UNSW PSYC3001 Research Methods 3 Assignment 1 – T1 2024 Dr Melanie Gleitzman and Dr Sonny Li

School of Psychology
PSYC3001 – Research Methods 3 – T1 2024
Assignment 1
This assignment is due by 11pm AEDT Friday March 8, 2024 (Week 4) and is worth 20% of
your final course mark. Submit your assignment to the Assignment 1 Turnitin link on Moodle
in the Assessments Hub.
Please note:

• Assignments submitted after 11pm Friday March 8, 2024 will incur a late penalty of 5%
per day late. Assignments will not be accepted five days after the deadline. Feedback
and comments may not be provided for late assignments.
• Special consideration requests to waive a late penalty are to be made online. Please
See https://student.unsw.edu.au/special-consideration.
• Marked assignments will be available from Turnitin after 10 working days from the
submission deadline.

A Monte Carlo sampling experiment is carried out with 2000 replications for J = 6, n = 11, and
parameter values of µ1 = µ2 = µ3 = 70 and µ4 = µ5 = µ6 = 58, and σ = 15.
On each replication of the sampling experiment, a .05-level t-test of H0: µj - µj’ = 0 (j ≠ j’) has
been conducted for each comparison, along with 95% individual-t confidence intervals and
95% Tukey simultaneous confidence intervals.
The data for this sampling experiment can be found in the file PSYC3001 Assignment 1 2024
(.sav or .omv format for SPSS and Jamovi respectively), where each row refers to a single trial
(replication) consisting of the following 121 variables:

Column Variable Names Description

1 Trial Replication (0001 to 2000)

2-7 M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6 Sample means

8-22 M1_M2, M1_M3, ... M5_M6 Sample comparisons

23-28 SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6 Within group sums of squares

sigt1_2, sigt1_3, sigt1_4, Significant (sigt = 1) or non-

29-43 sigt1_5, sigt2_3, sigt2_4, significant (sigt = 0) .05-level
... etc ..., sigt5_6 t-test for each comparison

Count of number of Type I errors

for each replication (for .05-
44 Type1errors_t
level t-test for each
comparison).

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UNSW PSYC3001 Research Methods 3 Assignment 1 – T1 2024 Dr Melanie Gleitzman and Dr Sonny Li

Column Variable Names Description

ll_t1_2, ul_t1_2, ll_t1_3, Lower (ll) and upper (ul) 95% t-

45-74 ul_t1_3, ll_t1_4, ul_t1_4, ... based CI limits for each
etc ..., ll_t5_6, ul_t5_6 comparison.

Noncoverage error (noncovert = 1)

noncovert1_2, noncovert1_3,
OR no noncoverage error
75-89 noncovert1_4, noncovert1_5,
(noncovert = 0) for each
... etc ... noncovert5_6
comparison t-based 95% CI.

Count of number of non-coverage

90 NonCovErrors_t errors for each replication (for
95% t CI for each comparison).

ll_Tuk1_2, ul_Tuk1_2,
Lower (ll) and upper (ul) Tukey
ll_Tuk1_3, ul_Tuk1_3,
91-120 95% CI limits for each
ll_Tuk1_4, ul_Tuk1_4, ... etc
comparison.
..., ll_Tuk5_6, ul_Tuk5_6

Count of number of non-coverage

errors for each replication (for
121 NonCovErrors_Tuk
Tukey 95% CI for each
comparison).

IMPORTANT: You will be using a subset of 1000 trials within the provided data to answer the
assignment questions (for Qs 1, 3 and 4). The first trial in your personal subset will be the last
three digits of your student number e.g., for student number 1234567, the personal subset
will start with case 567. The last trial will be the number for the first trial plus 999 e.g., 1566
for student number 1234567. Note: use 1000 as your first trial if the last three digits of your
student number are 000.
To select this subset of the data to use for your assignment, follow these instructions.
Using SPSS:
Go to Data – Select Cases – Based on time or case range – Range – First Case and Last Case
(enter values based on the first and last trial from the description above) – Continue – select
Filter out unselected cases - OK.
IMPORTANT: You will need to follow the instructions above every time you open your
dataset as the case selection does not carry over sessions.
Using Jamovi:
Go to Data – Filters – In the formula bar, type the following:
ROW() >= “first trial” and ROW() <= “last trial”

Where “first trial” and “last trial” are the first and last trial numbers based on your student
number
e.g., ROW() >= 567 and ROW() <= 1566 (for student number z1234567)

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UNSW PSYC3001 Research Methods 3 Assignment 1 – T1 2024 Dr Melanie Gleitzman and Dr Sonny Li

Question 1 (30%)
This question should be answered with reference to your personal subset of the data.
A. With respect to the .05-level t-tests for this sampling experiment:
• Explain what is meant by the per-comparison error rate (PCER) and calculate the PCER
for each individual comparison. How do these values compare to nominal α?
• Explain what is meant by the familywise error rate (FWER) and calculate the FWER for
the set of comparisons. How does this value compare to nominal α?
B. With respect to the 95% t CIs for this sampling experiment:
• Explain what is meant by the familywise noncoverage error rate (FWNCER) and
calculate the FWNCER for the set of comparisons. How does this value compare to
nominal α?
• Compare the values for FWER and FWNCER and explain why these two values are not
the same.
Include SPSS (or Jamovi) output to support your calculations for PCER, FWER and
FWNCER.
C. With respect to Tukey 95% SCIs for this sampling experiment:
• Show that Tukey SCI method controls the familywise noncoverage error rate at α for
the set of comparisons.
Include SPSS (or Jamovi) output to support your calculation of the appropriate
noncoverage error rate.

Question 2 (15%)
Consider a sampling experiment where all population means are equal. For such a sampling
experiment, explain why the Type I error rate for a .05-level t-test of the maximal comparison
is larger than the Type I error rate for a .05-level t-test of a fixed comparison.
Question 3 (25%)
This question should be answered with reference to your personal subset of the data.
For each of the events below, while taking into account the population means for the
sampling experiment, find one example of plausible t-based 95% CI limits that reflects the
occurrence of the event. Provide a full explanation indicating why your example reflects the
occurrence of the event.
A. The occurrence of a Type I error and a noncoverage error.
B. The occurrence of a Type II error and a noncoverage error.
C. The occurrence of a non-coverage error with no other inferential error.
Make sure in each instance to state which trial and comparison you are referring to and
remember to get the correct trial number from the “Trial” variable.

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UNSW PSYC3001 Research Methods 3 Assignment 1 – T1 2024 Dr Melanie Gleitzman and Dr Sonny Li

Question 4 (30%)
From your personal subset of the data, select a trial that includes at least one Tukey 95% CI
that contains 0 and at least one Tukey 95% CI that does not contain 0. Make sure you state
the trial number in your answer.
As with Question 4, make sure the trial number is correct i.e., look at the “Trial” variable.
A. Provide a brief substantive context from an area within psychology for a J = 6 experiment.
That is, describe the experimental factor (IV) and the 6 levels (say what they are) as well
as the dependent measure (DV). For your answers to parts C and D of this question,
choose a criterion for a clinically/practically/theoretically important difference in terms of
DV units
The level of detail expected for your description should be as much as you will find in
course examples. You need not provide more than this. You should choose a DV that has a
plausible relationship with the IV. Do NOT copy a course example when answering this
question.
B. Identify the maximal comparison for this trial and show the calculation for the limits of
the Tukey 95% simultaneous confidence interval for this comparison.
C. Provide a substantive conclusion for the confidence interval in part B.
D. For the same trial, select a comparison (other than the maximal comparison) for which
the Tukey confidence interval contains 0. State the selected comparison and the limits of
this confidence interval. What information is conveyed by this confidence interval?

End of Questions

Additional Information

• There is no strict word limit for this assignment. However, you should find that you are
able to answer the questions in full with about 4-5 typed pages (1.5 spacing) of written
answers and calculations. This excludes tables and SPSS/Jamovi output.

• You should create a single word or pdf document for upload to the Turnitin
submission link on Moodle.

• Remember to include all relevant SPSS/Jamovi output in your assignment (copy and
paste SPSS/Jamovi tables into the body of your assignment).

• For calculations, you can type your calculations into your document (e.g., using the
Equations function in Microsoft Word) or insert an image of pen & paper calculations
(please make sure that the calculations are clearly visible and legible).

• For information about School policies on assessment including penalties for late
submission of work, see the current School of Psychology Student Guide (under the
Course Orientation and Information section).

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UNSW PSYC3001 Research Methods 3 Assignment 1 – T1 2024 Dr Melanie Gleitzman and Dr Sonny Li

Evaluation of Assignment
Your assignment will be evaluated on the appropriateness of your answers and your
understanding of course content, the empirical evidence you’ve included to support your
answers, the correct use of SPSS/Jamovi to provide this empirical support, and the clarity and
conciseness of your comments. Please note that long rambling comments will not be treated
favourably. You should find the suggested number of pages to be sufficient.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

YOU ARE REMINDED THAT THE WORK YOU SUBMIT MUST BE YOUR OWN AND NOT THE
WORK OF ANOTHER PERSON OR GENERATIVE AI.

Please be aware that all assignments will be closely scrutinised for evidence of collusion.

The consequence of plagiarism at third year level can be severe. What you submit should be
your own work and not that of another student or a private tutor or any other person. Do not
give another student access to your assignment and do not ask another student to ‘help’ you
write the assignment.

Whilst we recognise that you may find it beneficial to discuss the assignment amongst
yourselves – and to some extent we encourage this – when it comes to the writing stage you
must do this alone, and not as a group. The best way to avoid plagiarism is not to put yourself
in a situation where there is any chance of it occurring.

For this assessment task, you may not use Generative AI. If the use of generative AI such as
ChatGPT is detected, it will be regarded as serious academic misconduct and subject to the
standard penalties, which may include 00FL, suspension and exclusion.

Short Extension is available for Assignment 1

If you are struggling to meet the deadline for this assessment task, you may apply for a short
extension of 2 days.
All short extension applications must be submitted before the task’s due date.
For details on how to apply, and the conditions on applying, please visit the UNSW Special
Consideration website.