Research Methods in Psychology, 4 Credits

Course Syllabus

PSYC 3111 Psychological Science 2:

Research Methods in Psychology, 4 credits

Lecture: TuTh11:00-12:15MuenzE0046

Spring 2016

Course Instructor: Dr. Kent HutchisonOffice Location: Muenzinger D327C

Mailbox: Psych Dept. office, Muenzinger D244

Email:Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-3:00

Lab Instructor:Chris MellingerOffice Location: MuenzingerD350

Lab Times: M 9-10:50, F1-2:50Mailbox: Psych Dept. office, Muenzinger D244

Email:Office Hours: Mon 3:30-4:30,Tues 12:30-1:30

Lab Instructor:Natasha HansenOffice Location: MuenzingerD320-B

Lab Times: TH 3-4:50Mailbox: Psych Dept. office, Muenzinger D244

Email:Office Hours: Wed, Thurs2:00-3:00

Lab Instructor:Emily CarolOffice Location: MuenzingerD213A

Lab Times: F9-10:50, 11-12:50Mailbox: Psych Dept. office, Muenzinger D244

Email:Office Hours: Wed1:00 to 3:00

Course Description: It is assumed that the majority of you taking this class have a strong background in general psychologyand statistics and—as psychology majors—an interest in learning the methods by which psychological scientists conduct research to develop and test the theories and hypotheses at the core of our discipline.It is also assumed that you seek to learn something of value that will be useful to you even if you do not plan to go to graduate school or have a career in psychological research. To that end, the goal of this class is to give you a foundation in research methodology so that you have the ability to design, conduct, analyze, and present (both verbally and in writing) an empirical study in psychology. This course will utilize examples from across the discipline of psychology. There are three specific goals of the course, and all coursework is designed to target one of these three goals.

Learning Objectives:

Be able to define and apply the basic concepts of research design including techniques for data analysis.
Be able to critically read, discuss, and critique empirical research articles.
Be able to effectively carry out your own research project, which includes:
reading current literature to develop your idea
using theory and empirical literature to generate a testable hypothesis
developing operational definitions for the variables in your study
designing a study to test your hypotheses
conducting the study (i.e., collecting your data)
analyzing the data
presenting the results of your project in both written and verbal format

By achieving these learning goals, you can be a producer of research; you will be adequately prepared to work in a research laboratory, conduct an honors thesis, and/or have the basic knowledge necessary to embark on continued study in psychology. More importantly, you will have learned to critically evaluate research claims made across all domains of life, both professional and personal. Thus you will also have obtained the skills necessary to be an informed consumer of research.

Prerequisites: The prerequisites for this course are PSYC 1001 and PSYC 3101.

Text (required): Morling, B. (2015). Research Methods in Psychology: Evaluating a World of Information. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Text (recommended): Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Ed.). (2009). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

*****BE SURE TO GET THE SECOND PRINTING, NOT THE FIRST!!******

D2L Site and Readings: There are a number of additional readings that will be posted on the course web site. Please read the assigned chapter/readings before attending lectures and labs on the topic. Power point slides will also be available on the course website immediately prior to the lecture.

iClickers (required): Please purchase an iClicker from the bookstore and register it for this course; they are required andwill be used to track participation. Make sure your clicker is registered to you on MyCUInfo.

Lecture overview: In order for you to learn the basic concepts of research design, there will be lectures and discussions that generally follow the topics in the textbook.However, the textbook is not a substitute for lecture attendance. A tentative schedule of the dates that various topics will be discussed is included below.

Lab overview: In lab you will learn about the research process, you will become certified to conduct research with human participants (CITI training certification), you will learn how to use the online library databases, you will learn how to enter and analyze data, you will learn how to compose each section of a research report, and you will learn how to be critical reviewers of research. This semester you will be responsible for writing two research reports based on the results of two studies. One of these reports will be based on data that you will provide the first day of class (i.e., Project #1), the other will be based on data collected as part of a study that you will design collectively as part of a small group (Project #2). As we move along and review each report section, you will learn the peer-review process and practice by reviewing each other’s work.In preparation for Project #2, your group will write an annotated outline detailing your planned study. This outline should include a list of references to be used in the development of the project, a brief summary of the introduction, planned methodology, and planned data analytic strategy. You will be required to meet with the lab instructor to discuss your idea and get it approved. For Project #2, each individual member of the group will write his/her own paper, but all members will work together on an oral presentation of the project. Project #2 presentations will occur the last two weeks of lab.

Tests: There will be two exams for this course, which will cover material from the lectures, additional readings, and the textbook. The tests will consist of multiple-choice questions. If you know ahead of time that you will have to miss an exam, you may make a request in writing to both your TA and the professor to take the exam before the regular exam date. If you become ill or miss an exam for any other reason, you should email yourTA and the professor within 24 hours to submit a make-up exam request. The circumstances for your absence will need to be verified by a third party (e.g., a doctor’s note). Any tests not made up will count as a zero on the final grade. No tests will be dropped.

Late Policy: We do not accept late assignments. Any assignment turned in after the class or lab period on the day and time it is due will be considered late, will not be accepted, and will not be graded. You will receive a zero on the assignment. This class moves very quickly and each assignment builds from the previous one. You must keep up with assignments to do well in this class. If you know you will miss class on the day an assignment is due in class, make sure you complete the assignment prior to class and either have someone else turn it in for you, put it in the professor’s mailbox or in the TAs or send it to one of us as an email attachment prior to the end of the class or lab period on which the assignment is due. Note that D2L assignments can be turned in remotely.

Grading: Your final grade is your total points accumulated on the assignments in class. I use a standard scale (approximately 94-100%=A, 90-93%=A-, 87-89%=B+, 83-86%=B, 80-82%=B-, etc.). I do not curve.

Clicker points – if you forget your clicker or it is broken you must physically present yourself to your TA on THAT DAY to receive participation points only.

Grade Calculation Breakdown

Assignment / Points
1. CITI Training Certificate / 20
2. Three Article Reviews (10 points each) / 30
3. Draft of Introduction / 20
4. Draft of Methods and Results / 20
5. Draft of Discussion / 20

Full APA paper on class data

/ 40
8. Midterm exam / 100
9. Full APA style paper on group project / 100
10. Group project presentation / 50
11.Clicker Participation Points (percentage earned) / 25
12. Final Exam / 100
Total / 525

Teaching philosophy: Research about learning, and my teaching experience, has shown that students learn and retain material better in a situation in which learning is active rather than passive, and cooperative rather than individual. I have incorporated some of the principles of active and cooperative learning into my class, and try to be sensitive to the various types of learning styles that might exist among my students. To this end, we will do active learning exercises in this class both individually and in groups that involve your participation.Both types of activities will serve as an informal method of evaluating attendance, will contribute to our assessment of your engagement and participation in class, and will greatly increase your understanding of the class material and your ability to apply the material to assignments and exams.

Students with Disabilities:If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to your professor a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner (for exam accommodations provide your letter at least one week prior to the exam) so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or by e-mail at . If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see Temporary Injuries guidelines under the Quick Links at the Disability Services website and discuss your needs with your professor.

Absence Due to Religious Observance: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, if you are absent due to religious observance, you are still responsible for knowing the information covered in class that day. If there is a test scheduled on that day, you may either take the test the day before or the day after, but you may not take the test once it has been graded and discussed in class.See full details at

Classroom behavior: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed, politics, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See policies at at

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities. (Regent Law, Article 10, amended 11/8/2001). CU-Boulder will not tolerate acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes or related retaliation against or by any employee or student. For purposes of this CU-Boulder policy, "Protected Classes" refers to race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or veteran status. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated againstshould contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) at 303-492-5550.Information about the ODH, the above referenced policies, and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at

CU Boulder Honor Code:All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism*, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at

*Please Note: This class involves a fair amount of writing. Thus, the TAs and I will be watching very carefully for episodes of claiming credit for work done by others, more commonly known as plagiarism. We will discuss exactly what constitutes plagiarism as the course progresses and there is excellent material describing plagiarism in your textbook (pgs. 104-105, 110, A63-A64). Students who plagiarize will be subject to both academic sanctions (receiving a zero on the assignment) and non-academic sanctions (including, but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Finally, the major writing assignments in this class will be submitted through the D2L’s Dropbox function, which automatically checks for plagiarism and lets us know what percentage of your paper is original versus copied from another source. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE.

*Writing help: You will be expected to write in a clear and grammatically correct style in this class. If you believe you will require extra help with your writing, please visit The Writing Center located in Norlin Commons (Norlin E111). More information can be found at: You can also reach The Writing Center help desk by phone at (303) 735-6906.

Supplementary materials and readings:

I will print out and bring to class handouts relevant to the tasks for class that day. Other materials (e.g., group assignments, journal articles, power point slides, etc.) will be posted on ourD2L site.

CITI Training:

Everyone in the class is required to complete the online human subjects certification course. Go to and follow the instructions under “First time registering?” You should complete the social and behavioral research module. After you complete the course (or if you have already completed the course) please turn in a copy of your CITI completion certificate through D2L.

Tentative Lecture Schedule

Lect / Day / Date / Class Topic / Assignments & Reading / Lab Activities
1 / T / 1/12 / Fill out survey for first paper
Introduction and course overview
Research producers vs. consumers
Pre-Test / LAB WEEK ONE:
Using the databases, how to find peer reviewed articles
-PSYCinfo, Google Scholar
-Off-Campus Access
How to be a critical consumer of research/literature
CITI training introduction and completion
2 / TH / 1/14 / Four Scientific cycles: First cycle
Evaluating research vs. experience, intuition, etc.
Class Participation: Popular media articles / 1,2
3 / T / 1/19 / Journal – Journalism / Popular Media Articles / NO LAB (MLK day)
4 / TH / 1/21 / Four Scientific Cycles: Second, Third, Fourth cycles
Four Functions of Research
Philosophy of Science / 2
5 / T / 1/26 / Frequency, Association and Causal claims / 3 / LAB WEEK THREE
Citi completion certificate due
Article Review 1 due
Theory of Planned Behavior: discussion of article review, generate your new hypothesis
Peer review of hypothesis
Perform your Literature Search
6 / TH / 1/28 / Construct Validity and Statistical Conclusion Validity / 3
7 / T / 2/2 / Analysis: Descriptive and inferential statistics / P.441-486 / LAB WEEK FOUR:
How to write an APA style introduction section
Write Introduction
8 / TH / 2/4 / Analysis: Inferential statistics
Group Activity #1
9 / T / 2/9 / Internal and External Validity / LAB WEEK FIVE
D2L: Introduction Draft due
R tutorial
Give students data for project #1
Start Analyses
10 / TH / 2/11 / Measurement validity / 5
11 / T / 2/16 / Group activity #2: Assessing validity of a real study
Scales of Measurement / 5 / LAB WEEK SIX:
How to write APA Style Methods and Results (including Tables and Figures) sections
Finish analyses, Write Methods and Results
12 / TH / 2/18 / Measurement Reliability
Survey methods
Observational Designs and Coding / 6
13 / T / 2/23 / Can a measure be reliable if it is not valid?
Sampling Methods / 7 / LAB WEEK SEVEN:
D2L: Methods and Results Draft due
How to write APA style Discussion & References sections
How to write an APA Abstract
Write Discussion and Abstract sections
14 / TH / 2/25 / Sampling methods
Correlational Designs:Bivariate / 8
15 / T / 3/1 / Multivariate and Longitudinal / 9 / LAB WEEK EIGHT:
D2L: Abstract and Discussion Draft due
Midterm Review
Introduce project 2, form groups, introduce project outline (homework to look over)
16 / TH / 3/3 / Mediation and Moderation / 9
T / 3/8 / Midterm Exam / LAB WEEK NINE:
Group work on projects - literature review, find measures, operationalize variables
PERFORM YOUR EXPERIMENT
17 / TH / 3/10 / Ethics: History / 4
18 / T / 3/15 / Ethics: Risk and Vulnerability
Group activity #4: Evaluating the ethics of a proposed study / 4 / LAB WEEK TEN:
D2L: Full First APA paper due
Program your study
PERFORM YOUR EXPERIMENT
Enter data and/or download data, conduct preliminary analyses (scale formation, etc.)
19 / TH / 3/17 / Between and Within subjects designs / 10
3/22 & 3/24 / Spring Break / LAB WEEK 11 – NO LAB
20 / T / 3/29 / Group activity #5: One Question, multiple designs / Article 2 / LAB WEEK TWELVE:
Article Review 2 due
Data analysis for main study
Work on methods and results section
21 / TH / 3/31 / Factorial Designs / 11
22 / T / 4/5 / Factorial designs:
Threats to Internal Validity / 11 / LAB WEEK THIRTEEN:
Discuss Article Review 2
Data analysis and start PowerPoint
presentation
23 / TH / 4/7 / Sample presentation – tips on how to give a good presentation
24 / T / 4/12 / Quasi-experiments / 12 / LAB WEEK FOURTEEN:
Article Review 3 due
Finish PowerPoint presentation and practice oral presentation
25 / TH / 4/14 / Interrupted Time Series Design
26 / T / 4/19 / Threats to Internal Validity / 13 / LAB WEEK FIFTEEN:
Group project presentations (3)
FCQS
27 / TH / 4/21 / More threats
Placebo effects and null effects
Group Activity #6 / 13
28 / T / 4/26 / Replicability and Generalization / 14 / LAB WEEK SIXTEEN:
Group project presentations (2)
Review for final
D2L: Full APA paper on group project due
29 / TH / 4/28 / Meta-analysis and Review for Final
W / 5/4 / Final Exam
1:30 PM-4:00 PM