Research Methods

Part 1 Curiosity, creativity and commitment: science is a way of thinking; asking questions; science and art; common methods of acquiring knowledge; emerging modern science; the science of psychology. Part 2 Research is a process of enquiry: basic assumptions of science; observation and inference - facts and constructs; conceptual models in science; inductive and deductive thinking; models and theories in science; a model of the research process. Part 3 The starting point - asking questions: asking questions; refining questions for research; types of variables in research; validity and the control of extraneous variables; research ethics. Part 4 Data and the nature of measurement: research variables; measurement; scales of measurement; measuring and controlling variables; the need for objective measurement. Part 5 Statistical analysis of data-individual differences and statistical procedures: descriptive statistics; inferential statistics. Part 6 Field research I - naturalistic observation and case-study research: examples of naturalistic observation; examples of case-study research; the value of low-constraint methods; problem statements and hypotheses in naturalistic observation and case-study research; using naturalistic observation and case-study methods; evaluating and interpreting data; limitations of naturalistic observation and case-study methods. Part 7 Correlational and differential methods of research: correlational methods; differential research methods; what makes differential research higher constraint than correlational research?; when to use correlational and differential research; conducting correlational and differential research; limitations of correlational and differential research. Part 8 Hypothesis testing, validity and threats to validity: hypothesis testing; validity and threats to validity; some major confounding variables; threats to validity from subject and experimenter effects; statistical versus practical significance; validity, control and constraint. Part 9 Controls to reduce threats to validity in experimental research. Part 10 Control of variance through experimental design - single-variable, independent groups designs. Part 11 Control of variance through experimental design - single-variable, correlated-groups designs. Part 12 Control of variance through experimental design - factorial designs. Part 13 Field research II - a second look at research in natural settings. Part 14 Selecting appropriate statistical procedures. Part 15 Research methodology - an evolving discipline.