Research Methods and Applied Statistics: A Practical Guide to Conducting Research

Students have an almost insurmountable task in understanding statistics in the psychological sciences and applying them to a research study. This textbook tackles this source of stress by guiding students through the research process, start to finish, from writing a proposal and performing the study, to analysing the results and creating a report and presentation. This truly practical textbook explains psychology research methods in a conversational style, with additional material of interest placed in focus boxes alongside, so that students don't lose their way through the steps. Every step is detailed visually with processes paralleled in both SPSS and R, allowing instructors and students to learn both statistical packages or to bridge from one to the other. Students perform hands-on statistical exercises using real data, and both qualitative and mixed-methods research are covered. They learn effective ways to present information visually, and about free tools to collect and analyse data.

Table of Contents:
Preface; Introduction; 1. Developing a Research Study Proposal; 2. Developing a Research Question and Hypotheses, Choosing Statistics, and Estimating the Sample Size; 3. Experimental vs. Correlational Studies, Measuring Constructs, and Internal Consistency Reliability; 4. Demographics, Creating Surveys, and Data Management; 5. Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Approaches; 6. Beginning Your Analysis: Descriptive Statistics and Correlations; 7. Relationships Between Nominal Data: Chi-Square and McNemar's Tests; 8. Comparing Means with Two Groups: The t and U Tests; 9. Comparing Means with Multiple Groups: The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA); 10 Multiple Regression Analysis: Predicting a Continuous Variable; 11. Binary Logistic Regression Analysis: Predicting a Dichotomous Variable; 12. Data Visualization and Interpretation; 13. Pulling it All Together: The Research Paper, the Research Poster, and Everything; Appendix A: Installing R.

About the Author :
Anthony Girasoli is a lecturer in the Psychological Science department at Eastern Connecticut State University. His research is primarily rooted in cognitive psychology, where computer science meets theories and methods of psychology. Anthony is a member of the American Psychological Association and reviews articles for Computers & Education.

Review :
'This book is a pedagogical gem, seamlessly combining research methods, statistics, and psychological testing with practical advice, such as professional-attire tips for presentations, into one comprehensive guide. It offers detailed Word tips for APA style and replaces SPSS/R manuals. No other book is as thorough. It empowers students and simplifies the teaching process for instructors. A must-have resource.' Guillermo Wated, Barry University 'I gave up on textbooks – none fit the content and flow of my senior capstone course. I need a book that covers research proposals, data analysis and visualization, and writing and presenting research. Girasoli has written that textbook. Not only does it fill my needs, but my students will also find it engaging and informative without being too technical.' John Michael Friedline, Piedmont University 'Dr. Girasoli tells the story of research methods and applied statistics by making the content accessible and relatable. Clearly an effective and experienced educator, Girasoli uses evidence-based practices such as connections to the real world and building on prior knowledge to construct exercises to assist students in developing their expertise. Girasoli demonstrates an acute awareness of his audience, encourages curiosity in thinking beyond numerical data, and invites readers on a more meaningful journey with research. The text, carefully designed in a logical arch, provides a roadmap for users that promotes deep understanding and creates opportunities for impact. I wish I had this book when I was learning the complex landscape of research methods and applied statistics. Research Methods and Applied Statistics by Girasoli may also serve as a refresher text for higher education professionals who want to re-engage with statistical research or move from qualitative to quantitative research designs. This is a remarkable contribution that can be taken up by any field responsible for shepherding the next generation of researchers. A brilliant and overdue resource!' René Roselle, Sacred Heart University Research Methods and Applied Statistics by Dr. Anthony Girasoli is the ideal textbook for students taking an undergraduate course that requires them to complete their own research study. From designing an online survey, to analyzing data using SPSS or R, to creating a professional research poster, the textbook walks students through each step in an approachable and easy to understand way. I look forward to using the textbook in my own Research Methods classes!' Jenna Scisco, Eastern Connecticut State University 'This text provides comprehensive guidance on sound research practices, explaining not only how they are done but why. It covers the entire research process from research question through computation of a wide variety of statistics in SPSS and R, and even covers preparation of research papers and presentations. It is a perfect resource for any student of psychology.' Lyndsey Lanagan-Leitzel, Eastern Connecticut State University 'Many research methods and statistics books are available for the social sciences. This new textbook, Research Methods and Applied Statistics by Girasoli, is a combination of both. The book walks students through the research process, from writing a proposal and performing the study to analyzing the results and creating a report and presentation.' Jianling Xie, University of Houston–Downtown