ePortfolio Assignment
KIN 610: Quantitative Analysis of Research in Kinesiology
ePortfolio Assignment
Purpose
Maintain a shared Google Doc throughout the semester to organize course materials, notes, and key resources. This simple portfolio helps you keep everything in one place and creates a reference document you can use long after the course ends.
What to Include
Create a Google Doc with the following sections:
1. Week-by-Week Concept Summaries
For each week, create a brief summary (3-5 bullet points per topic):
- Concept name & definition (in your own words)
- Why it matters: When/why you use it
- Key formula or menu path
- Simple example: One concrete example from class or practice
Example entry:
Independent Samples t-test: Compares the means of two independent groups (like males vs. females). You use it to test if there’s a significant difference between groups. Formula: t = (M₁ - M₂) / SE. Example: Testing if men and women differ in reaction time (n=50 per group, t(98) = 2.15, p = .034, d = 0.43).
2. SPSS Procedures Reference
Organize by test/procedure. For each, include:
- Menu path: Analyze > [exact location in SPSS]
- Key steps: 2-3 main steps (variables to select, options to choose)
- What to look for in output: Which numbers matter and why
- APA reporting template: How to write this up
Example format:
Paired Samples t-test - Menu: Analyze > Compare Means > Paired-Samples T-Test - Steps: (1) Select both time 1 and time 2 variables, (2) Move both to “Paired Variables,” (3) Click OK - Output: Look at the t-statistic, df, p-value, and Mean Difference in the output table - APA write-up: “A paired samples t-test revealed a significant difference in scores from pretest (M = 45.2, SD = 8.3) to posttest (M = 52.1, SD = 7.9), t(29) = 4.32, p < .001, d = 0.84.”
3. Decision Tables & Assumption Checks
Include 2-3 quick reference tables:
Table 1: When to Use Which Test
| Research Question | Test | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Do 2 groups differ on an outcome? | Independent t-test | Two independent groups (e.g., treatment vs. control) |
| Did the same group change over time? | Paired t-test | Same people, 2 timepoints (pre-post) |
| Do 3+ groups differ? | One-way ANOVA | 3+ independent groups |
| Is there a relationship between 2 variables? | Correlation | Exploring association between continuous variables |
| Can we predict one variable from another? | Regression | Predicting outcome from predictor(s) |
Table 2: Effect Size Interpretation
- Cohen’s d: 0.2 = small, 0.5 = medium, 0.8 = large
- Pearson r: 0.1 = small, 0.3 = medium, 0.5 = large
- Partial η²: 0.01 = small, 0.06 = medium, 0.14 = large
Table 3: Assumption Checks for Common Tests
| Test | Key Assumptions | How to Check |
|---|---|---|
| t-test | Normality, equal variances | Use Shapiro-Wilk (p > .05 = normal) and Levene’s test |
| ANOVA | Normality, homogeneity of variance | Same as t-test |
| Correlation | Linearity, homoscedasticity | Examine scatterplot for straight-line pattern |
| Regression | Linearity, normality of residuals | Scatterplot and histogram of residuals |
4. Worked Examples
For 2-3 major procedures, include a complete example showing:
- Research question: What are you testing?
- Data description: n, groups, variables involved
- SPSS steps: Screenshot or bullet list of exact steps
- Key output table: Screenshot with numbers highlighted
- Plain-English interpretation: What the numbers mean
- APA reporting: Exactly how to write it in a results section
Example structure:
Example: Independent t-test comparing athletic performance
RQ: Do athletes who use protein supplements differ in sprint time from non-users?
Data: 60 sprinters (30 users, 30 non-users), sprint time in seconds
Steps: Analyze > Compare Means > Independent T-Test > DV: sprint_time, Grouping variable: supplement_use
[Include screenshot of key output]
Interpretation: The users (M = 10.2 sec) were significantly faster than non-users (M = 10.8 sec). The t-value of 2.14 with p = .036 indicates this difference is statistically significant.
APA write-up: “Athletes using protein supplements completed the sprint significantly faster (M = 10.2, SD = 0.6) than non-users (M = 10.8, SD = 0.9), t(58) = 2.14, p = .036, d = 0.56.”
5. Formulas & Calculations
Keep a reference section with important formulas for practical calculations:
- Standard error: SE = SD / √n
- Cohen’s d: d = (M₁ - M₂) / SD_pooled
- Confidence interval: CI = M ± (t* × SE)
- Z-score: z = (X - M) / SD
Include brief notes: What each symbol means, when you’d use the formula, what the result tells you.
You don’t need to memorize formulas for t-tests, ANOVA, regression, etc.—SPSS calculates those for you! Focus on understanding what the output means and how to interpret it.
6. Common Mistakes & Tips
For each major topic, note:
- Mistake to avoid: E.g., “Don’t assume correlation means causation”
- Data setup issue: E.g., “Categorical variables must be coded as numbers (1, 2, 3, not Yes/No)”
- Reporting error: E.g., “Always include effect size, not just p-values”
- Memory trick: A way to remember the concept
7. Useful Links & Resources
- Canvas course page and syllabus
- Statistics for Movement Science eBook
- SPSS built-in help tutorials
- Khan Academy statistics videos
- Other resources you found helpful
8. Questions & Reflections (Ongoing)
An evolving section where you note: - Concepts that were confusing (and how you figured them out) - Applications you see to your own research interests - Questions that came up - Connections to other courses or topics
Organization Tips
- Use Google Doc headings to organize sections (Heading 1 for major topics like “Week 1”, Heading 2 for subsections like “t-tests”)
- Generate a table of contents (Google Docs can auto-generate one: Insert > Table of Contents)
- Add screenshots of SPSS output for reference procedures
- Use bold/italics to highlight important numbers, formulas, and key terms
- Include page breaks between weeks or major sections for clarity and easy navigation
- Keep consistent formatting throughout (same font, similar structure for each week)
- Add dates when you update major sections
Grading (10% of course grade)
Submission Schedule
| Submission | Due Date | Content Required | Feedback Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check-in 1 | Week 6 (Feb 23) | Weeks 1-5 basics organized; at least 3 sections started | Formative (comments only) |
| Check-in 2 | Week 11 (Mar 30) | Weeks 1-10 content; good organization evident | Formative (comments only) |
| Final Submission | Finals Week (May 16) | All weeks 1-15; polished and complete | 10 points toward final grade |
Grading Rubric (10 points)
Completeness (4 points) - 4 pts: All major sections present for all weeks; comprehensive coverage of course topics - 3 pts: All sections present; mostly complete with minor gaps - 2 pts: Most sections present; covers key topics adequately - 1 pt: Some sections missing or significant gaps in content
Organization (3 points) - 3 pts: Excellent navigation with clear structure; professional formatting; easy to use - 2.5 pts: Good organization; mostly easy to navigate; mostly consistent formatting - 2 pts: Adequate organization; generally usable; some formatting inconsistencies - 1 pt: Somewhat disorganized; difficult to navigate in places
Quality & Accuracy (2 points) - 2 pts: Clear explanations; accurate information; original writing; genuinely useful as a reference - 1.5 pts: Mostly clear and accurate; mostly in your own words; generally useful - 1 pt: Adequate clarity; some inaccuracies or reliance on copied text - 0.5 pts: Unclear or inaccurate information in places
Utility (1 point) - 1 pt: Would definitely use this as a reference after the course - 0.5 pts: Might use this; somewhat useful - 0 pts: Wouldn’t rely on this as a reference
How to Submit
- Create a Google Doc (File > New > Document)
- Title it: “KIN 610 ePortfolio - [Your Name]”
- Share with instructor: Add ovandef@csun.edu as a Viewer (make sure sharing is enabled)
- Submit the link in Canvas by the due date
Tips for Success
✅ DO:
- Update your portfolio regularly (even brief updates count)
- Take screenshots of important SPSS output (or copy-paste the ones I share in class/ebook)
- Write summaries in your own words—paraphrase, don’t copy textbooks
- Organize in a way that makes sense to YOU (there’s no “right” structure)
- Include things you think you’ll forget later (that’s the whole point!)
- Use the three checkpoints to pace your work
- Ask yourself: “Would I actually use this if I needed to run this analysis again?”
❌ DON’T:
- Aim for perfection—organized beats pretty
- Rewrite entire textbook chapters
- Just paste raw SPSS output without explanations
- Overthink the formatting
- Submit a link that doesn’t work (test it before submitting!)
- Wait until the end to start—update weekly
Your ePortfolio will be one of the most useful things you create in this course. It’s meant to be a practical tool you’ll actually return to when you’re analyzing data in future courses or research. Make it something you’ll genuinely find helpful!