PSYC 316

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS II (3 credits)

This course has a similar structure compared to its previous counterpart, PSYC 315.

As I mentioned on the page of biostatistics: Just about every program in this university has their own “statistics” course (there is COMM 215, ECON 222, GEOG 362, MAST 333 , BIOL 322, SOCI 213, STAT 250, and the list goes on….)

Each department’s statistics course will be catered to that field, of course. Nevertheless, the fundamental topics are, for the most part, the same across the programs.

If you take a close look at the undergraduate calendar, it will tell you whether or not two statistic courses are equivalent. For instance, if you have taken a statistics course in the sociology department (in this case, SOCI213), you cannot even take this course (PSYC 316) for credit. So be sure to consult your academic adviser if you have taken statistics courses in the past.

The course description from undergraduate calendar:

“The course presents the general linear model, which subsumes multiple regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). As well, the course deals in detail with the limits of null‑hypothesis significance testing (NHST) and reviews alternatives to NHST including confidence intervals, measures of effect size, and meta‑analysis. Lectures and weekly laboratory.”

Image result for statistics cartoon

Lectures:

  • I hit the jackpot with this course. It would be a tragedy if I were to graduate and not have taken a course with Dr. Walter Marcantoni.
    • According to several SpottedConcordia polls, Walter is considered an acclaimed lecturer at Concordia, some even referring him to him as “the best professor they every had”. photo
  • Fortunately, that graduate student whose first name begins with a “D” is no longer leading this course. From what I heard, his class averages were beginning to resemble that of organic chemistry.

Practice Problems:

Labs:

  • Similar format to PSYC 315.
  • No lab during first week of semester.
  • Will take place in the computer lab, 2nd floor CC building.
  • The lab will be lead by a TA, usually a graduate or PhD student
    • Shoutout to Gonzo – the best TA!
      • [Show him some love for Corgis]
  • You will be using SPSS like in PSYC 315
    • Note, all Concordia computers (including laptop rentals) have SPSS installed. So don’t go wasting a $1000 bucks on this.
  • The assignments are due every 2 weeks (sometimes 3 weeks)
  • Every TA is different, so be sure to consult with yours to verify their grading scheme before submitting your report.

Exams:

  • If you’re with Walter, your midterm will consist mostly of theory-based multiple choice questions, one definition, and a couple of calculation-based questions at the end. A formula sheet will be provided. (Actually, he makes it available online 24 hours prior to the exam). The necessary distribution tables are also included in the exam booklet, of course.
  • Do his practice problems! (see above) He literally tells you before the test that he will be using some of those exact questions on his exam. Word for word. There’s no excuse not to get those points.
  • What is nice about Walter’s multiple choice questions is that there are only 3 selections to choose from; a, b, and c. That’s it. No “all of the above” or “a and b” choices like those other standardized test bank questions.
  • Every so often in a lecture, he will stress a certain definition several times and will openly tell you that this is an important concept to know. Write it down. Extremely high chance he is asking a question on that in the exam. If you miss a lecture, try to get someone’s notes.

Tutoring:

  • The department should have a list of tutors for this course. They all charge about $20/hour. It’s a wise investment if you feel you need some extra help with the material.

Supplemental Material:

Here is neat flow chart to give you the big picture of what is going on here in statistics:

Image result for statistics what test to use