Skills

Psychology 3: Statistics for Psychology

12 weeks · 3 milestones

Describe data, test ideas and report effect sizes honestly. Course 3 of the Varsity Curriculum: Psychology. Free sources only. Foundations only. Not a clinical or counselling qualification.

Part of: Psychology · Proves for: UG

Milestone map

3 milestones

Describe and plot data

4 weeks (about 6 hrs/week)

Work through OpenIntro chapters 1–2 and the Noba module on statistical thinking. Self-check: OpenIntro odd-numbered exercises. Then make a notebook that describes and plots an open psychology dataset.

Proof required

Link the public repo with a notebook that describes and plots an open psychology dataset: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

Every variable is described with the right summary.
Plots are labelled and honest about scale.
Odd-numbered exercises are checked against the book.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A notebook that describes and plots an open psychology dataset.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 3: Statistics for Psychology
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Every variable is described with the right summary.
Plots are labelled and honest about scale.
Odd-numbered exercises are checked against the book.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Test a difference and report the effect size

4 weeks (about 6 hrs/week)

Work through OpenIntro's chapters on inference for means and proportions. Self-check: OpenIntro odd-numbered exercises. Then make a t-test or chi-square on open data, with the effect size, its confidence interval and a power note.

Proof required

Link the public repo with a t-test or chi-square on open data, with the effect size, its confidence interval and a power note: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

The test fits the data.
The effect size and interval are reported, not just p.
Assumptions are checked.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A t-test or chi-square on open data, with the effect size, its confidence interval and a power note.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 3: Statistics for Psychology
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

The test fits the data.
The effect size and interval are reported, not just p.
Assumptions are checked.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Fit a regression and pass the final

4 weeks (about 6 hrs/week)

Work through OpenIntro's regression chapters, then take the Saylor MA121 final exam. Self-check: Saylor MA121 final exam. Then make a multiple regression on open data with diagnostics and a plain-language summary.

Proof required

Link the public repo with a multiple regression on open data with diagnostics and a plain-language summary: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

Coefficients are interpreted correctly.
Diagnostics are shown and discussed.
The summary does not claim cause from correlation.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A multiple regression on open data with diagnostics and a plain-language summary.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 3: Statistics for Psychology
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Coefficients are interpreted correctly.
Diagnostics are shown and discussed.
The summary does not claim cause from correlation.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Psychology 3: Statistics for Psychology →

Related outcomes

Milestone map

3 milestones

Describe and plot data

4 weeks (about 6 hrs/week)

Proof required

Link the public repo with a notebook that describes and plots an open psychology dataset: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

Every variable is described with the right summary.
Plots are labelled and honest about scale.
Odd-numbered exercises are checked against the book.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A notebook that describes and plots an open psychology dataset.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 3: Statistics for Psychology
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Every variable is described with the right summary.
Plots are labelled and honest about scale.
Odd-numbered exercises are checked against the book.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Test a difference and report the effect size

4 weeks (about 6 hrs/week)

Proof required

What gets checked

The test fits the data.
The effect size and interval are reported, not just p.
Assumptions are checked.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A t-test or chi-square on open data, with the effect size, its confidence interval and a power note.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 3: Statistics for Psychology
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

The test fits the data.
The effect size and interval are reported, not just p.
Assumptions are checked.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Fit a regression and pass the final

4 weeks (about 6 hrs/week)

Proof required

Link the public repo with a multiple regression on open data with diagnostics and a plain-language summary: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

Coefficients are interpreted correctly.
Diagnostics are shown and discussed.
The summary does not claim cause from correlation.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A multiple regression on open data with diagnostics and a plain-language summary.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 3: Statistics for Psychology
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Coefficients are interpreted correctly.
Diagnostics are shown and discussed.
The summary does not claim cause from correlation.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.