Course Syllabus

Psychology 318.3 (62)

Cognitive Development II: Research in Cognitive Development

Department of Psychology

St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan

Winter 2021

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Time:                        Scheduled Mondays, 12:30 – 3:20pm

Place:                        Remote Learning (Synchronous and Asynchronous classes, see schedule on last page)

Instructor:              Jennifer Briere (MEd, PhD) 

Offices:                    St. Thomas More College Room 214 (office) or Room 2004 (laboratory)

Mailbox:                  St. Thomas More College Mailbox #30 (NOT Arts & Science Psych Department; if you submit there, I will receive it 2-6
                                    weeks later.)

Phone:                    306-966-4174 (please leave a message if I am not available, it is forwarded to email)

E-mail:                     Jennifer.Briere@usask.ca (this is the best way to reach me; if you do not hear from me within 2 business days, please
                                   assume I did not receive your email and contact me again)

                                    Peer Mentor Sophia Wang (Sophia.Wang@usask.ca) for statistical and analysis Qs

                                    Peer Mentor Rachel Silverberg (Rachel.Silverberg@usask.ca) for hypothesis, rationale, discussion Qs

Office Hours:         Wednesday 12:30 – 2:30pm (by appointment and over Zoom, telephone, or Webex; if this time does not work for you,
                                   please let me know and we will schedule an alternate day)

STM Psych Dept Head: Dr. Gerry Farthing (306-966-8925, gfarthing@stmcollege.ca; contact the STM Psych Department Head if you have a
                                  concern about the class; please meet with me first to see if we can resolve the issue together).

Meetings: If we schedule a meeting together, use the following link at our scheduled time: Jennifer Briere's Personal Room https://usask.webex.com/meet/jennifer.briere (Links to an external site.) | 927874231 or Call in using this information: Join by phone +1-306-808-2023 Canada Toll (Saskatoon); 1-855-966-1197 North America Toll Free; Enter Access code: 927 874 231

Questions: Please use the discussion threads posted online for each assignment as well as your peer mentors for assignment related information. If you have questions or concerns about your personal progress in the course, please email me. Otherwise, direct all questions to Canvas so our mentors can answer and your peers can benefit from the Q & As.

Treaty Acknowledgement

As we gather here today and while we complete this course together, I want to acknowledge that this University and its Colleges reside on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of my people, the Métis.  I want to pay my respects and thank our First Nation and Métis ancestors, and the people whom they represent, who are signatories to Treaty 6 and have granted Newcomers the privilege of using this land. I ask that you take a moment today to consider what the Treaty 6 agreement means to you and what privileges of the land you are able to enjoy today.

 

About Me

Taanisii kiskinohamâkan! Hello learners/students (Michif)! I am a Métis Faculty member in the Department of Psychology at St. Thomas More College, which is academically integrated with the University of Saskatchewan. My roots are in the St. Laurent region of Saskatchewan near Duck Lake and Horse Lake. My preferred pronouns are she/her and I want everyone to know that all people are welcome in my classroom as long as they are respectful and kind to others. I completed my Honours degree in Psychology and my Masters of Education focused on Measurement and Evaluation (i.e., psychometrics, survey/measure design, program evaluation, etc.). I then moved back to Psychology in Cognition and Neuroscience for my PhD with a focus on development. My research interests involve cognitive development (e.g., true and false memory, mechanisms of memory functioning, remembering & forgetting), successful aging, appropriate interviewing, digital- and multiliteracies, and extending cognitive psychology findings to real-life applications and/or interventions. You can find my laboratory Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LifespanDevelopmentLab/ or my STM webpage at https://stmcollege.ca/contacts/jennifer-briere.php If you are interested in volunteering in my lab or learning more about the research process, please feel free to contact me.

 

Remote Teaching and Learning Context

COVID-19 has placed us all in challenging times, facing issues we had not even considered prior to the pandemic hitting. This remains true when considering the new Remote Learning environment we have entered into together. My first experience with remote teaching occurred at the end of March 2020 when we were all sent home. It is not my preferred method of teaching for a variety of reasons.  I have continued to take a number of seminars and workshops, consult other faculty and research emerging out of the pandemic, engage in teaching circles for ongoing advice and more.  As I have and continue to consider the myriad issues students are facing as they are learning remotely, please take a moment to consider the challenges faced by your Instructors as well.  For example, consider the challenge and effort involved with delivering a lab-based class remotely to a class of double the typical (live, in-person) enrolment as well as the extra time and effort (even if not always seemingly effective on your end) put in on seminars, consultations, revisions, administrative duties that are remote-teaching specific, and more.

 

Please be aware that this is the first time this course has been taught remotely and this is likely the first full semester that you and your peers are taking remotely as well. I understand that a variety of unforeseen issues may arise over the course for either of us but please do your best to remain engaged. I also ask that you practice patience, kindness, and honest communication with one another as well as your instructor, and to let me know when issues arise as early as possible (e.g., inappropriate online comments, struggles with peers). Please communicate any confusion you have regarding assignments, and to try to support each other’s learning online, engage with your peers, and interact with others with empathy and care.

 

Most modules will be live and will involve break-out sessions for your small groups (Research Teams) to meet and work on the project after we begin with check-ins as a full class (and for attendance). Myself and/or your Peer Mentors will pop in and out of break-out rooms (scheduled for privacy and convenience) to facilitate progress and discussion.  A few of our classes will be asynchronous, where you and your research team will be required to complete specific course-related.  

 

Course Description, Objectives, & Learning Outcomes:

In this course, you will complete an entire independent (small group) research project with the help of a Peer Mentor and your Instructor.  This begins with the study selection phase by reviewing two areas of research interest in the area of cognitive development. Next, you will learn about the typical methods and current understanding of research in the area, generate, and then propose a research question (presentation & ethics application).  Next, you will plan and execute that study (data collection & analysis), followed by dissemination of the results (research manuscript). Three assessments from previous years have been removed (research proposal manuscript, research conference poster, research conference participation).

1. One objective of this course is to acquaint you with a current topic in the area of cognitive development by having you:
2. discuss the issues and important paradigms relevant to the topic;
3. learn about basic methods of investigation in the content area;
4. review research findings in support of theoretical understanding; and
5. carry out a critical analysis of the assumptions, limitations, and investigations of the topic area.
6. A second objective is to help you develop research skills by reading and analyzing scientific papers, designing a study, collecting and analyzing data, writing a research report, and disseminating the results.
7. A final objective is to provide you with the opportunity to develop oral communicative skills by giving an oral presentation.

 

Learning Outcomes.  By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to…

1. utilize empirical research to develop novel cognitive development related research questions and hypotheses.
2. design a cognitive development related study that evaluates hypotheses/research questions.
3. execute the necessary steps involved with completing a designed study.
4. analyze research data and interpret and summarize the results.
5. disseminate research ideas and findings in written and oral formats.

 

Prerequisites:

Permission of the Department and Psy 234.3 and 317.3.  Students are responsible for determining whether they have completed the appropriate prerequisites for the course. Credit for this course will not be granted without previous completion of the prerequisites or permission of the Department.

 

Recommended Library References and Resources:

American Psychological Association (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Author.

Beins, B.C., & Beins, A. M.  (2012). Effective writing in psychology: Papers, posters, and presentations (3^rd ed.). Chichester, West Sussex.

Northey, M. & Timney, B. (2015). Making sense: A student’s guide to research and writing in psychology and the life sciences. Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.

Striano, T. (2016).  Doing developmental research: A practical guide.  New York, NY: Guilford Press.

 

Electronic Resources:

Be sure to use Google Chrome as your web browser when accessing Canvas.  A copy of this syllabus and all other electronic materials will be posted using the University of Saskatchewan’s Canvas Learning system.  Folders for your online submissions, data sets, etc. will be made available online nearer the due dates.  Be sure you are familiar with the materials posted online as they will inform your preparation for class and assignments.    

 

Computer Resources:

For this course you will need a computer and a connection to the Internet. Software needed includes: a word processor (e.g., Word; Office package offered free to U of S students through an IT download), a web browser (e.g., Chrome), SPSS (available on U of S computers and at http://vlab.usask.ca), and an e-mail program (PAWS email). Computer, printer, and network problems are not accepted as a reason for late submission of assignments; please allow time for such difficulties.

 

Course Structure:

A research team format will be used.  A research team consists of a group of researchers who are working together towards a common goal (e.g., research on cognitive development).  You are expected to come to team prepared and ready to accomplish the assigned tasks for that class.  During the weeks that we meet, a brief verbal group check-in will be required where a member of your individual research team mentions what has been accomplished on the project during that week (e.g., research question progress, ethics progress, measures selection, data collected, etc.).  Please consider having your video on for rapport and relationship building (you can blur your background for privacy).  By 11:59pm pm on the Monday’s of the weeks that we do not meet (i.e., data collection weeks), you must respond in your research team’s Check-In Discussion Thread with your personal check-in regarding what you have accomplished for your project over the last week (e.g., writing progress, number of participants collected, any problems during data collection, etc.).  Do not have one group member email a check-in for the entire team.  Each member must mention what they have accomplished that week. 

 

The time spent away from class during the days we do not meet online should be devoted towards completion of your project (i.e., data collection) rather than viewed as spare time.  Following the deadlines outlined on the course schedule will be required in order for you to complete the project in its entirety, on time, and with adequate attention to the details required to ethically conduct research with human participants.  Team meetings and working sessions are intended to help everyone progress through their project.  Thus, it is up to you and your individual research team to raise the issues that need discussing with your instructor and peer mentors, to seek guidance when necessary, and to contribute to discussion and decisions that will help move your, and your classmates’ projects forward.

 

Requirements & Assessments:

Your final grade will be determined through a number of assessments completed during the research process.

 

Participation & Peer Evaluation (5%):

In addition to your participation in class discussions during team meetings, emailed check-ins (when required), and questions/comments following presentations, you will also be evaluated by the fellow members of your individual research team.  A score ranging from 0 (Did not contribute at all) to 10 (Contributed the most possible) (see Peer Evaluation Form on BlackBoard) will be provided by each team member regarding their own and their fellow team members contributions for each of the three projects that are to be completed together (ethics application, presentation, & poster).  Major problems with contribution among members should be addressed immediately after they become evident – try to address issues yourselves and seek the instructor’s advice/intervention when necessary.  Do not wait until the end of term to inform the instructor that your team member did not contribute at all.

 

Research Project (75%):

You are to develop an independent research project in an area of cognitive development. You (in a group of 3 students) are responsible for designing a live (not online) developmental quantitative study, testing participants, analyzing the data, and disseminating the results following American Psychological Association (6^th ed.) style conventions. Your project has to be novel (i.e., simple replication studies are not acceptable). The study also has to be theoretically motivated (i.e., simply stating that you are doing a study because it has never been done before is not a sufficient rationale). The rationale for the study must be clearly stated.  Some examples of a good rationale are: testing the implications of a specific cognitive developmental theory; extending research into a new (theoretically interesting) area; expanding upon a previous study by improving upon methods (e.g., adding a necessary control) or by asking a different question; extending a phenomenon from the laboratory to more ecologically valid conditions (or vice versa), etc. Your research question must be clearly cognitive and developmental in nature, and must be approved by the instructor.  

Things to Keep in Mind When Developing Your Project Idea

• The most straight-forward projects involve contrasting two opposing theories, hypotheses, or explanation of some phenomena. Most textbooks discuss many controversial issues, and are an excellent source of ideas.
• Choose an area you have some familiarity with. If you can think of an extension of some of the issues you have discussed in a previous course, this would make an excellent starting point.
• Think of some issues(s) of personal interest to you--and think about the cognitive developmental implications of the issue(s).
• Make sure your study design is not too complex and that you have easy access to your population. Complex designs typically require the testing of a number of people. You should aim for a design that is no more complex that a 2 ´ 2 factorial; for example, a 2 (Age [young, older]) ´ 2 (Sex (male, female]) between-subjects design is complex enough. It is very difficult to study special populations, or to study an issue that requires sophisticated or expensive measures or equipment.

The research must follow ethical guidelines and be able to be conducted with the resources and time available.  Note that before I permit the testing of participants, each group is required to complete an ethics application, and have it approved first by me and then by the Department of Psychology’s Research Ethics Committee (Psy-REC).

 

Ethics Application (30%) and Research Manuscript (30%):

Refer to the Research Project Requirements document in the course tools for further information on the ethics application, and research manuscript.

 

You are expected to write a research proposal and a manuscript describing the results of your research project and obtain ethical approval to do so.  You should present an integrated, critical analysis of the empirical findings and theories relevant to your topic, and you must aim to address some problem or controversy in the field of cognitive development.  Please note that the research question and hypothesis must be clearly cognitive developmental in nature and reflect originality and critical thinking.  Be sure to provide an overview of cognitive developmental theory and methodology relevant to your topic/issue at the beginning of your paper and to end (i.e., the discussion) with a clear description and interpretation of your findings and with some possible future research questions/directions.  The rationale for the study must be clearly stated (e.g., testing the implications of a specific cognitive developmental theory, extending research into a new area, expanding upon a previous study by improving upon methods or by asking a different question, etc.).  You are responsible for ensuring access to the participants and the materials/measures needed before submitting your proposal.  The research project can be based on work in Psy 317 if it meets all of these criteria.

 

Research Proposal Presentation (30%):

You are required to complete a 15 page research proposal (worth 25% of your final grade). The research proposal must include the following sections: title page, abstract, introduction, method, expected results, pre-discussion, references, and appendix (e.g., copies/examples of the stimuli/measures).  Each student should write and submit their own research proposal for grading. 

 

Ethics Application (30%):

You are also required to complete and submit an ethics application (worth 30% of your final grade) as a group. The ethics application will first go to the instructor for feedback and grading, and then, once feedback is addressed, to the Psychology Department’s research ethics committee.  The review procedures (for both mandatory pre-review and committee review) are outlined on the Psy-REC website and posted in Canvas: http://artsandscience.usask.ca/psychology/department/procedures.php#Ethics.  Please be aware that the review procedures outlined on the website must be strictly adhered to.  It is your responsibility to follow these procedures in order to facilitate a timely review of your protocol.  The application form is available at http://artsandscience.usask.ca/psychology/department/procedures.php#Ethics and in Canvas; please pay careful attention to the application guidelines and use the Ethics Application Template 2020.doc from the course tools to complete your application.  Please be aware that ethical approval is necessary before you begin data collection.

 

Research Manuscript (30%):

After you have received ethics approval and permission from the instructor to proceed with data collection, you are to collect and analyze the data and submit a 12-page research report (including title page to references but not including tables, figures, and appendices) describing the results of your project (worth 30% of your final grade).  All papers must follow APA format (6^th edition) for manuscript preparation.  The research report must include the following sections: a title page, abstract, introduction (not labelled as such), method (including appended materials, as appropriate), results (with tables and graphs appended, as appropriate), discussion, references, and an appendix (e.g., copies or examples of the stimuli and measures).  Each student must hand in one e-copy of the research paper that was prepared independently.  A copy of the final dataset must be uploaded by a group member in order to receive a grade.

 

The Department of Psychology considers the inclusion of a written research proposal in 300-level A courses (e.g., PSY 315, 317, 323, 325, 343, 347, 353, 355) to be a reasonable expectation within these courses and to be a useful teaching tool. Please note, the completion of a research proposal in a 300-level A course does not mean that the proposed research will be carried out in fulfilment of a subsequent 300-level B course (e.g., 316, 318, 324, 326, 328, 344, 348, 356). The decision around the nature of the research project completed in the 300-level B courses is at the discretion of the 300-level B instructor.

 

Presentation (30%):

You, along with your group members, will also be responsible for giving an oral (PowerPoint & Panopto) presentation (strictly followed 20 minutes) based on your proposed research (worth 30% of your final grade).  Slides should contain the most important information presented in the simplest way possible. Please refer to the Presentation Scoring Sheet in the course tools online for further information on the requirements for this presentation. Your presentation will be evaluated by a small group of peers and this evaluation will be used to help determine your final grade.  The quality of their feedback and grading will impact their grade as well.

 

As with the written documents, you should present an integrated, critical analysis of the empirical findings and theories relevant to your topic, and you should aim to address some problem or controversy in the field of cognitive development (i.e., the research question we have selected for your project).  Be sure to introduce your research question, outline the theoretical rationale for the study and the hypotheses generated, describe the methodology and how it tests the relevant hypotheses, and outline the proposed analysis. 

 

You are expected to evaluate four presentations (two from each area) that will be assigned at a later date.  Presenters are expected to upload a copy of their presentation (not a link) the appropriate Discussion Forum in Canvas no later than 10am February 22^nd, the day we will participate and provide our evaluations.

 

 

NOTE: Even though you will collaborate with other students in collecting and analyzing your data, it is expected that each student will write and submit an independent version of the manuscript and your own peer evaluation of the presentations.  This means that all work on these assignments is completed individually, on your own, with your own planning, effort, content, reading, and writing. You may not work in groups to prepare these reports, or share information, graphs, writing, etc. with each other. The presentation and ethics application, however, should be prepared as a group with equal effort from all members, in order to avoid redundancy.

Each group member will confidentially evaluate their own and their fellow group members’ contributions to each group assignment to help the instructor determine grades.

Grading:

The university-wide relationship between literal descriptors and percentage scores for undergraduate courses will be followed (please see the University calendar for more information).  Your final grade, using the percentage system, will be determined by a weighted summation of all variables contributing to the grade and by the relationship of your overall mark to the class average. 

 

The distribution is as follows:

     (a)  Research Proposal Presentation                                       ...................................  30 %

     (b)  Ethics Application                                                            ...................................  30 %

     (c)  Research Manuscript (final report)                                  ...................................  30 %

     (d)  Participation and Peer Evaluation                                    ...................................  10 %

 

Lateness: If you are unable to turn in/complete any of the assignments on time, please contact me within 24 hours and be prepared to document your reason for being late (e.g., medical certificate).  Without documentation, I will accept late assignments with the penalty of 10% off per day for that assignment (this includes weekends), up to a maximum of five (5) days at which time your grade for the assignment/paper will be zero (0). Please note that no extensions will be granted that exceeds 5 days past the due date for the assignment. 

 

General Comments

 

Recording Lectures & Meetings

Students are not permitted to record classes or meetings in any way unless authorized to do so by myself and Access and Equity Services for Students.  In such cases, only the student with AES authorization is allowed access to the recording and all parties must be aware that they are being recorded.

 

Cell Phone & Other Technology Use

Please place all cellphones and other electronic devices on silent before class begins.  Please do not use your cell phones or other technological devices, including laptops and tablets, for purposes unrelated to the course content during class time (e.g., chatting) – it is distracting to your classmates and your instructor. 

 

Paper & Assignment Submission Requirements

Assignments are to be submitted in electronic form to the corresponding class Blackboard folder by the due date and time to receive a grade for your assignment.  Make sure your online submission is made before 4:30pm or at least a half-day penalty will be applied.

 

Copyright Law

The University of Saskatchewan respects the rights of copyright holders, their legitimate assertions of their rights and any rules that they articulate for the use of their material when used in excess of Fair Dealing. Faculty and students have the responsibility to respect the rights of copyright owners, to make themselves aware of federal legislation (including the Fair Dealing guidelines) and to take the steps necessary to ensure that their use of all copyright materials is compliant. Please, familiarize yourselves with Copyright Law to not only understand what you cannot do, but what you can! You can find relevant information, including a complete list of what falls under Fair Dealing here: http://www.usask.ca/copyright/index.php  Contact the university Copyright Coordinator at copyright.coordinator@usask.ca or 966-8817 for more assistance.

Access and Equity Services (AES, formally DSS)

If you are a student who is registered with the Office of Access & Equity Services for Students, you may apply for unique services or arrangements to complete the requirements for this course.  Normally, these services will be provided through the AES office.  Please note that not all accommodations may be possible and you must contact your professor regarding requested accommodations at least 2-weeks before the due date.  If you have not yet registered with that office, please do so as quickly as possible. http://students.usask.ca/health/centres/disability-services-for-students.php

 

Academic Integrity
Any student or students suspected of having engaged in poor academic practice (e.g., cheating, plagiarism, forging medical notes) during this course will receive a score of 0 for the suspect assignment.  Academic honesty is a serious issue and serious cases will be heard by the Arts and Science Student Academic Affairs Committee.  First time offences may warrant 10-15% off your final grade along with the 0 on the assignment.  Second time offences can include penalties such as automatic failure and/or suspension/expulsion from the University.

 

From the Office of the University Secretary.  Integrity is expected of all students in their academic work – class participation, examinations, assignments, research, practica – and in their non-academic interactions and activities as well. Please read over the section on Student Rights, Grievances and Discipline in the University Calendar. This section defines academic dishonesty as "using or possessing unauthorized aids in tests or examinations, unauthorized assistance in any academic work, concocting laboratory results or distorting laboratory reports, plagiarism or representing as one's own of any idea or expression of an idea of another person, submission of one's own of the work of others, submissions without approval of the instructor of any work for which credit has previously been obtained or is being sought in another course, aiding another student's dishonesty, removing library materials without proper authorization, misrepresenting one's credentials for the purpose of gaining admission or registration, etc."

 

St. Thomas More College Policy on Academic Integrity.  St. Thomas More College follows the rules regarding Academic Dishonesty as delineated in the University of Saskatchewan Calendar. Of these, plagiarism is a particularly serious offence that involves presenting another person’s writing, ideas, or creative work as your own. When quoting, paraphrasing, describing, presenting, summarizing, or translating the work of others, you must acknowledge the source of the information you use, which includes ensuring that the reader can differentiate between your words and the words of others. Sources may come in print, electronic, digital, visual, or oral form, and may be provided by a published author, fellow student, artist, or Internet site (among other possibilities). Purchasing papers is not permitted. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes plagiarism; when in doubt, consult your professor.

 

What academic integrity means for students:

• Perform your own work unless specifically instructed otherwise. Check with your instructor about whether collaboration or assistance from others is permitted.
• Use your own work to complete assignments and exams.
• Cite the source when quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s work. Discuss with your professor if you have any questions about whether sources require citation.
• Follow examination rules.
• Discuss with your professor if you are using the same material for assignments in two different courses.
• Be truthful on all university forms.
• Use the same standard of honesty with fellow students, lab instructors, teaching assistants, sessional instructors and administrative staff as you do with faculty.

 

Integrity in non-academic activities.  Misconduct that disrupts the activities of the university or harms the legitimate interests of the university community could be the cause for non-academic disciplinary action.  For More Information: Integrity and Student Conduct website: http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/honesty/

 

 

 

Free On-Campus Student Resources

Course Tools & Blackboard	(306)-966-4866 http://www.usask.ca/ict/services/course-tools/u-of-s-course-tools/
IT: Email, Wireless, Find Services	http://www.usask.ca/ict/ or email help.desk@usask.ca
Library Resources	(306)-966-6005 Ask an assistant at any library desk. Chat with a librarian: http://library.usask.ca/askus/ Psychology Library Guide: http://libguides.usask.ca/c.php?g=16440 St. Thomas More Library: http://stmcollege.ca/library/index.php
Student Services & Final Exam Deferral Requests	(306) 966-4231 Arts & Science Student Services: http://artsandscience.usask.ca/students/help/ Defer Exams: http://students.usask.ca/current/academics/exams/deferred-supplemental.php/ St. Thomas More College Student Services: http://www.stmcollege.ca/study-here/student-services/index.php
Disability Student Services	(306) 966-7273; E1 Administration Building http://students.usask.ca/health/centres/disability-services-for-students.php
Writing Help	University Learning Center: Murray 142, (306) 966-2771. Online, in person, and drop-in hours: http://www.usask.ca/ulc/writing/
Writing Help when English is a New Language	Writing help Coordinator: liv.marken@usask.ca, (306) 966-4341. http://www.usask.ca/ulc/writing/ Language Center: (306) 966-4351.
Not getting the grades you want	(306) 966-2646 Peer Assisted Learning: http://www.usask.ca/ulc/pal            Study Skills Workshops: http://www.usask.ca/ulc/workshops/studyskills
Personal counseling	(306) 966-4920           http://students.usask.ca/health/centres/counselling-services.php
Health Services	(306) 966-5768 http://students.usask.ca/health/centres/health-services.php
Online Resources	Public Speaking Tips in 5 Minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDqG2t8fx4g&t=0s

             

 

 

 

Course Schedule

 

It is very important that you do your absolute best to follow the course schedule in order to complete the project in time for the end of the course. If you are getting behind, tell your instructor and team members as soon as possible and help plan a way to catch up with the help of your team.  

 

January 11	COURSE & SYLLABUS OVERVIEW; SELECTING PROJECT, & BEGINNING BACKGROUND WORK
LIVE Entire Class Online Together	Research Project Working Session: Select your Research Project & Group; Search the Literature for (a) Target Article(s); Consider How to Measure the Dependent Variable(s) and Manipulate the Independent Variable(s) -         Course Introduction   -         Decide what project area you would like to work in   -         Complete the Group Build Survey   ****Indicate your interest in a research project and peers by completing the ups” tabs in Canvas by the end of January 11th (11:59pm) or you will be randomly assigned to a group**** o   You will be assigned to a group of 3-4 students, including yourself using “Groups” in Canvas   -       Meet your group member (Research Team) online to begin planning the project and shared activities.   -       With your team during the week, search the literature for articles that will inform your project. Specifically, consider articles that will support your knowledge and understanding of: o   What the IV(s) is/are & how we are manipulating it/them (do not forget age) -       What will the conditions/factors be? -       What design will answer your research question? o   What the DV(s) is/are & how we are measuring it/them (do not forget a cognitive focus) -       Use questionnaires & measures that exist whenever possible -       You can email researchers and request copies of materials (cc your supervisor) o   What results we may expect from participants on these variables §  In other words, based on previous literature and findings, what might we expect to see in our study and why? (Hypotheses & Rationale)
January 18	HYPOTHESES, METHOD, & ETHICS
LIVE   Breakout Rooms for Each Group; Scheduled Meets with Instructor and Mentor	Research Project Working Session: Generate Hypotheses & Method -       Once we all have joined, the Instructor will turn on Breakout Rooms where Teams can meet online together during class time.  This allows the Instructor and Peer Mentors to join and help periodically with each Team.   -       Review your target article(s), variables, manipulations, measures, etcetera with your Instructor and/or Peer Mentor o   Have specific questions ready about your project if possible to help move the project forward (e.g., ethics, measures, hypotheses, rationale, method, IVs, DVs, procedure, target article discussion)   -       Refine hypotheses & rationale for your research question   -       Identify and select all your IVs & DVs; decide how you will manipulate & measure them (i.e., method planning)   -       Work on getting your methodology online (minor changes needed after ethics approval) o   Skeleton of project (e.g., a page for Consent, the demographics page next, space for your measures/manipulations, additional orders/tasks for counterbalancing and/or random assignment, Debriefing, etc.)   -       Begin reviewing Ethics materials
January 25	METHOD & ETHICS
REMOTE Schedule Group Work Time During Class with Your Research Team	Preparing for Ethics: Review the Ethics Module & Materials; Plan as a Group Completion of the Application; Begin Ethics Preparation -       Review the example (successful) application to help guide you   -       Download templates and work on application   -       Keep the standard statements already in the application but add your information (do not delete information, you may write before or after, or in between, but do not delete; the statements included are required)   -       Review the Participant Pool information   -       Work on getting your methodology online (minor changes needed after ethics approval) including consent, debriefing, counterbalancing, etc.   -       Review/test how data is collected and then coded for analysis
February 1	FINALIZE ETHICS APPLICATION FOR GRADING
LIVE   Breakout Rooms for Each Group with Scheduled Meets with Instructor and Mentors	Research & Ethics Application Working Session: Finalize Ethics & Prepare for data collection -       *!* Finalize ethics   -       “Pilot-test” materials & procedures (have a fellow researcher from your team run through the entire study; review collected data, prepare a data file in excel for analysis; do not run an actual participant -- no research activities without ethics approval)   -       Plan and prepare for recruitment & testing (if ethics is in place, otherwise re-printing may be needed)   -       Work on proposal presentation   -       Consult with Peer Mentor Rachel Silverberg regarding proposal presentation format, content, organization, displaying (expected) results, Panopto, etc.   -       Consult with Peer Mentor Sophia Wang regarding data coding, entry, screening, analysis, & interpretation. o   Begin an SPSS data file that you will export into Excel so you can more easily enter data without vlab.usask.ca  This Excel file will need to be pasted into SPSS for Analysis day.   ****Ethics Application Due by Group for Grading by 11:59pm February 1, 2021 OR EARLIER****
February 8	ETHICS APPLICATION REVISIONS & PSY-REC SUBMISSION
LIVE Breakout Rooms for Each Group with Scheduled Meets with Instructor and Mentors	Ethics Application Group Working Session: Work on revisions based on instructor, mentor, & group feedback -       Review feedback from the Instructor and Peer Mentors and make necessary revisions   -       Ensure all materials are included (e.g., consent, debrief, demographics, Panopto recordings, questionnaires, surveys, etc.) and all comments are addressed.   -       Work on proposal presentation   -       Review online methodology, make changes Ethics deems necessary.   ****Submit Ethics to Psy-REC before Reading Week Commences****
February 15	OFF READING WEEK
February 22	RESEARCH PROPOSAL PRESENTATIONS
REMOTE   View and participate in discussion of two teams from each project (i.e., 4 presentations)	Proposal Presentations for Grading and Conference Feedback -       Post proposal presentation by 10am February 22nd, 2021   -       You will be assigned to two presentations from each project (i.e., 4 presentations total), view them, and provide constructive feedback along with a grade using the rubric. The quality of your feedback will influence your participation grade.   -       Finalize ethics to get approval as soon as possible.   -       Review online methodology, make changes Ethics deems necessary.   -       If Ethics is in place, begin research protocol.
March 1, 8, & 15	DATA COLLECTION, CODING, & ENTRY
NO CLASS MEETINGS   Work on Data Collection & Entry	-       No class meetings during March 1, 8, & 15   -       Work on monitoring and completing data collection, coding, & entry for data analysis   -       ****By 11:59pm each Monday during data collection (Mar. 1, 8, 15), you must provide a personal update in your group Check-In Discussion thread online regarding what you have personally accomplished on the project for the week. This helps monitor progress, allows myself and the peer mentors to help solve research issues as they arise, and the research to progress.
March 22	DATA ANALYSIS 1
LIVE   Breakout Rooms for Each Group with Scheduled Meets with Instructor and Mentors	****ALL DATA COLLECTION, CODING, & ENTRY MUST BE COMPLETED BY MARCH 21st & uploaded to the course tools for analysis on March 22nd. ****   Statistical Analysis Working Session 1: Analyzing & Interpreting Results -       You must come to live class with your data & be prepared to analyze it to answer your research question. o   You will be provided with an Analysis Cheat Sheet to help you analyze your data in vlab.usask.ca (SPSS). o   Additional analyses (above and beyond your research question) may also be provided for interest and investigation if the variables and sample allow. o   Each student must submit the output they obtained with their final manuscript (individual submissions). Be sure to export and save your output for submission. o   Your Instructor and Peer Mentor (Sophia Wang) will help with analysis review and interpretation/summary.   -       Run the descriptives to describe the participants in your sample (e.g., how many younger vs. older Ps, average age, sex, ethnicity, other demographic variables you collected)   -       With the Instructor and/or Peer Mentor Rachel o   Consider how to display, interpret, & discuss your results   Begin writing results for your manuscript (1 per student; individual submission) -       Prepare results section & graphs for manuscript   -       Discuss interpretation and implications with instructor and peers during meeting(s) o   Careful not to overextend the results
March 29	DATA ANALYSIS 2
LIVE   Breakout Rooms for Each Group with Scheduled Meets with Instructor and Mentors	Statical Analysis Working Session 2: Continue Analyzing, Interpreting, & Presenting Results -       Continue with analysis, interpretation, display, & manuscript preparation tasks from last week   -       Ask questions during breakout sessions on manuscript preparation (content, format, etc.)   -       Consider limitations but also implications of the findings   -       What future directions would follow your particular study (be specific)
April 5	DATA ANALYSIS 3 & INTERPRETATION; MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
REMOTE Schedule Group Work Time During Class with Your Research Team	Statical Analysis Working Session 3: Finish Analyzing, Interpreting, & Presenting Results -       Finalize data presentation and interpretation   -       Find additional research as needed to support results interpretation and implications   -       Finalize your manuscript
April 12	MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION & COURSE EVALUATIONS
REMOTE Schedule Individual Meetings During Class Time with Instructor or Peer Mentor if You Need	Manuscript Preparation -       Finalize your manuscript   -       Ensure all materials are included as an appendix and are referred to in the body of the manuscript   -       Ensure you include a copy of your output in your manuscript.   -       Review APA (6th ed.) formatting and references   -       Proof-read for grammar, consistency, data integrity, and content   -       Peer evaluations   -       Course evaluations   **** Final Research Manuscript Due by Each Student 11:59pm April 12, 2021**** **** Research Data Set Due by Group 11:59pm April 12, 2021**** ****Peer Evaluations Due by Each Student 11:59pm April 12, 2021****

 

 

Note: The above schedule is subject to change. You are responsible for making sure you are progressing on schedule.  The deadlines are strict, and you are expected to meet them in order to complete your project on time.

 

This syllabus is intended to reflect my expectations of you in this class.  I encourage you to speak up, ask questions, and, if you desire, inform me of your expectations.  Please feel free to email me or to see me during my office hours to ask any questions that you may have, to discuss any concerns, to inquire about any aspect of the course, to review your progress, etc...