PSK 211 - Research Methods I

The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental logic and stages of the scientific research process. The course aims to equip students with fundamental knowledge and skills on how to plan, conduct, and evaluate research. By learning the nature of scientific knowledge, developing research questions and hypotheses, selecting appropriate research designs, and basic data collection techniques, students will gain the ability to critically evaluate scientific research.

This course begins with an introduction to the fundamental concepts of scientific research. In the following weeks, we will cover how to formulate a research question and hypotheses, two of the most important steps in any research process. Literature review techniques will then be used to understand existing knowledge and lay the groundwork for research. The fundamental building blocks of research, variable types and levels of measurement, will be examined. The relationship between the population and the sample, different sampling methods, and their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed in detail. The concepts of validity and reliability, which determine the scientific value of a study, and strategies for enhancing these qualities will be discussed. We will introduce basic research designs frequently used in psychology and explain the situations in which these designs are used.

American   Psychological   Association.   (2020).   Publication   manual   of   the   American   Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Morling, B. (2018). Research methods in psychology. New York: W.W. Norton.

Smith, R. A., & Davis, S. F. (2012). The Psychologist as Detective. Prentice Hall PTR.

Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., & Zechmeister, J. S. (2012). Research Methods in Psychology (9th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. 

Goodwin, C. J. (2010). Research in psychology: Methods and design (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Barker, C. Pistrang, N., & Elliott, R. (2016). Research Methods in Clinical Psychology : an Introduction for Students and Practitioners (3rd Ed.) Malden, MA: John Wiley and Sons.

Howitt, D., & Cramer, D. (2011). Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology (3rd Ed.) Harlow: Pearson Education.

Langdridge, D. (2004). Introduction to Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology. Harlow: Pearson Education.

If you have questions or concerns about the class, or psychology in general, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. I will try to respond to all messages within 48 hours.

Before sending your e-mail, please keep in mind the following email etiquette guidelines:

1. Check the syllabus before asking questions,

2. Indicate the course in the subject line and topic (e.g., PSK 211, Question for Week 2),

3. Use proper grammar/punctuation, and

4. Use a salutation (that’s the “Hello… or “Dear…” part) and sign your name.

Attendance

You are expected to attend to minimum 70% of the classes and to be an active participant. Even though attendance and participation are critical for a good grade, it is students’ responsibility to attend the class. Most students find that the more they put into the course, the more they get back in return.

Course Plan

This class consists of three 50-minute lectures each week. Many students will find it helpful to complete the readings from the text before attending lecture. If students miss lecture for any reason, they are strongly encouraged to not only print and review the lecture notes, but also to meet with another student to go through the notes and catch up on any supplemental material not included in the notes.

Criteria of Evaluation

Midterm exam: 40%

Final exam: 60%

• 75% multiple choice questions
• 25% open ended questions