PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
PSY 301
PROFESSOR
:
Dr. Kirk M. Lunnen
CLASS TIME
:
ROOM
:
HSC 166
OFFICE
:
HSC 135; ex7203
OFFICE HOURS
: MWF
E-MAIL
:
lunnenkm@westminster.edu
TEXT:
Cohen, R. J. & Swerdlik, M. E. (2002).
Psychological Testing and Assessment.
(5th
Edition).
Gould, S. J. (1996). The Mismeasure of
ADDITIONAL
COURSE DESCRIPTION
: The course provides a survey of
key areas of relevance in psychological assessment across a variety of settings.
As an introduction to psychological assessment, the course tackles
the fundamental goals and principles of psychological assessment in both
applied and theoretical contexts.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
: The primary goals of this course
are to provide a basic understanding of current and historical psychological
assessment practices and increase students’ basic research, writing, and critical
thinking skills. Upon completion of
the course the student should:
-
Demonstrate mastery of the fundamental principles and assumptions of psychological
assessment
-
Gain an understanding of methods used to develop, evaluate, and utilize psychometrically
sophisticated assessment tools
-
Learn to critically analyze the theories, research results, and techniques
used in psychological assessment
-
Become versant in fundamental issues (and controversies) in the history of
human psychological assessment and quantification
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
:
|
Assignment |
Proportion
of Grade |
Date Due |
|
Exam 1 |
10% |
17 Feb |
|
Exam 2 |
10% |
21 Mar |
|
Exam 3 |
10% |
23 Apr |
|
Final |
15% |
8 May |
|
Quiz/Attendance |
10% |
TBD |
|
Lab Assignments/Activities |
25% |
As scheduled |
|
Group Project |
20% |
25 Apr |
Grading:
The course will use the following scale
GRADE
PERCENTAGE
A
93 to 100
A-
90 to 92
B+
87 to 89
B
83 to 86
B-
80 to 82
C+
77 to 79
C
73 to 76
C-
70 to 72
D+
67 to 69
D
63 to 66
D-
60 to 62
F
0 to 59
Examinations (45%):
There will be three midterm examinations and one final examination.
The midterms will consist of both objective and subjective items
(including short answer and essay questions) covering material from the text
and lecture covered since the previous midterm.
The Final will be comprehensive and will likewise include both objective
and subjective items. If you have
a conflict with an exam you must notify me at least 24 hours in advance.
If an exam is missed, and I am not notified in advance, you will
receive a zero for that exam. Make-up
exams will only be given for the following reasons:
(1) sickness—you must provide a note from the health center (or
other healthcare provider) verifying your illness, (2) a family emergency/crisis/death—must
be verified by the Dean of Student Affairs.
Quizzes (10%):
During each class period you may be given a short quiz pertaining
to the assigned reading material for the lecture that day.
The purpose of these quizzes is (a) to enhance your level of preparation
for classroom discussion and (b) increase preparation for the midterms.
Quizzes missed due to unexcused absence will be given a zero (see
exam policy listed above).
Lab Activities (25%):
The course will include 14 laboratory sessions.
These sessions will include various application assignments, assessment
exercises, mini-experiments, and computer work.
Active (and enthusiastic) participation is expected from all students.
Each student will be required to keep a laboratory notebook/portfolio.
Unexcused lab absences will result a zero for any lab assignment(s)
relevant to that day’s lab. Make-up
will only be considered for the following reasons:
(1) sickness—you must provide a note from a healthcare provider
verifying your illness, (2) a family emergency/crisis/death—must be verified
by the Dean of Student Affairs.
Group Project:
Instrument Design Assignment/Presentation (20%):
Much of this class will focus on issues related to test construction.
This assignment will give each student the opportunity to enter
the exciting world of psychometrics.
Groups of 2-3 students will develop a new instrument to measure a construct
of their own choosing. The project
will entail item selection/creation as well as psychometric evaluation.
The completed project will include the production of a test manual
written in APA format as well as a 20-30 minute oral presentation.
All team members must participate in all aspects of the assignment.
Academic Integrity:
Honesty is an essential part of your collegiate experience.
Individual students are responsible for doing their own work and
for not taking credit for the effort and ideas of others in any way.
This includes plagiarism and/or cheating in any form.
This obligation is based on mutual trust and is expected of every
student. Cheating on any of the class
requirements listed above will not be tolerated and will result in appropriate
disciplinary actions. See below:
Central to the purpose and pursuit of any academic community is academic
integrity. All members of the
Academic dishonesty is a profound violation of this expected code of behavior. It can take several forms, including, but not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation of facts or experimental results, purposely altering the work of another (without that person’s permission) or engaging in any activity which attempts to alter or harm another’s academic standing.
Academic dishonesty in any of these forms will not be tolerated. Students who engage in academic dishonesty face penalties such as failure in the course involved or expulsion from the College. All instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of the College.
CLASS SCHEDULE
:
|
Dates |
Lecture Topics |
|
|
20 Jan |
Introduction, Course Overview |
Syllabus |
|
22 Jan |
Introduction to Psychological Testing & Assessment |
Cohen 1 |
|
24 Jan |
Historical, Cultural, and Legal/Ethical Aspects of Assessment |
Cohen 2 |
|
27 Jan |
Polygeny and Craniometry |
Gould 1 & 2 |
|
29 Jan |
Brief statistical review |
Cohen 3 |
|
31 Jan |
Norms, Correlation, and Inference |
Cohen 4 |
|
3 Feb |
Masters of Craniometry |
Gould 3 |
|
5 Feb |
Reliability |
Cohen 5 |
|
7 Feb |
Validity |
Cohen 6 |
|
10 Feb |
Test Development: Scale Construction |
Cohen 7 |
|
12 Feb |
Test Development: Item Analysis |
Cohen 7 |
|
14 Feb |
Measuring Bodies: Case studies in
“Apishness” |
Gould 4 |
|
17 Feb |
Exam 1 |
|
|
19 Feb |
Intelligence and Its Measurement |
Cohen 8 |
|
21 Feb |
The Question of Intelligence |
Sternberg |
|
24 Feb |
Tests of Intelligence |
Cohen 9 |
|
26 Feb |
Educational Assessment |
Cohen 10 |
|
28 Feb |
Hereditarian Theory of IQ |
Gould 5 (pp. 176-221) |
|
3 Mar |
Hereditarian Theory of IQ (cont.) |
Gould 5 (pp. 222-263) |
|
5 Mar |
Overview of Personality Assessment |
Cohen 11 |
|
7 Mar |
Objective Personality Assessment |
Cohen 12 |
|
17 Mar |
Projective Personality Assessment |
Cohen 12 |
|
19 Mar |
Behavioral Personality Assessment |
Cohen 12 |
|
21 Mar |
Exam 2 |
|
|
24 Mar |
Clinical Assessment Issues |
Cohen 13 |
|
26 Mar |
Clinical Assessment Issues |
Cohen 13 |
|
28 Mar |
Factor Analysis and the Reification of Intelligence |
Gould 6 (pp. 264-302) |
|
31 Mar |
Factor Analysis and the Reification of Intelligence |
Gould 6 (pp. 303-350) |
|
2 Apr |
Neuropsychological Assessment Issues |
Cohen 14 |
|
4 Apr |
Neuropsychological Assessment Issues |
Cohen 14 |
|
7 Apr |
Psychophysiological Assessment |
|
|
9 Apr |
Disability Assessment |
Cohen 15 |
|
11 Apr |
Assessment in Business |
Cohen 16 |
|
14 Apr |
Computerized Psychological Assessment |
Cohen 17 |
|
16 Apr |
A Positive Conclusion and Epilogue |
Gould 7 |
|
23 Apr |
Exam 3 |
|
|
25 Apr |
Group Project Presentations |
|
|
28 Apr |
Group Project Presentations |
|
|
30 Apr |
Group Project Presentations |
|
|
2 May |
Group Project Presentations |
|
|
5 May |
Open Date/Exam Review |
|
|
8 May |
Final Exam ( |
|
LAB SCHEDULE
|
Lab # |
Date |