PSYC 421 is Liberty's undergraduate course in psychological testing and assessment. Its written work is a two-part SPSS assignment describing a normative sample and evaluating a test's reliability and validity, an item analysis worksheet, a 3 to 5-page evaluation of a psychological test not covered in the course, a technology presentation on the Barnum effect or the psychological interview, a 3 to 5-page clinical intake report, and two forums.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as PSYC 421 Psychological Measurement, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as PSYC421.
What PSYC 421 covers
The catalog description: This course is an in-depth study of standardized tests in psychology, counseling, and education. Course content includes personality, aptitude, general ability, achievement, and interest tests. It will also cover elementary statistics necessary to test usage and interpretation.
The course covers the principles of psychological testing: statistics and norms, reliability, validity, test development and item analysis, intelligence and achievement testing, personality and clinical assessment, and ethical and cultural issues. The text is Cohen and Swerdlik, Psychological Testing and Assessment.
Eight quizzes (400 points) have no guide here. Each week after Week 1 runs Tuesday to Monday, and the final week ends Friday.
Textbook named in the published guide: Cohen & Swerdlik, Psychological Testing and Assessment (2017). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
PSYC 421 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 50 | Thread at least 350 words; replies at least 150 words |
| 2 | SPSS Assignment Part 1 | 50 | Not set in the guide; follow the assignment instructions |
| 3 | SPSS Assignment Part 2 | 100 | Not set in the guide; follow the assignment instructions |
| 4 | Item Development and Analysis Worksheet | 50 | Not set in the guide; complete the worksheet |
| 5 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 50 | Thread at least 350 words; replies at least 150 words |
| 6 | Test Evaluation Paper | 100 | 3 to 5 pages including the title page and references |
| 7 | Technology Presentation | 100 | Not set in the guide; follow the assignment instructions |
| 8 | Clinical Intake Report | 100 | 3 to 5 pages |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
A thread of at least 350 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 150 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 421 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 2: SPSS Assignment Part 1
Move from raw data in SPSS to a description of a normative sample: a table of descriptive statistics, graphs and a summary. How to write PSYC 421 Week 2 SPSS Assignment Part 1.
Week 3: SPSS Assignment Part 2
Continue the SPSS analysis by assessing and interpreting the reliability and validity of a test. How to write PSYC 421 Week 3 SPSS Assignment Part 2.
Week 4: Item Development and Analysis Worksheet
A worksheet practicing the quantitative and qualitative steps of creating and evaluating test items. How to write PSYC 421 Week 4 Item Development and Analysis Worksheet.
Week 5: Discussion Board Forum 2
A thread of at least 350 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 150 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 421 Week 5 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 6: Test Evaluation Paper
A 3 to 5-page APA paper evaluating the psychometric properties of a psychological test not covered in the course, and justifying your choice. How to write PSYC 421 Week 6 Test Evaluation Paper.
Week 7: Technology Presentation
A PowerPoint or Prezi on the Barnum effect or on how to conduct a psychological interview, integrating course content and research. How to write PSYC 421 Week 7 Technology Presentation.
Week 8: Clinical Intake Report
Conduct a brief clinical interview with the provided template and write a 3 to 5-page intake report summarizing the key clinical information. How to write PSYC 421 Week 8 Clinical Intake Report.
How PSYC 421 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The two forums are 50 each (100), SPSS Part 1 is 50 and Part 2 100, the item analysis worksheet 50, the test evaluation paper 100, the technology presentation 100, the clinical intake report 100, quizzes 400 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (2) | 100 |
| SPSS Assignment Part 1 | 50 |
| SPSS Assignment Part 2 | 100 |
| Item Development and Analysis Worksheet | 50 |
| Test Evaluation Paper | 100 |
| Technology Presentation | 100 |
| Clinical Intake Report | 100 |
| Quizzes (8) | 400 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 900 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach PSYC 421
Install SPSS before Week 2; both SPSS parts use the data documents provided in the course.
Choose a test for the evaluation paper that is not covered in the textbook or lectures, and find its manual or published reviews early.
Questions students ask
What are the PSYC 421 SPSS assignments?
Two parts: Part 1 moves from raw data to describing a normative sample's demographics with a table of descriptive statistics, graphs and a summary; Part 2 assesses and interprets the reliability and validity of a test.
What is the PSYC 421 clinical intake report?
A 3 to 5-page report summarizing the key clinical information from a brief clinical interview you conduct using the template provided in the course.
Working through PSYC 421 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.