordinator Hannah Singer · 718.940.5859 · hsinger@sjny.edu. It is the student's responsibility to communicate with faculty; please share your accommodation letter with me early so we can set things up. All information is kept confidential.
All of us benefit from support during times of struggle, and asking sooner rather than later almost always helps. If you or someone you know is dealing with academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, the Office of Counseling and Wellness (Brooklyn) is here: 718-940-5853 · bkwellness@sjny.edu · start the intake process.
Full dates and what's due are on the class schedule. The shape of the semester:
| Block | Topics | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Describing data | Frequency distributions · central tendency · variability · z-scores & the normal curve | Exam 1 — Oct 1 |
| 2 — Relationships | Correlation · regression | Exam 2 — Oct 15 |
| 3 — Hypothesis testing & t-tests | Probability & the CLT · hypothesis-testing logic (+power) · one-sample, independent, & paired t-tests | Exam 3 — Nov 12 |
| 4 — ANOVA | One-way ANOVA · two-way ANOVA (main effects & interactions) | Exam 4 — Dec 10 |
| Finals week | Team statistics game (extra credit) | no final exam |
This syllabus is a guide; dates may shift slightly. Any changes will be announced in class and on Canvas.