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Methodology Resources

SPSSI is committed to helping you gain the skills you need for grad school success. Methodology skills are an important part of that! SPSSI’s original methodology webinar series is available at your convenience. Below you can also find a range of external resources that have been recommended by your peers.

Watch Now: SPSSI Graduate Student Committee/APAGS Methodology Webinar Series

This webinar series provides attendees with an introduction to a variety of interesting and innovative methodological approaches. The series was organized by SPSSI Graduate Student Committee member Angela Robinson and was hosted in collaboration with the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS).

Measuring True Change over Time: An Autoregressive Latent Trajectory Analysis (with Juan Del Toro, Ph.D. Student) – held on July 13, 2016. There are multiple ways to measure and understand change over time. Social scientists, including psychologists, are equipped with various statistical approaches to examine change and each approach consists of specific assumptions and answers specific kinds of research questions. In this webinar, Juan presents traditional statistical models of change (including autoregressive models and latent growth models used to examine constructs at both univariate and bivariate levels) as well as an autoregressive latent trajectory analysis (ALT; Bollen & Curran, 2006). He discussed the theoretical questions relevant to these models as well as the practical ways in which these models can be used (for example, his own research from secondary data analyses). 

Introduction to Cardiovascular Psychophysiology (with William Ryan, Ph.D. Student) – held on June 16, 2016. This webinar was designed for researchers wishing to learn more about theory and methods of cardiovascular (CV) psychophysiology. CV measures provide a means of collecting continuous and covert indices of psychological states and can also serve as indicators of health. This makes them applicable to a wide variety of research topics and paradigms, particularly those subject to reporting biases or focused on the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying health disparities. The webinar includes an overview of the general principles of psychophysiology; covers the physiological structures and processes relevant to heart rate, impedance, blood pressure, and heart rate variability data; and relates these indices to a number of theoretical perspectives including the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat. Webinar participants also learned the basics of designing psychophysiological studies and collecting CV data.

Introduction to Social Network Analysis in Psychology (with Joanna Weill, Ph.D. Candidate) – held on April 7, 2016. Social Network Analysis is a methodology for collecting and analyzing data, and a way of learning about the world that focuses on the relationships between people. This workshop explains what social networks are and what types of psychological questions can be addressed with this methodology. We also discuss strategies for collecting social network data, basic types of data analyses, and useful resources. Please note that although social network analysis can be used to look at online social networks like Facebook and Twitter, this is not the focus of the presentation.

Outside Resources

It can be challenging to find methodology resources that fit your needs. Check out these online resources, in-person training opportunities, and books that have been recommended by SPSSI grad student members. Resources are free unless otherwise specified.
 

Online Resources

  1. UCLA Institute for Digital Research and Education: Tutorials and examples for a variety of analyses in R, SAS, SPSS, and STATA.
     
  2. Statistics Hell: Tutorials on a wide range of topics, from descriptive statistics to advanced techniques. The site has a casual look, but the content is seriously good!
     
  3. Michigan State University Online Workshops: Online courses on various topics, such as programming computerized behavioral experiments. Cost is $300 for four-week access pass to about 15 hours of course content.
     
  4. Alan Reifman's Collection of Practical Statistical Resources: Includes info on selecting techniques, data management, how-to instructions for a range of analyses, links to freeware, etc.
     
  5. University of Baltimore Statistical Thinking Page: Covers introductory-level information on descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and regression. Includes links to more advanced topics such as time series analysis.
     
  6. Stats Make Me Cry: Tear-free tutorials on statistical techniques, R, and SPSS.
     
  7. StatPages.Info: Covers descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Bayesian methods, etc.
     
  8. Reporting Results of Common Statistical Tests in APA Format: This site provides a succinct guide to reporting statistics in APA format, including correlations, t-tests, ANOVA, and chi-square tests.
     
  9. Statcheck R Package: This R package extracts statistics from your manuscript and recalculates p-values. This allows you to double check your numbers before you submit a manuscript for publication.

 

In-Person Training Opportunities

  1. Dr. Alan Reifman's 2016 List of Summer Statistics and Methods Courses: This blog post lists a wide range of in-person methodology training opportunities. A new list is posted each year. Dr. Reifman's blog includes links to a range of valuable websites.
     
  2. APA’s Advanced Training Institutes: Various offerings, such as longitudinal structural equation modeling, big data, or single-case intervention research. One-week trainings cost $375 for APA student members. Most appropriate for intermediate and advanced learners.
     
  3. The Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis: Workshops on various qualitative and quantitative topics. Hosted by the University of North Dakota. Three-day workshops cost $600, with discounts if your university has a membership.
     
  4. Michigan State University Summer Workshops: Week-long workshops on various topics, such as dyadic data analysis. Cost is $1,200; may be cheaper when applying through APA. Most appropriate for intermediate and advanced learners.
     
  5. APS Annual Convention: Various sessions on software, methodological theory, and step-by-step instructions. Sessions last between one and four hours. Cost of registration is currently $190 for student affiliates.
     
  6. Psychometric Society Annual Meeting: Many sessions offered on a range of topics. Registration for the three-day meeting costs $250 for student members. Most appropriate for intermediate and advanced learners.
     
  7. Curran-Bauer Training Workshops: Trainings on topics such as structural equation modeling, longitudinal structural equation modeling, cluster analysis & mixture modeling, or multilevel modeling. Week-long trainings currently cost around $1,200 for students.

 

Books Recommended by Your Peers

  1. Applied Multivariate Research: Design and Interpretation (2nd edition; Meyers, Gamst, & Guarina): Covers multivariate analyses. The book had two chapters per topic: one to learn the theory, and another to learn how to use the technique using SPSS. Recommended as very easy to understand, read, and follow. Available for purchase on Amazon.
     
  2. Multilevel Modeling for Social and Personality Psychology (Nezlek): An accessible introduction to multilevel modeling, with examples and a gentle overview of equations. Available on Amazon.