56607 - Seminar on Data Analysis and Methodology (A)

Learning outcomes

This course is an intermediate level class in statistics and data analysis that builds on introductory statistics courses attended during the previous university degree. The aim is to help students develop practical skills in the analysis and interpretation of real psychological data, using multivariate statistical models. To that end, the focus will be conceptual rather than mathematical, applied rather than theoretical, to make the students in clinical psychology understand when a particular statistical technique is appropriate, and how to make sense of the results obtained from its use.

Course contents

Multiple linear regression analysis. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) factorial and for repeated measures with the procedure General Linear Model. Analysis of the covariance (ANCOVA). Analysis of multivariate variance (MANOVA). Explorative factor analysis (EFA).

Readings/Bibliography

Claudio Barbaranelli. Analisi dei dati con SPSS II. Le analisi multivariate. LED edizioni, Milano 2006: capp. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Students having poor theoretical statistical basis may use also the following book:

Claudio Barbaranelli. Analisi dei dati. Tecniche multivariate per la ricerca psicosociale e sociale. II edizione. LED edizioni, Milano 2007: capp. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Publisher e-mail address: led@lededizioni.com

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures based on SPSS analysis of real psychological data and discussion of the procedure and of the results. In case of appropriate number of students attending the class, students will have an opportunity, in the Informatics Laboratory, to gain hands-on computing experience during illustration of concepts by the teacher.

Assessment methods

The final exam will be a collective practical prove in the Informatics Laboratory, lasting maximum two ours for each group of 40 students at the time. Each student will be given a psychological real data file in SPSS and asked to develop appropriate hypotheses, to run appropriate analyses, and to discuss the obtained results.

Teaching tools

In this course we will be using SPSS for Windows Version 13.0. The software is installed on the computer of the class were lesson will take place and it is also available in the Informatics Laboratories of the Faculty of Psychology.  Depending on the number of students attending the class, lessons could take place in  the Informatics Laboratory.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Gremigni