Research Methods (56:830:580
section 01)
(graduate course: permission of instructor
required for undergraduates)
Course
Objectives: The
learning objectives of this
course are consistent with
the goals of the
Rutgers-Camden psychology
department. Course
assignments are designed to
assess these learning
objectives. Upon
successful completion of
this course you should be
able to:
Identify the goals, values, and principles that
guide useful and ethical research in psychology.
Formulate a research
question that could advance worthwhile knowledge in
psychology, and discuss ways to come up with
hypotheses that could answer research questions.
Compare experimental
vs. correlational research; lab vs. field research;
and quantitative vs. qualitative research; and
discuss when each is most appropriate.
Explain criteria for evaluating manipulations and
measures of variables, and the advantages and
disadvantages of different types of measures.
Distinguish internal vs. external validity, and
their different subtypes; explain ways in which each
can be threatened or increased.
Identify the essential
ingredients of an acceptable research proposal in
psychology, and use them to draft a proposal.
Course
Grading and Attendance Policy:
GRADING: Your course grade is
based on attendance and class participation, a
Powerpoint presentation that explains the draft of
your research proposal, a final paper that proposes a
research study using the methodological knowledge
acquired in this course, and a final exam that tests
your understanding and application of major concepts
and principles of research presented in the
course. Note that the exam will test (a) information in the Kite &
Whitley text and supplementary readings, whether or
not this material is covered inclass; and (b) information that is
presented in class, whether or not it is in these
readings.
Grades will be determined as follows:
Attendance & Class Participation: 20%
of course grade
Class Presentation: 20% of course grade
Final Paper: 30% of course grade
Final Exam: 30% of course grade
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:Rutgers
University takes academic dishonesty very seriously.
By enrolling in this course, you assume responsibility
for familiarizing yourself with the Academic Integrity
Policyhereand
the possible penalties (including suspension and
expulsion) for violating the policy. As per the
policy, all suspected violations will be reported to
the Office of Community Standards. Academic dishonesty
includes (but is not limited to):plagiarism, cheating,
fabrication, facilitation of dishonesty,
academic sabotage, violations of research or
professional ethics, and potential criminal
activity,all of
which are explained on pages 4 - 5 of the
policy.
To learn how to avoid plagiarism, all students
in this course are asked to study the examples
of word-for-word plagiarism and paraphrasing
plagiarismhere, and must
take thegraduate
levelIndiana
University Plagiarism Certification Test athttps://plagiarism.iu.edu/mainLogin.php
ABSENCES:You
are expected to remotely attend every
class session during the Monday 6:00 -
8:50pm class time, and participate in
class discussions and
activities. Students
who have a legitimate reason for missing
a class must contact the instructor, and
will be given an alternative
participation assignment for each class
missed. As noted above, attendance
and class participation together count
for 20% of a student's course grade.
CLASS
MEETING DATES,
TOPICS, AND
READINGS:
Synchronous
online classes
will be held
on Tuesday
Sept. 8, and
then every
Monday, from
6pm - 8:50 pm,
U.S. east
coast
time.
You will
receive an
email link
around 5:30pm
to join the
class by
6pm.
Readings will be
various academic publications, as well as chapters
from: Kite, M. E., & Whitley, B. E. (2018).
Principles of research in behavioral science (4th edition). New
York: Routledge. (do NOT get earlier edition)
Notes:
Additional readings may be added during
the semester;
You may be asked to participate in classroom exercises
or research studies related to the course material
during the semester, but your participation in such
exercises or studies is completely voluntary--your grade
will not be affected in any way, whether or not you
choose to participate
Tuesday Sept. 8* Introduction: Psychological
Research (*NO CLASS on Monday Sept. 7 (Labor
Day) Instead
we have class Tuesday
Sept. 8 because
Rutgers follows a Monday class schedule that
day
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 1
Monday Sept.
14 Unit
1: Research Strategies
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 2
Feinberg,
M., Willer, R.,
& Kovacheff, C. (2020). The activist's dilemma:
Extreme protest actions
reduce popular support for social movements. Journal
of Personality and
Social Psychology. (clickhereforpdf)
American
Psychological Association (2010). APA Ethical
Principles of Psychologists and
Code of Conduct. (http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/)
Hoffman, D. H.,
Carter, D. J., Viglucci Lopez, C. R., Benzmiller,
H. L., Guo, A. X., Latifi, S. Y., & Craig., D.
C. (2015). Independent review relating to APA
ethics guidelines, national security
interrogations, and torture.
Soldz, S.,
Raymond, N., & Reisner, S. (2015). All the
President's psychologists: The American
Psychological Association's secret complicity
with the White House and U.S. intelligence
community in support of the CIA's "enhanced"
interrogation program
Nisbett,
R. E. (1990). The anticreativity letters: Advice
from a senior tempter to a junior tempter. American
Psychologist, 45, 1078-1082.
McGuire,
W. G. (1997). Creative hypothesis generating in
psychology: Some useful heuristics. Annual Review
of Psychology, 48, 1-30.
Open Science Collaboration (2015).
Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science.
Science, 349, aac4716 (2015). DOI:
10.1126/science.aac4716 (read p. 943 and pp. aac4716-1
to 4716-7)
Oct. 5 Unit 4: Developing a Research
Proposal
Locke,
L. F., Spirduso, W. W., & Silverman, S. J. (2013). Proposalsthat work (6th ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage. (read chapters 1, 3, 4)
Oct. 12Unit 5: Measurement: General
considerations, basic techniques
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 6
https://libguides.rutgers.edu/tests
(read at least the first page on the following tabs: Home;
Test Reviews & Descriptions; Resources with Tests;
Using Journal Databases; Internet Resources)
Oct. 19 Unit 6: Internal and External
Validity
Kite &
Whitley:
chapters 7, 8
Berkowitz,
L., & Donnerstein, E. (1982). External validity
is more than skin deep. American Psychologist,
37, 245-257.
Oct. 26 Unit
7: Experimental Research
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 9
Roseman, I. J., & Evdokas, A.
(2004). Appraisals cause experienced emotions:
Experimental evidence. Cognition and Emotion,
18, 1-28.
Nov. 2 Unit 8: Correlational Research
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 11
Schuman,
H., Walsh, E., Olson, C., & Etheridge, B.
(1985). Effort and reward: The assumption that
college grades are affected by quantity of
study. Social Forces, 63(4),
945-966.
Nov. 9Unit 9: Research in Natural Settings
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 10
Ellsworth,
P.C. (1977). From abstract ideas to concrete
instances: Some guidelines for choosing natural
research settings. American Psychologist,
32, 604-615.
Fraley, R. C., & Shaver, P. R.
(1998). Airport separations: A naturalistic study of
adult attachment dynamics in separating couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75,
1198-1212.
Nov. 16 Research Proposal Powerpoint
Presentations
Nov.
23 Unit
10: Data Collection
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 17
Hoyle, R. H., Harris,
M. J., & Judd, C. M. (2002). Research methods in social
relations (7th ed.). Fort Worth, TX:
Wadsworth. (Read chapter 17, "Data Management and
Exploration")
Nov. 30 Unit
11: Survey Research and Interviewing
Bernard, H. R.
(2013). Social research methods: Qualitative
and quantitative approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand
Oaks,
CA: Sage. (read pages 189-246,
524-549).
Dec. 7 Unit 12:
Interpreting Research Results & Writing
Research Reports
Kite &
Whitley:
chapter 18
Whitley,
B. E., & Kite, M. (2013).
Principles of research in behavioral
science (3rd
edition). New York: Routledge.
(read chapter 20: Writing research reports)
Dec. 13 (Sunday by 11:55pm) Research
Proposals Due
(via Sakai)
