Department of Kinesiology, Cal State Northridge
Spring 2026 | Tuesday, 7:00-9:40 p.m (RE 276)
Dr. Furtado received a B.A. in Physical Education from the Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR - Brazil. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Motor Behavior from the University of Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Furtado’s research focuses on:
Instructor: Ovande Furtado Jr., Ph.D.
Office: RE 289
Email: Use Canvas Inbox for communication
Phone: 818-677-5968
Office Hours:
In person: Tuesdays: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM - in person
Online: Wednesdays: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM - via Zoom - https://csun.zoom.us/j/89269538465
Meeting Times/Location:
Tu 7:00 PM - 9:40 PM (RE 276 - Computer Lab)
All course communications will be conducted via Canvas. Please use the Canvas Inbox for all email correspondence. Weekly announcements with assignments and activities will be posted on Canvas. For questions, please reply to the relevant announcement so all students can benefit from the response.
This course focuses on the introductory statistical techniques used in social science research. Students will be introduced to concepts such as reliability, validity, measures of central tendency, variability, probability, and statistical techniques, including t-tests (independent & dependent samples), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Chi-square, correlation, and regression.
Students are expected to apply the material/concepts presented in this course through a series of homework assignments and quizzes. The overall goal of the course is not only to help students understand the mathematical/statistical concepts presented but also to assist in their application.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Weir & Vincent (2021)
The eBook is available for purchase at the CSUN Bookstore or directly from the publisher (Human Kinetics). Some students prefer the eBook since it is more affordable. However, if you prefer a physical copy of the book, you can order it from the publisher or other online retailers. Also, the eBook may offer features such as taking notes electronically, creating flashcards, and searching for specific terms. But in the end, it is entirely up to you.
This course uses the companion ebook Statistics for Movement Science as a primary resource for learning statistical methods and SPSS software. This free, interactive eBook integrates statistical concepts with practical SPSS applications, covering essential topics including measurement, data management, visualization, descriptive statistics, and statistical inference aligned with the course curriculum. You are expected to refer to this eBook throughout the semester, along with the course materials.
The eBook is a work in progress. Additional chapters will be added and refined as we progress through the semester. Check back regularly for updates and new content.
Please note that throughout the semester, I may designate my blog posts from Random Stats as the primary source of study for certain topics. In these cases, the relevant chapters from Weir & Vincent (2021) will be listed as optional supplementary material. This approach allows me to provide customized, concise explanations tailored to the course while still offering the textbook as a resource for deeper exploration if desired.
All extra study content for this course can be found on the course’s website.
Throughout the semester, students will be directed to relevant posts from the instructor’s blog on statistics, SPSS tutorials, and data analysis: https://drfurtado.github.io/randomstats/
I will post video tutorials on the topics covered in this course related to SPSS, the statistical package used. It is your responsibility to watch AND practice the tutorials.
I will adopt the 3 “Ps”1 in this course. This means that while taking this course, you will be asked to prepare, practice, participate, and perform.
You are responsible for the material covered in class prior to attending each class. Note that the week’s readings are specified in the course schedule.
In addition to these readings, the instructor may assign supplemental readings throughout the semester. These supplemental readings do not appear on the schedule; they will be assigned at the instructor’s discretion.
The assignments used to enhance your learning experience in this course include:
Worth 5% of your final grade. Attendance and active participation are fundamental to your success in this course. You will earn a perfect score by attending all scheduled class sessions, completing unannounced in-class activities, and submitting exit tickets when assigned. Attendance is taken at the beginning of every class, and in-class activities cannot be made up, even with an excused absence. Your two lowest scores will be dropped to provide flexibility for emergencies.
Worth 5% of your final grade. Before each class, you will complete a 10-question multiple-choice quiz covering that week’s assigned readings. Quizzes are timed (20 minutes per attempt) but you may take unlimited attempts while the quiz is open, with your highest score recorded. Quizzes help you assess your understanding before class and identify areas needing clarification. Your two lowest quiz scores will be dropped.
Worth 5% of your final grade. Before each class, you will submit at least 10 major takeaways from the assigned readings, written in your own words. This assignment helps you actively engage with course material, identify key concepts, and prepare for class discussions. Takeaways must represent your own understanding—copying from sources or using AI undermines the learning purpose and constitutes academic dishonesty. Your two lowest scores will be dropped.
Worth 25% of your final grade. Labs provide hands-on practice applying statistical concepts to real data using SPSS. Each lab includes research questions, step-by-step SPSS procedures, data interpretation questions, and APA-formatted results sections. While lab content varies by topic, all labs share the goal of developing your practical data analysis skills. You may discuss concepts with classmates, but all written work must be your own. Specific instructions for each lab will be posted separately.
Worth 10% of your final grade. You will maintain an ePortfolio throughout the semester in a shared Google Doc, organizing course materials, concept summaries, SPSS procedures, and worked examples. This portfolio serves as a comprehensive reference you can use during exams and revisit after the course ends. The ePortfolio has three checkpoints (Weeks 6, 11, and Finals Week) to ensure steady progress. Only share this with the instructor when requested.
Each exam worth 25% of your final grade (50% total). You will complete two exams assessing your understanding of statistical concepts, interpretation of results, and SPSS skills. Exam 1 (Week 10) covers material through Chapter 10; Exam 2 (Finals Week) focuses on Chapters 11-16. Exams are open book/notes but must be completed in the allotted class time. Each exam has 6-10 questions worth 10 points each, covering concepts, interpretation, and computational skills. Exams are not cumulative, but earlier concepts may be needed to answer questions on new material.
I will detail the policies for this course below. Basically, don’t cheat and try to learn stuff.
| Assignment | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Participation & Attendance | 5% |
| Weekly Quizzes | 5% |
| Major Takeaways | 5% |
| Labs | 25% |
| ePortfolio | 10% |
| Exam 1 | 25% |
| Exam 2 | 25% |
In addition to attendance, participation points will be awarded for in-class activities through exit tickets at the end of some classes. These assignments cannot be made up.
The two lowest quiz, major takeaways, and participation activity scores will be dropped when calculating the final grade.
| Grade | Range | Grade | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 100% – 94% | A- | <94% – 90% |
| B+ | <90% – 87% | B | <87% – 84% |
| B- | <84% – 80% | C+ | <80% – 77% |
| C | <77% – 74% | C- | <74% – 70% |
| D+ | <70% – 67% | D | <67% – 64% |
| D- | <64% – 61% | F | <61% – 0% |
In recognition of the fact that grading, however carefully done, will always be imperfect, this class will utilize a “round up” rule for assigning final grades. I will round up from .5% and above, but anything below this will round down. In other words, 79.5 will round up to 80, while 79.4 will round down to 79.
Requests for an Incomplete (I) must conform to university policies. Among other requirements, “I” is possible only for instances in which you are demonstrating passing work in the class.
Showing up is 80 percent of life – Woody Allen.
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class; please plan accordingly. Students are expected to attend all class meetings. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to obtain any notes, assignments, or announcements made during your absence. Late arrivals and early departures will be noted and may affect your participation grade.
Please use the built-in Canvas email (Inbox). Do not use your CSUN Gmail to communicate with me.
If your message concerns a non-private matter (e.g., assignments, content, deadlines, etc.), then please post your question to the Weekly Announcements in Canvas. Every week, I will post an announcement with the assignments and activities for the week. If you have a question about something mentioned in the announcement, please reply to that announcement so that all students can benefit from the response.
It is important to note that late assignments are assessed a 5% deduction for each day they are late, up to a maximum of 4 days. After the fourth day of the deadline, no assignments will be accepted. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead and submit all assignments on time to receive full credit. The instructor reserves the right to make exceptions to this policy on a case-by-case basis. An exception to this rule is documented emergencies. Also, exit ticket assignments cannot be made up.
No individual extra credit is granted. Therefore, do not plan to make up poor grades at the end of the semester by asking to do extra credit work. I might offer extra credit opportunities, but they will be available to the entire class, not to individuals.
Federal law mandates that services be provided at the university level to qualified students with disabilities.
This instructor, in conjunction with California State University Northridge, is committed to upholding and maintaining all aspects of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please contact the Office of Students with Disabilities Resources, located in 110 Student Services Building, or call (818) 677-2684 to schedule an appointment. Any information regarding your disability will remain confidential. Because many accommodations require advance planning, requests should be made as early as possible. Any requests for accommodations will be reviewed promptly to determine their appropriateness for this setting.
TL;DR: Don’t cheat!
Please, stop and read the information below; this is important!
Each student is expected to be familiar with and abide by the conditions of student conduct, as presented in the CSUN Catalog, with emphasis on sections entitled Student Conduct Code, Academic Dishonesty, Faculty Policy on Academic Dishonesty, and Penalties. Any student engaging in academic dishonesty (e.g., cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism) is subject to disciplinary action, which may include a failing grade in the course and may result in more severe disciplinary action by the University. Students are encouraged to visit the link below and become familiar with the Standards for Student Conduct.
Plagiarism means using words, ideas, or arguments from another person or source without citation. Cite all sources consulted to any extent (including material from the internet), whether or not assigned and whether or not quoted directly. For quotations, four or more words used in sequence must be set off in quotation marks, with the source identified.
Plagiarism is a serious violation of the CSUN Student Conduct Code. Any form of cheating will immediately earn you a failing grade for the entire course. By remaining enrolled, you consent to this policy.
Turnitin (see below) will detect such misconduct by checking every submission against a database of papers and the Internet.
What is Turnitin?
Turnitin is an automated system that instructors can use to quickly and easily compare each student’s assignment with billions of websites and an enormous database of student papers that grows with each submission. Accordingly, you will be expected to submit assignments through the Canvas Assignment Tool in electronic format. After the assignment is processed, as an instructor, I receive a Turnitin report indicating whether and how another author’s work was used in the assignment.
Consider the goals you have for this course as you determine how to allocate your time to complete the course requirements.
Each student has a different pace when studying for a course. Thus, I will let you figure out how many hours you need to reserve each week for this course. Regardless of the number of hours chosen, try to divide your time so that you devote more time to assignments and assigned readings.
CSUN aims to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible and offers a variety of resources to support students. If you believe the design of this course poses barriers to effective participation or to demonstrating your learning, please contact me to discuss possible options and adjustments.
Title 5, California Code of Regulations,§ 41301. Standards for Student Conduct – (a) Campus Community Values: The university is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy living and learning environment for students, faculty, and staff. Each member of the campus community should choose behaviors that contribute toward this end. Students are expected to be good citizens and to engage in responsible behaviors that reflect well upon their university, to be civil to one another and to others in the campus community, and contribute positively to student and university life.
CSUN with A HEART. If you are facing challenges related to food insecurity, housing precarity/homelessness, mental health, access to technology, eldercare/childcare, or healthcare, you can find guidance, help, and resources from CSUN with A HEART (https://www.csun.edu/heart).
It is my intent that students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit.
To help me create an inclusive learning environment, please consider the following: - If your name differs from the one on your official CSUN records, please let me know! - If you feel like your performance in the class is being impacted by your experiences outside of class, please don’t hesitate to come and talk with me. I want to be a resource for you. If you prefer to speak with someone outside of the course, your advisers and deans are excellent resources. - I (like many people) am still in the process of learning about diverse perspectives and identities. If something was said in class (by anyone) that made you feel uncomfortable, please talk to me about it.
| Week2 | Date3 | Topic | Primary Reading4 | Optional (but recommended) | Assignments5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk01 | Jan 20, 2026 | Introduction to SPSS | Basics of SPSS | (Furtado, 2026, Appendix-A) | Read Syllabus; Watch SPSS Video Tutorials |
| Wk02 | Jan 27, 2026 | Measurement, Statistics, and Research | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.1) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.1) | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Organizing and Displaying Data | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.3) | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.2) | Quiz; Major Takeaways | ||
| Wk03 | Feb 3, 2026 | Measures of Central Tendency | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.4) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.4) | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Measures of Variability | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.5) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.5) | Quiz; Major Takeaways | ||
| Wk04 | Feb 10, 2026 | The Normal Curve | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.6) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.7) | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Wk05 | Feb 17, 2026 | Fundamentals of Statistical Inference | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.8) & (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.10) | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.7) | Quiz; Major Takeaways; Lab 1 Due |
| Wk06 | Feb 24, 2026 | Correlation and Bivariate Regression | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.8) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.11) | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Wk07 | Mar 3, 2026 | Multiple Correlation and Multiple Regression | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.9) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.12) | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Wk08 | Mar 10, 2026 | The t Test: Comparing Means From Two Sets of Data | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.10) | (Furtado, 2026, p. Ch.13) | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Wk09 | Mar 17, 2026 | Spring Recess | — | — | Take a rest! |
| Wk10 | Mar 24, 2026 | Exam 1 | Study covered content | — | Refer to Canvas; ePortfolio Check 1 |
| Wk11 | Mar 31, 2026 | Holiday: Cesar Chavez Day | — | — | — |
| Wk12 | Apr 7, 2026 | Simple Analysis of Variance: Comparing the Means Among Three or More Sets of Data | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.11) | Coming soon | Quiz; Major Takeaways; Lab 2 Due |
| Wk13 | Apr 14, 2026 | Analysis of Variance With Repeated Measures | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.12) | Coming soon | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Wk14 | Apr 21, 2026 | Factorial Analysis of Variance | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.14) | Coming soon | Quiz; Major Takeaways; Lab 3 Due |
| Wk15 | Apr 28, 2026 | Analysis of Nonparametric Data | (Weir & Vincent, 2021, p. Ch.16) | Coming soon | Quiz; Major Takeaways |
| Final’s Week | May 9, 2026 | Exam 2 | Exam 26 | — | Refer to Canvas; ePortfolio Final |
Weir & Vincent (2021) covers the following chapters/topics:
As noted above, some chapters may be designated as optional supplementary material when blog posts from Random Stats are assigned as the primary study material.
Inspired by Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel’s teaching philosophy.↩︎
The schedule is subject to change.↩︎
Class dates: Jan 20, 2026 – May 9, 2026 (finals week begins May 9).↩︎
Students are expected to read and study the assigned chapters prior to attending each class meeting.↩︎
Quizzes and Major Takeaways assignments are due before class; other assignments are due after class.↩︎
Exam 2 focuses on material after Exam 1 (Ch.11–16).↩︎