(RES 800) RESEARCH METHODS

Syllabus Assignments Portfolio review Study Guide Grades Note: I have posted the missing questions for the two articles. Click on the article titles in the syllabus below to access the PDF files. The grades are also up to date through the last quiz.
Required:	Cozby, P. C. (2006)  Methods in Behavioral Research (9th Ed),  Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Sweeney, D.C. (2006) Study Guide for Research Methods (RES800)
Electronic Reserve:	Stangor, Chapter 9 Correlational Studies Study Guide Readings
Suggested:	Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association.

SYLLABUS

COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Content	This is an introductory course in behavioral research techniques.  The emphasis will be on the design, evaluation, and interpretation of basic human research. The main goal will be for students to be able to read, understand, and evaluate basic behavioral research
Activities	The course consists of reading, lectures, demonstrations,  written assignments, and discussion.  It is your responsibility to keep current on these materials.
Attendance	I do not take attendance in graduate classes. If you miss a class I assume that you will learn the material.
Honesty/Integrity	All work must be your own.  Cases of cheating or plagiarism will result in no credit for the assignment or test and an overall failing grade for the course.
Portfolio	You will be expected to collect five research articles for a portfolio^1. This will be a personal portfolio in which you should read and summarize original research articles published in professional journals. More information on this portfolio is shown in the last section of this syllabus.  All work on papers must be your own.
Assignments	There will be occasional assignments. Most will be research articles to read and summarize. The assignments are in your study guide; the articles will be posted on line through the CUP library electronic reserve http://eres.cup.edu/eres/courseindex.aspx?page=search . The password is Res800.
Quizzes	There will be a quiz following each major section in this course
Participation	Frequent participation in class discussions will assure me that you are awake, alert, and involved with the class.
Group Work	There may be occasional group work in this class. I would appreciate it if you kept your discussions focused on the class topic and not the weather, other classes, your attractive instructor, or the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Make-ups	You may make-up any test or quiz but you will loose one point per day for makeups unless you have a University-approved excuse justifying the delay.  Make-ups must be completed the week you return to class.
Final Exam	There is NO final exam in this course.
Grades	Your grades will be computed as follows: Portfolio       50 points Quizzes    120-140 points Homework  25-30 points
Grade Scale	Grades will be calculated on the following scale: A 90% and above   B 80 - 89%     C 70 - 79%     F less than 70%
Extra Credit	None
Office Hours	I will be available to discuss the course, the weather, or any topic of mutual interest at the hours posted above. If these are not convenient, please see me to make an appointment at another time.
Special Needs	If you have special learning needs, please let me know. Students requiring special considerations should get in touch with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. This office will notify me in writing of the accommodations you need in compliance with 504/ADA. If you have special learning needs, please let me know.

ASSIGNMENTS

TOPIC	ASSIGNMENT
INTRODUCTION.pdf
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD.pdf How we know what we know. Goals of science. Types of research.	Cosby: Chapter 1, Chapter 2 p 17 Quiz #1
THE RESEARCH PAPER.pdf Elements of the research paper. Elements of a literature review. Annotated Bibliography Literature Review Meta-Analysis	Cosby:  Chapter 2 Study Guide:  Teachers in Bars:  From Personal to Professional Self.
ETHICS.pdf Ten Ethical Principles Ethics of Animal Research	Cosby: Chapter 3 Complete the on-line ethics training found at:  http://cme.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning/humanparticipant-protections.asp Quiz #2
HYPOTHESES,  STATISTICS, & POWER.pdf The Research Process Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics The Research Hypothesis Logical Hypotheses Statistical Hypotheses Power	Cosby: Chapters 12 pps. 225-238 & Chapter 13 Study Guide:   The Implications of Racial Diversity in the Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship. Quiz #3
VARIABLES and MEASUREMENT.pdf Operational Definitions Measurement Scales Reliability and Validity Reactivity Problem Measurement Issues Measurement Techniques	Cosby: Chapter 4 (scan), Chapter 5 Study Guide:   Further Validation of the Self-Defeating Personality Scale Quiz #4
OBSERVATIONAL TECHNIQUES.pdf Naturalistic Observation Participant Observation Field Experimentation Archival Research Case Study	Cosby : Chapter 6 Study Guide:   Stop Sign Compliance: Fact or Fiction? Portfolio #1: Observational portfolio article due. Quiz #5
SURVEY TECHNIQUES.pdf Steps in Conducting Survey Research Sampling and Generalizability Survey Design Problems in Self-Report Techniques Survey Interpretation	Cosby: Chapter 7 Study Guide:   The functions of Pen Pals for Adolescents Portfolio #2: Survey portfolio article due. Quiz #6
CORRELATIONAL APPROACHES.pdf Overview Applications Problems Multiple Regression Factor Analysis Interpretation	Cosby, Chapter 12 pps 233-244 Stangor, Chapter 9 (electronic reserve) Study Guide:  Quality of the Literacy Environment in Day Care and Children's Development Portfolio #3: Correlational portfolio article due. Quiz #7
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH.pdf Experimental Design Flow Chart Experimental Control Terminology Poor Designs Pre-experimental designs Experimental designs Within Subject Designs Between Subject Designs Factorial Designs	Cosby: Chapter 4, pps 71-87; Chapters  8, 9, & 10 Study Guide: A Pictorial Mnemonic for History and Systems in Psychology Classes Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique Promotes Learning and Corrects Inaccurate First Responses Portfolio #4: Experimental portfolio article due. Quiz #8
PRE and QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS.pdf Non-Equivalent Control Group Delayed Control Group Interrupted Time Series Longitudinal Designs	Cosby: Chapter 11 Study Guide:  Prompting Bar Patrons with Signs to Take Free Condoms
LONGITUDINAL DESIGNS.pdf SINGLE-SUBJECT DESIGNS.pdf Introduction Basic Design Examples	Cosby:  Chapter 11 Study Guide: The Use of Social Stories as a Preventative Behavioral Intervention in a Home Setting with a Child with Autism Portfolio #5: Single subject portfolio article due. Quiz #9

Portfolio

Portfolio
Length	1 to 2 pages per summary
Areas	Observational Research Correlational Research Survey Research Experimental Research Single Subject Research
Due Dates	TBA
Outline
1.  Overview. · What was investigated? · Why did the authors feel this approach was important? · What was the research hypothesis?
2. Method · Who were the participants? · What manipulations were done, if any? · What were the variables and how were they operationally defined? · What measures were used? · What apparatus, if any, was used? · If observers, confederates, or other people were used, who were they and how were the trained? · How was the study conducted?
4.  RESULTS Generally what did the authors find?
5.     DISCUSSION and CONCLUSIONS What conclusions did the authors reach?  What implications, criticisms, and limitations did the authors make?
6.     YOUR EVALUATION · Do you have any concerns about how the research was conducted? · Do you think that the results are important? · If you had to do a follow-up study based on this research, what would you do?