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Statistical Consulting (Psychology)

Vak
2019-2020

Entry Requirements

Only open to Master students Methodology & Statistics, Institute of Psychology (entry requirement 10 ECTS), and Master students Statistical Science, Mathematical Institute (entry requirement 45 ECTS)

Description

Consulting is an integral part of an applied statistician’s life, whether working in academia, government or industry. Statistical and methodological consultation may involve brief interactions to respond to very specific technical questions of a single client, or long term associations as a member of research projects. It always involves a form of ‘reverse reasoning’, that is, figuring out the conclusion you want to come to, and finding a way to get there. Specifically, the consultant’s problem is: What statistical procedure(s) could provide an appropriate answer to the client’s research question, within all practical constraints? During the course, every two students will carry out a statistical consultation project with an actual client.

Course objectives

The goals of this course are to:
1. identify and recognize issues in a client project relevant for a statistical consultant, such as: research question, study design, sampling procedure, and measurement instruments;
2. choose and apply (an) appropriate analysis technique(s) to answer the client's research question(s);
3. effectively communicate the choice of analysis technique, the statistical assumptions, the analysis results and how these answer the research question to the client (both orally and in writing)

Timetable

For the timetables of your lectures, work groups and exams, please select your study programme in: Psychology timetables

Lectures

Registration

Course

Students need to enroll for the course. Master’s course registration

Examination

Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination. Registering for exams

Mode of Instruction

Nine meetings with interactive lectures and role plays by the teachers and nine consulting practicals (training sessions) with real clients. Plus two 3-hour exam meetings that consist of final presentations.

Assessment Method

  • Final presentation

  • Final written report

The final grade will be a weighted average of the final written report including a reflection report (0.75), the final presentation (0.20) and active participation (0.05).

The Institute of Psychology follows the policy of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences to systematically check student papers for plagiarism with the help of software. Disciplinary measures will be taken when fraud is detected. Students are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of this fraud policy.

Reading List

Course syllabus and various articles on a) how to perform statistical consulting; b) how to report statistical methods and results to non-statistical readers, and c) meta-scientific issues. Links to the articles will be on Blackboard.

Contact information

Dr. Elise Dusseldorp elise.dusseldorp@fsw.leidenuniv.nl