Measurement, Data Display and Interpretation & Experimental Design

Catalog description

This course introduces students to foundational research concepts in applied behavior analysis including: operational definitions, direct, indirect, and product measures of behavior, procedures for measuring occurrence (e.g., frequency, rate, percentage), procedures for measuring temporal dimensions (e.g., duration, latency, interresponse time), procedures for measuring form and strength (e.g., topography, magnitude), and procedures for measuring trials to criterion. Students will learn to design and implement sampling procedures (i.e., interval recording, time sampling), evaluate the internal validity, external validity, and reliability of measurement procedures, select an appropriate measurement system based on contextual and pragmatic variables, graph data to communicate relevant quantitative dimensions (e.g., equal-interval graphs, bar graphs, cumulative records), and interpret graphed data using visual analysis. Students will identify dependent variables, independent variables, defining features of single subject experimental designs, and the differences between single subject and group experimental designs. These concepts will be applied to a self-management project completed during the course. EdS students will complete a brief literature review to identify five behaviors related to advanced leadership skills. They will create a measurement system designed to collect data on one of these behaviors and use this system to complete their self-management project. This course meets the BACB requirement that verified course sequences include a freestanding course on these topics. The course covers Section 2C1-11, D1-3, and G20. Fee Information: Lab fee required.