Methods in Psychological Research

About the Book

Methods in Psychological Research 3e is pedagogically driven, interactive, and highly applied to engage and motivate students taking what is often considered a "drudge" requirement. This basic introduction to research methods in psychology is presented in a relaxed style, at a moderate level of detail, and with a rich mix of pedagogy to engage and motivate students from a variety of backgrounds and academic preparation.

The authors focus on applying concepts students are learning, and they emphasize doing research with simple in-text exercises that provide a more interactive feel than found in most methods textbooks. They also provide examples of real psychology research, both from the research literature and, uniquely, from student research projects. This friendly and supportive presentation of the basics conveys to students the excitement and fun of the research enterprise and involves them in ""doing"" research, not just memorizing another term for an exam.

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Table of Contents:
Ch1. Introduction to Research in Psychology Acquiring Knowledge About the World Psychology—Science and Art Critical Thinking Objectives of Science The Tenets of Science The Scientific Method Theories, Concepts, and Hypotheses Why We Do Research Approaches to Research Steps in Planning and Doing Research Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch2. Understanding the Research Literature Objectives Searching the Literature The Research Article Basic Statistical Procedures More Complex Statistical Procedures Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch3. Research in Psychology: An Ethical Enterprise Objectives Are Ethical Codes Necessary? General Principles Ethical Standards Special Populations Internet Research Bias and Intellectual Honesty Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch4. Hypothesis Testing, Power, and Control: A Review of the Basics Objectives Three Levels of Hypotheses Testing the Null Hypothesis Statistical Significance Inferential Errors: Type I and Type II Power and How to Increase It Effect Size The Role of Replication in Research External and Internal Validity Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch5. Measuring Variables Objectives Ways of Asking Questions Social Desirability and Response Set Measuring Observed Behavior The Importance of Precision in Measurement Tests, Scales, and Inventories Commercially Available Tests and Inventories Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch6. Selecting Research Participants Objectives Sampling Methods Sample and Effect Size Power Revisited Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch7. Experimental Design: Independent Groups Designs Objectives Why We Do Experiments How We Do Experiments: Independent-Groups Designs Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch8. Experimental Design: Dependent Groups and Mixed Groups Designs Objectives Dependent-Groups Designs Mixed Designs Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch9. Experimental Design: Single-Participant Designs/The Operant Approach Objectives Single-Participant Design and the Experimental Analysis of Behavior Concepts in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior ABA and ABAB Withdrawal Designs Multiple-Baseline Design Alternating-Treatment Design Changing-Criterion Design Advantages and Disadvantages of Single-Participant Designs Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch10. Nonexperimental Research: Finding Relationships Among Variables Objectives Quasi-Experiments Longitudinal Research Case Studies Cross-Sectional Research Correlational Research Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch11. Data Collection Methods Objectives Observational Research: Observing the Behavior of Individuals Advantages and Disadvantages of Observational Research Survey Research: Asking People Questions About Their Behavior Observing Group Behavior: The Focus Group Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch12. Program Evaluation, Archival Research, and Meta-Analytic Designs Objectives Program Evaluation Archival Research Meta-Analysis Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch13. Your Research Project: Analyzing, Interpreting, and Presenting Your Research Objectives What Are Statistics and Why Are They Necessary? Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Ch14. Communicating in Psychology Objectives Writing in Psychology Presenting Research in Writing Other Ways of Presenting Research Chapter Summary Chapter Resources Glossary References Index

About the Author :
Annabel Ness Evans  received her PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Alberta in 1979. She was the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton from 1975 until 2013, when she retired as Professor Emerita to muddle about in her garden, ski her brains out, and basically have a really good time. She has written two previous texts. Her Using Basic Statistics in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (2014) is in its fifth edition and is available from Sage. She has coauthored a book, Principles of Behavior Analysis (1994), with Lyle Grant.  Annabel’s sons, Christiaan, Marcus, and Luke, are grown and on their own so she lives with her Havanese dog, Skye, who has shown a notable lack of interest in psychological research.   Bryan J. Rooney is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton. He enjoys teaching research methods and finds the process of helping students design and implement their own research projects particularly rewarding. When students learn about research by developing their own projects, they experience the frustrations, excitements, and occasional disappointments that are part of the process. They also discover how fun it is to seek answers to questions that pique their curiosity. He has taught research methods for over 15 years and also teaches introductory and intermediate statistics. His research background is in visual and auditory sensation and perception, and more recent interests include quality-of-life issues for people with dementia. When he is not involved in the life of his busy family, you can find him skiing or riding his motorcycles depending on the season. He earned his PhD in psychology from Carleton University in Ottawa and his BSc and MSc from the University of Calgary.