DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

PSY2005 Statistics and Research Methods: Quantitative data analysis component

Home Page

• There is an entry for PSY2005 in the department's second year undergraduate handbook and this contains important information about the dates of assessments.
• Handouts for the multiple regression part of the course will be given out each week. However the full set is available in advance on the web. The links in the web version of the following list are live.
• The following list gives the programme for the Lent term week by week. Note that topics 3 and 4 have been interchanged from the order they had in the department handbook.
1. (a) Introduction to multivariate analysis: when can different forms of analysis be used, and what questions do they answer? Relations between different multivariate analyses, and between
   multivariate analyses and analysis of variance. (b) The idea of a regression equation. Using Minitab to carry out simple regression. (Topic b will be covered during the practical class). Reading: Class handout & examples sheet. Monk, chapter 4.
2. The idea of multiple regression. Carrying out multiple regression using Minitab. Descriptive statistics and tests of significance. Interpreting and reporting regression results. Problems with data and how to deal with them. Reading: Class handout & examples sheet.. Monk, chapter 8 (omit material on stepwise regression).
3. Choosing between regression models. Exploratory data analysis vs. significance testing. Goodness of fit and economy of prediction. Stepwise and setwise regression procedures.Using the BREG command in Minitab to carry out setwise regression. Reading: Class handout & examples sheet. Monk, chapter 8.
4. Categorical variables. Levels of measurement: ordered and unordered categories. Dummy variable analysis. Carrying out dummy variable analysis in Minitab. Reading: Class handout and examples sheet.
5. Introduction to SPSS. Using SPSS to carry out multiple regression and analysis of variance. The idea of analysis of covariance. Reading: Bryman & Cramer, chapter 10.
6. Using SPSS. Creating system files and command files. Practical work: simple exercises using SPSS in interactive and batch mode. Reading: class handout. Bryman & Cramer,
   chapters 2, 3 & 5.
7. Introduction to Factor Analysis. Practical work: Using SPSS to carry out a principal components analysis and factor analysis on some of the "Justice" data. Reading: Class handout; Kline, chapter 1.
8. Interpreting SPSS factor analysis output. Item analysis. Practical work: Reliability analysis on sets of items for scale construction. Reading: Class handout; Bryman & Cramer, chapter 11; Kline, chapters 7 & 8.
9. Creating summative scales. Practical work: Using scales to explore inter-group differences. Reading: Class handout; Bryman & Cramer, chapter 4.
10. Term test on multivariate analysis. Reading: Fontana D. (1989), Managing Stress. Parry, G., (1990), Coping with crises .
• A dummy test paper is available to give you a chance to check your understanding further, and to prepare for the assessments. Answers and a marking guide for the dummy test are also available.
  

Goto home page for: University of Exeter | Department of Psychology | Staff | Students | Research | Teaching | Miscellaneous

---

(access count since 1st January 1997).
Document revised 11th January 1997

---