Pretest - ASTE 6800
The requisite for enrollment in ASTE 6800 (Analysis of Social Research Data) is that you have completed PSY 3010 and ASTE 6750. You may take ASTE 6750 the same semester as ASTE 6800. If you have transferred from another institution, you will need to contact the ASTE 6800 instructor and take a pretest. This pretest can be taken when registration opens for the semester when you plan to take the course and no later than the first week of classes.
ASTE 6800 is a graduate-level statistics course that requires prior knowledge of basic statistical concepts. In ASTE 6800, students are required not only to read research findings and understand the analysis used, but also learn how to independently conduct statistical analysis of their data at a higher level. Students without exposure to or mastery of basic statistical concepts typically struggle with the content of ASTE 6800 and place an undue burden on the instructor, who must help them learn concepts they should have mastered previously.
If you are required to take the pretest you need to earn at least 70% correct on the pretest in order to enroll in ASTE 6800. The pretest consists of 30 randomly-selected multiple choice and true/false questions. Students have one hour to complete the pretest. Although notes, calculators, or other electronic devices are not permitted during the pretest, plain scratch paper and a pencil/pen are allowed. The pretest is will be available to take remotely, using "Proctorio", a service within Canvas. This allows the test to be taken from within Canvas on any computer, provided it has a functioning webcam and microphone. Proctorio will record the webcam, microphone, computer screen, or other actions during the exam session to monitor the testing environment and potentially suspicious behavior. Instructions and screenshots are provided on the Canvas page to inform students what to expect. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Dr. Michael Pate, michael.pate@usu.edu.After passing the pretest, please send Jessica Deceuster jessica.deceuster@usu.edu, your A# and the CRN number of the course you'd like to register for so the block on registration can be lifted. Students must pass the pretest within 10 business days of the first day of the semester in which they intend to enroll in the course. Pretest scores are good for one year. Students who do not pass the pretest on the first attempt may take it up to two more times (total of 3 attempts). Students who do not pass the pretest on the third attempt will have to wait until the following semester to retake the pretest (with three more attempts available) and enroll in ASTE 6800 in a later semester. Pretest attempts and scores are reset approximately one week after the new semester begins. Although the pretest is not specific to any textbook, students who need additional preparation for the pretest may wish to review a textbook similar to Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences by Gravetter and Wallnau. Resources for study and a practice pretest and with answers are found below.
Study Topics for ASTE 6800 PretestPractice ASTE 6800 Pretest
Refresher Resources for the ASTE 6800 Pretest
Below are several recommended resources to help you prepare to take the ASTE 6800 pretest. Each resource is free and includes several modules or resources that addresses aspects of the pretest.
Khan Academy: Statistics & Probability
The “Statistics and probability” modules provide good coverage of the topics included on the ASTE 6800 pretest. Each module is accompanied by videos and explanations. Topics that may be particularly useful include: displaying data, describing data, significance tests (one or more samples), confidence intervals, inference, ANOVA, and sampling distributions.
Stanford University’s Probability and Statistics (Open + Free)
Stanford provides a self-paced online course on probability and statistics. As stated on their website: “The course is simply here for people who want to learn more about statistics.” Sections that may be of the most use include: “Exploratory Data Analysis” (especially histograms and other distribution discussions), “Producing Data” (the sampling material), and the “Inference” sections.
Udacity: Intro to Statistics
Udacity offers a free statistics course aimed at beginners. You will need to set up a free account with them in order to watch the videos. Many of the videos are also available on YouTube.