Essentials of Research Methods in Psychology

"Essentials of Research Methods in Psychology" by Jeannne S. Zechmeister, Eugene B. Zechmeister, and John J. Shaughnessy is designed to teach students the process of research (developing research ideas, forming a hypothesis, choosing a design, selecting the appropriate method, collecting, interpreting and reporting the results). A guide for the research process is introduced in the second chapter and reinforced as each method is introduced. The use of a consistent framework allows students to see the commonality of each method making the subsequent methods easier to learn. Essentials is based on the successful "Research Methods in Psychology, 5th edition" text by the same authors. This text was completely rewritten in a more conversational style including the use of cartoons and insights from researchers describing how they conducted studies to appeal to students with little mathematical background. Case studies are used to show the use of appropriate methods and the ethical considerations inherent in the research process. This 250 page paperback text is ideal for a community college or for a four year university where brief coverage is desired.

Table of Contents:
Preface1 Introduction: The Science of Psychology2 The Research Process3 Ethical Issues in Psychological Research4 Observational Research5 Correlational Research: Surveys6 Experimental Research Designs7 Complex Designs8 Single-Case Research Design9 Quasi-experimental Designs and Program Evaluation10 Epilogue: How to Be an Intelligent Consumer of Psychological ResearchAppendix A: StatisticsAppendix B:"Communication in Psychology"Appendix C: Self-TestsGlossaryReferencesIndexes

About the Author :
Jeanne S. Zechmeister is Associate Professor of Psychology at Loyola University of Chicago where she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in research methodology since 1990. Professor Zechmeister completed her B.A. at University of Wisconsin-Madison (1983) and her M.S. (1988) and Ph.D. (1990) in Clinical Psychology at Northwestern University. Her current research interests are in the area of psychology of religion, and she is conducting research on forgiveness. Her effectiveness as a teacher is evidenced by her many years of high teacher ratings and by her being identified consistently each year by graduating seniors as one of their best teachers at Loyola. She also authored, with J.S. Shaughnessy and E.B. Zechmeister, Research Methods in Psychology (5th edition; McGraw-Hill, 2000). Eugene B. Zechmeister is a Professor of Psychology at Loyola University of Chicago, a large metropolitan university where he has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses since Professor Zechmeister completed his B.A. in 1966 at the University of New Mexico. He later received both his M.S. (1968) and Ph.D. (1970) from Northwestern University. A specialist in the field of human cognition, Professor Zechmeister authored, with S.E. Nyberg, Human Memory: An Introduction to Research and Theory (Brooks/Cole, 1982), and with J.E. Johnson, Critical Thinking: A functional Approach (Brooks/Cole, 1992). He is a Fellow of both the American Psychological Association (Divisions 1,2, and 3) and the American Psychological Society. In 1994, he was awarded the Loyola University Sujack Award for Teaching Excellence in the College of Arts and Sciences. Professor Zechmeister currently is the Undergraduate Program Director for the Loyola University of Chicago Psychology Department. John J. Shaughnessy is a Professor of Psychology at Hope College, a relatively small, select, undergraduate liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan. After completing the B.S. degree at Loyola University of Chicago in 1969, he received his Ph.D. in 1972 from Northwestern University. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Society whose recent research has focused on practical aspects of memory. He is coauthor, with Benton J. Underwood, of Experimentation in Psychology (Wiley, 1975). He was selected by students in 1992 as the Hope Outstanding Professor Educator; he serves as a mentor in the College's Faculty Development Program for younger faculty; and he has recently been chairperson of the Hope College Psychology Department.