Reference no: EM132378511

PSYC 355 LAB PROJECT OVERVIEW AND INSTRUCTIONS -

PURPOSE: It is very important that students of statistics know how to choose the correct analysis for a given research question, collect the data, run the test, interpret the results, and present them in written form. This lab will require you to apply what you have learned in a series of related assignments over several weeks in the course, including collecting data, choosing and running the correct analysis, interpreting statistical results, and presenting the findings in a Results section in current APA style.

RESEARCH QUESTION AND BACKGROUND: An article in the Baptist Message newsletter (Quarles, 8/18/2011) presents selected results of a survey given to entering college freshmen every year at Louisiana College. This instrument measures the orthodoxy of Christian beliefs, or, in other words, how well a person understands the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Quarles comments that, although many students who take the survey report attending church regularly, the number of students who understand basic Christian doctrine is surprisingly low. In this lab, the intention is to research this issue further by directly examining the following research question: Is there a relationship between frequency of church attendance and the level of understanding of basic Christian doctrine?

TASKS: The lab is divided into five phases, with certain tasks due at different times throughout the course. It is very important to turn work in on time at each of the due dates, as the later sections of the lab depend on work performed in the earlier sections.

This document provides an overview only. Specific directions for each phase of the lab are contained in the Lab Project folder.

Phase 1 Overview: Background Reading and Discussion Board Forum Assignment

In this phase you will be reading an excerpt from an article discussing church attendance and the understanding of Christian doctrine in a sample of college students. You will then be responding to specific questions in a Discussion Board forum. The specific directions for Phase 1 are given in Discussion Board Forum 1.

Phase 2: Survey Administration, Scoring, and Data File Creation

In this phase you will be collecting data from at least 12 people, 15 years of age or older, using a survey that is provided in the Lab Project folder. You will then be scoring the surveys and entering the data into an SPSS file. Please refer to the Lab Phase 2 Instructions to complete this phase.

Phase 3: SPSS Output

In this phase you will be choosing the type of analysis and graph that best answers the research question based on the type of data available, as well as justifying your choice using information from course materials. More specific directions for the data analysis are included in the Lab Project Phase 3 Instructions.

Phase 4: APA Results

In this phase you will be writing a Results section for your lab results in current APA format. The specific requirements for this assignment are included in the Lab Project Phase 4 Instructions.

Phase 5: Discussion Board Forum

In this phase you will be participating in a Discussion Board forum that allows you to reflect on your results and their implications, as well as the results of your fellow classmates. The specific directions for Phase 5 are given in Discussion Board Forum 2.

LAB PROJECT PHASE 2 - SURVEY ADMINISTRATION, SCORING, AND DATA FILE CREATION INSTRUCTIONS

PURPOSE: The purpose of this assignment is to administer surveys and create an SPSS data file containing the survey data.

SKILLS/ KNOWLEDGE: As a result of completing this assignment, you will be able to:

• Administer surveys online or in person and score the surveys.
• Use SPSS statistical software to create a data file containing the raw survey data and one index variable.

BACKGROUND: The questions on the survey are derived from instruments used in published studies of orthodox Christian beliefs, including Francis, Williams, & Robbins (2010) and Kaldor & Francis (2000).

TASKS:

Download the following documents from the "Lab Project" folder in the Assignment Instructions. The information in these documents is essential for successful completion of the Lab Project:

1. Lab Project Survey

2. Step-by-Step Instructions for Survey Administration

3. IRB Guidelines for Survey Administration

4. Raw Data Scoring Instructions

After reviewing the above documents, administer the Lab Project Survey to at least 12 people, either online or in-person, keeping in mind the IRB guidelines. Allow yourself plenty of time to complete this step.

Score your completed surveys and enter the data into a new SPSS data file. Create an index variable that represents the total understanding of Christian doctrine for your sample. Instructions for scoring the survey, entering data, and creating the index variable are in the Raw Data Scoring Instructions document in the Lab Project Folder.

Ensure that your SPSS data file includes individual surveys as the cases, or rows, and the survey questions as the variables, or columns. The index variable representing total understanding of Christian doctrine will reside in column 11, as shown in the example below:

Note: The only precondition to participating in the survey is that participants must be at least 15 years old; otherwise, participants can be of any gender, race, religious background, etc. It is important to emphasize that the results of the survey are anonymous by pointing out the instructions at the top of the survey. The survey is limited to 10 questions due to length limitations placed by online survey services. Do not add or remove any questions when administering the survey.

Submit this SPSS data file to Blackboard as the finished product for Phase 2.

LAB PROJECT PHASE 3 - ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS

PURPOSE: The purpose of this assignment is to choose the correct statistical analysis and graph for your lab project data and complete this analysis using SPSS.

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE: As a result of completing this assignment, you will be able to:

• Select the appropriate statistical test to analyze and interpret psychological data in a specific research context.
• Use SPSS statistical software to analyze psychological data.

TASK: Choose the statistical analysis that best addresses the lab project research question and fits the lab project data in your SPSS data file. The correct test is one that you have learned within the first five weeks of the course. There is a "right" answer, so look carefully at the wording of the research question. Complete the analysis and turn in a Word document that contains: your rationale for using this analysis, the SPSS output, and the appropriate graph. You will be graded on how completely you address the following:

• In 3-5 sentences, state which analysis you are using and provide a rationale as to why this is the correct analysis to use for the Lab Project. Provide at least one source from the course (text and/or presentations) to support your rationale. Use current APA formatting for your in-text citation(s) and reference(s).
• Paste the SPSS output of your analysis. The analysis should include only the variables relevant to the research question.
• Paste the appropriate graph, including an APA-style figure caption, again including only the variables relevant to the research question.

LAB PROJECT PHASE 4 - RESULTS SECTION INSTRUCTIONS

PURPOSE: The purpose of this assignment is to synthesize and interpret your lab project results in a current APA-style Results section.

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE: As a result of completing this assignment, you will be able to:

• Determine whether statistical results support your hypothesis (MLO C)
• Clearly communicate the results of real-world data analysis in a format commonly used in the social sciences (MLO D).

TASK: Write an APA-style Results section that details the statistical results of your lab project analysis and interprets the meaning of these results. You will be graded on how completely you address the following:

• Section is in paragraph form with appropriate APA-style heading.*
• Section is no less than 250 words.
• Describe the type of analysis used and the variables used in the analysis.
• Include a statistical statement in current APA format based on your results.
• State whether or not the results are significant, and the resulting decision about the null hypothesis of your study (reject/fail to reject).
• Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the statistical test that was used. Be sure to cite the textbook or other sources you use to provide this information. For example, "This type of test is known to provide reliable and valid results (Gavetter et al., 2018)."
• Explain any characteristics of your sample and data collection method that should be taken into consideration by readers when interpreting these results. These can include such elements as sample size, survey format, issues related to online or in-person survey methods, demographics (if you know them), and so on.
• Based on the above, state the degree to which your results are generalizable.
• Communicate clearly with attention to grammar and syntax.

Please refer to the APA writing presentation in the relevant module for a review.

Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar