Overview
This unit will introduce you to preliminary concepts in statistics. The material covered in this unit will allow you to do research as part of your undergraduate and/or professional career/s. The goal of this unit is to provide you with the skills to perform basic statistical analyses (e.g., t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square, linear regression, etc.), as they apply in the health, human, and social sciences. It is a recommendation of enrolment in the unit that you have competency at secondary-level mathematics. Students lacking competency at secondary level (including basic algebra) are encouraged to contact the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) to discuss their options before enrolling in this unit.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation.
Students reported that, despite finding it interesting and useful, lecture content could be condensed and 'filler content' reduced.
The Unit Coordinator intends to modularise the unit into shorter conceptual videos, with 'need to know' content highlighted first, and additional modules for extended/further study also being made available. Weekly lectures might, instead, follow the 'flipped classroom' model, where content will be recapped and discussed (with a focus on applications and example calculations).
Feedback from Student evaluation and Personal communication.
Students really liked the support of on-campus tutors and the availability of practice tasks for each assessment on the Moodle site. The majority of students reported liking the frequent (near-weekly) assessment schedule, but this was not the case for all students (especially for students who reported having competing extra-curricular commitments).
The current model of on-campus support, provision of comprehensive preparation materials, and assessment schedule should be continued.
Feedback from Student evaluation.
Support for the Computer Assessment Task could be improved.
More examples for this assessment should be provided in the next iteration of the unit. Task expectations should be incorporated into lecture/tutorial materials earlier in the term, in order to improve communication of these.
Feedback from Student evaluation and Personal communication.
Some students reported not needing the textbook, whereas others report highly valuing this (noting that they particularly like the simplicity of readings).
Review alternate options for textbook, as well as the appropriateness of an annotated study guide for this unit.
- Explain and evaluate different statistical methods and procedures
- Apply statistical procedures, methods and calculations
- Translate statistical output into a summary, formatted in APA style.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||
| 2 - Portfolio - 50% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 10% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 50% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 10% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Understanding Statistics in Psychology with SPSS
- 8th Edition (2020)
- Authors: Howitt, D., & Cramer, D.
- Pearson
- Harlow Harlow , Essex , UK
- ISBN: 9781292282305
- Binding: Paperback
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
- 7th Edition (2020)
- Authors: American Psychological Association
- American Psychological Association
- Washington Washington , DC , USA
- ISBN: 9781433832161
- Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Due to availability issues, students preferring a paper copy can purchase the previous 7th edition at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code).
Alternatively, an eBook version of the 8th edition can be purchased at the publisher’s website: https://www.pearson.com.au/9781292282336
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- GNU PSPP (free statistics analysis program)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.lole@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 13 Jul 2020Module/Topic
Introduction to Data Analysis
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 20 Jul 2020Module/Topic
Describing our Variables
Chapter
3, 4, and 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 27 Jul 2020Module/Topic
Z-scores, Percentiles, & Probability
Chapter
6, 10, and 19
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 03 Aug 2020Module/Topic
Data Relationships &
Reporting Our Results
Chapter
7 and 15
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 10 Aug 2020Module/Topic
Hypothesis testing
Chapter
12 and 20
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz (#2) DUE: Week 5 Thursday (13 Aug. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 17 Aug 2020Module/Topic
-
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
-
Week 6
Begin Date: 24 Aug 2020Module/Topic
Correlation
Chapter
8 and 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz (#3) DUE: Week 6 Thursday (27 Aug. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Week 7
Begin Date: 31 Aug 2020Module/Topic
Simple regression &
Partial correlation
Chapter
9 and 32
Events and Submissions/Topic
Calculation Portfolio Task (#2) DUE: Week 7 Thursday (3 Sept. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Week 8
Begin Date: 07 Sep 2020Module/Topic
Related samples t-test
Chapter
13
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz (#4) DUE: Week 8 Thursday (10 Sept. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Week 9
Begin Date: 14 Sep 2020Module/Topic
Unrelated samples t-test
Chapter
14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Calculation Portfolio (#3) DUE: Week 9 Thursday (17 Sept. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Week 10
Begin Date: 21 Sep 2020Module/Topic
Chi-square
Chapter
18
Events and Submissions/Topic
Calculation Portfolio Task (#4) DUE: Week 10 Thursday (24 Sept. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Week 11
Begin Date: 28 Sep 2020Module/Topic
Independent groups ANOVA
Chapter
22, 23, and 25
Events and Submissions/Topic
Calculation Portfolio Task (#5) DUE: Week 11 Thursday (1 Oct. 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Week 12
Begin Date: 05 Oct 2020Module/Topic
Effect size &
Confidence intervals
Chapter
16 and 17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 12 Oct 2020Module/Topic
-
Chapter
-
Events and Submissions/Topic
-
Exam Week
Begin Date: 19 Oct 2020Module/Topic
-
Chapter
-
Events and Submissions/Topic
-
1 Online Quiz(zes)
You will be required to complete four Online Quizzes.
These are comprised of 20 multiple-choice questions and you will have 25 minutes to answer these.
You have one attempt at each quiz.
- Quiz 1 (due in Week 3) will cover material from Weeks 1 and 2
- Quiz 2 (due in Week 5) will cover material from Weeks 3 and 4
- Quiz 3 (due in Week 6) will cover material from Week 5
- Quiz 4 (due in Week 8) will cover material from Weeks 6 and 7
4
Other
Week 3 Thursday (30 July 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Quiz #2 is due 9 am (AEST) on 13/08/2020; Quiz #3 is due 9 am (AEST) on 27/08/2020; Quiz #4 is due 9 am (AEST) on 10/09/2020
Week 8 Thursday (10 Sept 2020)
Grades and feedback will be made available in Moodle immediately after each quiz closes (see DUE dates above).
Each correct answer will be awarded half (0.5) a mark.
- Explain and evaluate different statistical methods and procedures
- Translate statistical output into a summary, formatted in APA style.
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
2 Portfolio
You will be required to complete five Calculation Portfolio tasks.
You have one attempt for each Calculation Portfolio task, for which you will have 2 hours to complete it.
You have one attempt at each task.
- Portfolio 1 (due Week 4) will cover material from Weeks 1, 2, and 3
- Portfolio 2 (due Week 7) will cover material from Weeks 6
- Portfolio 3 (due Week 9) will cover material from Week 8
- Portfolio 4 (due Week 10) will cover material from Week 9
- Portfolio 5 (due Week 11) will cover material from Week 10
Week 4 Thursday (6 Aug 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Calculation task #2 is due 9 am (AEST) on 03/09/2020; Calculation task #3 is due 9 am (AEST) on 17/09/2020; Calculation task #4 is due 9 am (AEST) on 24/09/2020; Calculation task #5 is due 9 am (AEST) on 01/10/2020
Week 11 Thursday (1 Oct 2020)
Grades and feedback will be made available in Moodle immediately after each task closes (see DUE dates above).
Each correct answer will be awarded one (1) mark.
- Apply statistical procedures, methods and calculations
- Problem Solving
- Information Technology Competence
3 Written Assessment
You will be required to choose and run an appropriate statistical analysis using computer-based software, as well as interpret and report these results in American Psychological Association (APA) format.
Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2020) 11:55 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (23 Oct 2020)
Assessments with feedback will be returned approximately two weeks from the due date.
This assessment will be graded out of 10. Marks will be allocated, according to the following criteria:
- Selection of an appropriate statistical analysis for the given data (2 marks)
- Justification for the choice of statistical test (2 marks)
- Results reported and interpreted correctly (4 marks)
- Results written according to American Psychological Association (APA) standards (2 marks)
- Explain and evaluate different statistical methods and procedures
- Apply statistical procedures, methods and calculations
- Translate statistical output into a summary, formatted in APA style.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
