The Process of Research in Psychology

Using diverse examples from published research, the Third Edition of The Process of Research in Psychology by Dawn M. McBride provides step-by-step coverage on how to design, conduct, and present a research study. Early chapters introduce important concepts for developing research ideas while subsequent "nuts and bolts" chapters provide more detailed coverage of topics and examine the types of research relevant to the field. This logical two-part structure creates an excellent foundation upon which students can build their knowledge of the entire research process.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Part I: Overview of the Research Process from Start to Finish Chapter 1: Psychological Research: The Whys and Hows of the Scientific Method Why Psychologists Conduct Research How Psychologists Use the Scientific Method Basic and Applied Research Why Should I Care About Research if I Don’t Want to Do Research in My Career? Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Using Research Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 2: Hypothesis Development: Where Research Questions Come From Developing a Research Question How to Conduct a Literature Review What You Find in a Literature Review Using the Literature to Make Hypotheses Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 3: Ethical Guidelines for Psychological Research Historical Context for Ethical Guidelines Current Ethical Guidelines for Human Participants Research Institutional Review Boards Current Ethical Guidelines for Nonhuman Animal Subjects Ethics in Reporting Research Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 4: How Psychologists Use the Scientific Method: Data Collection Techniques and Research Designs Data Collection Techniques Types of Research Designs Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Using Research Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 5: Variables and Measurement in Research Dependent Variables Independent Variables Validity and Sources of Bias Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 6: Sampling Populations and Samples Probability Samples Convenience Samples Comparison of Probability and Convenience Sampling Techniques Recruiting Participants Using the Internet to Sample Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Using Research Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 7: Summarizing and Interpreting Data: Using Statistics Descriptive Statistics: Summarizing the Data Inferential Statistics: Testing Hypotheses Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 8: Reporting Research APA-Style Article Writing Oral Presentations Poster Presentations Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Part II: The Nuts and Bolts of Research Methods and Analysis Chapter 9: The Nuts and Bolts of Survey Research Answering Research Questions With Surveys Creating a Survey Survey Administration Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 10: The Nuts and Bolts of Correlational Studies Research Questions in Correlational Studies Correlational Study Examples Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 11: The Nuts and Bolts of One-Factor Experiments Learning About Causation Through Manipulation and Control Control in Within-Subjects and Between-Subjects Experiments Experiment Examples Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 12: The Nuts and Bolts of Multi-Factor Experiments Factorial Designs More About Interactions Experiment Examples Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 13: The Nuts and Bolts of Quasi-Experiments Types of Quasi-Experiments Sources of Bias in Quasi-Experiments Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 14: The Nuts and Bolts of Other Specialized Designs Developmental Designs Small-n Designs Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Chapter 15: The Nuts and Bolts of Using Statistics Comparing Groups or Conditions Chapter Summary Thinking About Research Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Test Yourself Stop and Think Answers SAGE edge Study Site Appendix: Statistical Calculations Glossary References Index

About the Author :
Dawn M. McBride is a professor of psychology at Illinois State University, where she has taught research methods since 1998. Her research interests include automatic forms of memory, false memory, prospective memory, task order choices, and forgetting. In addition to research methods, she teaches courses in introductory psychology, cognition and learning, and human memory, and a graduate course in experimental design. She is a recipient of the Illinois State University Teaching Initiative Award and the Illinois State University SPA/Psi Chi Jim Johnson Award for commitment to undergraduate mentorship, involvement, and achievement. Her nonacademic interests include spending time with her family, traveling, watching Philadelphia sports teams (it was a good year for Philly sports this year!), and reading British murder mysteries. She earned her PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of California, Irvine, and her BA from the University of California, Los Angeles.