Syllabus
Psychology 222 - Research Methods
Fall 1998
2:00-2:55 MTThF
S-210
Professor Shaffer
Required Text - Shaughnessy, J.J. & Zechmeister, E.B. (1997). Research Methods in Psychology (Fourth Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Required Companion Workbook - Zechmeister, E.B., Zechmeister, J.S., & Shaughnessy, J.J. (1997). A Practical Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology (Third Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Course Description - This is a sophomore/junior-level survey course of research methods which are currently used in psychology and other social sciences. Students will learn when to apply various research techniques (e.g., naturalistic observation, surveys, experimental methods, and applied methods). They will also analyze and interpret data and conduct research.
Reading Assignments (from Textbook)
Part I - General Issues
Ch. 1 - Introduction
Ch. 2 - Ethical Issues in the Conduct of Psychological Research
Appendix C - Communication in Psychology (Uses of the Internet and APA manuscripts)
Exam #1
Part II - Descriptive Methods
Ch. 3 - Observation
Appendix A - pp. 382-385 (descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and dispersion)
Ch. 4 - Correlational Research: Surveys and Tests
Appendix A - pp. 387-389 (correlational analysis)
Ch. 5 - Unobtrusive Measures of Behavior
Exam #2
Part III - Experimental Methods
Ch. 6 - Independent-Groups Designs
Ch. 7 - Repeated Measures Designs
Ch. 8 - Complex Designs
Exam #3
Unit IV - Applied Research
Ch. 9 - Single-Case Research Designs
Ch. 10 - Quasi-Experimental Designs and Program Evaluation
Exam #4
Grading - Your grade will be based upon four unit examinations, questions and problems from the workbook, an independent research project, participation in one Internet experiment, and extra credit opportunities.
Unit Exams - 100 points each.
Questions and Problems from Workbook - approximately 50 points
Independent Research Project - 100 points.
Participating in an Internet Experiment - 20 points
Extra Credit Opportunities - You can raise your grade by up to a letter by doing statistical assignments and participating in another Internet experiment.
Independent Research Project - You may do this on your own or with another student. You are to do a literature review, devise a research design, collect data from subjects, analyze and interpret the data, and submit a paper using APA format. Your topic should be based upon one of the following studies which are described in your workbook:
(1) "Sex and Affiliation in College Cafeterias" - pp. 40-41.
(2) "The Association Between Romantic Love and Marriage..." - pp. 66-67.
(3) "The Prevention of Mindlessness" - pp. 106-108.
(4) "Studies of Interference in Serial Verbal Reactions" - pp. 128-130.
Important Internet Resources
Web address for the textbook used in this course
Web site for Internet experiments
WWW-Sites for Experimental Psychology
Search Engine for Eric Database
Attendance Policy and Make-Up Policy- You are expected to attend class regularly. While your grade will not automatically be lowered for missing class, you will not be allowed to hand in any assignment that was due on a day that you were not in class (e.g., Questions and Problems from the Workbook and Extra Credit Opportunities), unless you have a good excuse.. If you are going to miss an exam, you must notify me in advance in order to arrange for a make up. Good excuses include family obligations and representing Thiel College.
Cheating Policy - Cheating is well defined in the College Catalog and sanctions are specified in the Student Handbook. Cheating includes copying homework, using unauthorized sources during quizzes and exams, copying or accepting answers from classmates, and plagiarizing on writing assignments.
Office Hours - My office is AC-257 (next to the elevator). Scheduled office hours are 10:00-11:50 MWF and 1:00-1:50 TTh. If these times are inconvenient, you can also schedule an appointment at a mutually convenient time.