RESEARCH METHODS
Psychology 501-110, Spring 2014
Instructor: Sam Fiala, Ph.D., L.P.
Class Meetings: Thur 6pm-9pm; Fairway Bldg. 108 (North Campus)
Office: Fairway Bldg Rm 303
Email: sam.fiala@ct.tamus.edu
Course Web Page: https://tamuct.blackboard.com
Office hours: Face to face—Mon and Tue 9-2; and by appointment
Teaching hours: Wed & Thur 6pm-9pm
Office phone: 254-519-5759
Course Overview
PSY 501 involves the study of the scientific method, types of research, and research design. Students are required to review, analyze
and interpret research findings in their major field and develop a research project with the assistance of their instructor.
Course Objectives
a) Become a competent consumer of empirical literature.
b) Learn how to design an empirical study in the field of psychology/counseling.
c) Be able to communicate ideas in writing using professional language.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
a) Read, interpret, and evaluate empirical writing.
b) Conduct a review of empirical literature.
c) Design an ethically appropriate research project appropriate for the scientific evaluation of human behavior.
d) Write a research proposal using professional language consistent with the guidelines presented in the APA Publication
Manual.
Mode of Instruction & Course Access
This is a hybrid course; a little over half of course instruction and student interaction will occur face-to-face, and the other
instruction/interaction will occur online. We will meet face-to-face mostly on Thursday evenings (approximately every other week;
see calendar below). During our non-face-to-face class time you will engage in online learning activities (e.g., watching lecture
videos, completing quizzes). These online interactions will rely on TAMUCT’s Blackboard system <https://tamuct.blackboard.com>.
See the Technological Requirements section of the syllabus for more information on accessing/using Blackboard. In addition to the
online video lectures that address how to design a research project, there are also a series of lectures that focus on guiding your
writing of a research proposal and helping you learn to use APA style in your writing.
Student-instructor Interactions
Learning is best fostered when open lines of communication are maintained among students and between students and the
instructor. During our face-to-face interactions I hope you will feel comfortable asking questions and offering your own courserelevant insights. Some students are so excited about the material that they share too often and dominate class discussions; when
this happens it can detract from the learning experiences of other students. For this reason, I suggest that if you find yourself making
disproportionately more comments during a single class meeting than your colleagues, consider whether or not your comments are
enhancing or diminishing the learning environment.
The best way to ask me a question or make a comment outside of the classroom is via my university email
<sam.fiala@ct.tamus.edu>. I will check this email account daily M-F and once on Sa-Su. I will strive to respond to you within 24
hours. If this time has lapsed and you haven’t heard back from me, you may call/text me on my personal cell phone (number will be
emailed to you). I will also create a space in the discussion boards for you to pose general class questions to your colleagues. This is
often a good place for students to help each other find the answers to course-relevant questions.
Attendance and Participation
One of my primary reasons for using the hybrid design for this course is my understanding that many of you have a limited amount
of time that you are able to be away from home/work because of your many responsibilities. Because we won’t be meeting face-toface for the same amount of time spent in a traditional course, we must be very efficient in our use of class time. A related
consequence of the hybrid design is that missing even a single class can significantly hinder your learning process. Life does happen,
and if you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed by communicating with your classmates. It is left to the
discretion of the professor (i.e., me) whether or not a student is eligible to make up an in-class quiz missed due to absence. If you
know in advance that you will not be able to attend a particular class session, you can schedule with me a time to take a quiz before
the scheduled class.
Required Reading


Mitchell, M. L. & Jolley, J. M. (Eds.) Research Design Explained (7th or 8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2009/2012.
American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th ed.), APA, 2009.
The list of assigned articles (#1 to # 7) will be provided on Blackboard.

**A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a university-affiliated bookstore.**
The schedule for reading assignments is on the last page of this syllabus. It is essential that you do the required readings prior to the
class in which the material is discussed. Your ability to discover those areas which you don't understand, to ask meaningful
questions, to incorporate knowledge into what you already know is entirely founded on reading the material before the lectures.
Technological Requirements
This course will use the new TAMU-CT Blackboard Learn learning management system for class communications, content
distribution, and assessments.
Logon to https://tamuct.blackboard.com to access the course.
Username: Your MyCT username (xx123 or everything before the "@" in your MyCT e-mail address)
Initial password: Your MyCT password
For this course, you will need reliable and frequent access to a computer and to the Internet. If you do not have frequent and
reliable access to a computer with Internet connection, please consider dropping this course or contact me (254-519-5759) to
discuss your situation.
Blackboard supports the most common operating systems:
PC: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista
Mac: Mac OS X Mavericks
NOTE: Computers using Windows XP, Windows 8 RT and OS X 10.6 or lower are NO longer supported
Check browser and computer compatibility by following the “Browser Check” link on the TAMU-CTBlackboard logon page.
(www.tamuct.blackboard.com) This is a CRITICAL step as these settings are important for when you take an exam or submit an
assignment.
Upon logging on to Blackboard Learn, you will see a link to Blackboard Student Orientation under My Courses tab. Click on that link
and study the materials in this orientation course. The new Blackboard is a brand-new interface and you will have to come up to
speed with it really quickly. This orientation course will help you get there. There is also a link to Blackboard Help from inside the
course on the left-hand menubar. Your ability to function within the Blackboard system will facilitate your success in this course.
Technology issues are not an excuse for missing a course requirement – make sure your computer is configured correctly and address
issues well in advance of deadlines.
* Google Chrome is the most recommended browser for the new version of BB.
Technology Support
For technological or computer issues, students should contact Help Desk Central 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
Email: helpdesk@tamu.edu
Phone: (254)-519-5466
Online chat: http://hdc.tamu.edu
For issues related to course content and requirements (or if BB kicks you out of quiz before you finish), contact me.
Academic Honesty Policy
Academic Integrity
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Students found
responsible of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an
examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. The faculty member is responsible for initiating
action for each case of academic dishonesty and report the incident to the Associate Director of Student Conduct. More information can be found
at http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/studentconduct/facultyresources.php.
My interactions with you are based on an expectation of mutual trust and honor. You are required to do your own work on exams
and assignments (unless I explicitly say otherwise). Violation of this trust will result in an F in this course in addition to whatever
consequences the administration deems appropriate. Plagiarism (primarily of the unintentional variety) has been an ongoing
problem for many students. I will post a video lecture talking about how to avoid plagiarism, and you will take a Plagiarism Quiz to
document your understanding of what constitutes plagiarism (see Assessments section below). Engaging in plagiarism will result in
loss of points in the class and (depending on the severity) may result in failure of the course.
Library Services
Library distance education services aims to make available quality assistance to A&M-Central Texas students seeking information
sources remotely by providing digital reference, online information literacy tutorials, and digital research materials. Much of the
A&M-CT collection is available instantly from home. This includes over half of the library's book collection, as well as approximately
25,000 electronic journals and 200 online databases. Library Distance Education Services are outlined and accessed at:
http://www.ct.tamus.edu/departments/library/deservices.php
Information literacy focuses on research skills which prepare individuals to live and work in an information-centered society.
Librarians will work with students in the development of critical reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of
secondary research techniques. Help may include, but is not limited to: the exploration of information resources such as library
collections, the identification of appropriate materials, and the execution of effective search strategies. Library Resources are
outlined and accessed at: http://www.ct.tamus.edu/departments/library/index.php
A video lecture will be posted offering advice on how to make use of library resources when conducting research.
Disability Support
If you have or believe you have a disability and wish to self-identify, you can do so by providing documentation to the Disability
Support Coordinator. Students are encouraged to seek information about accommodations to help assure success in their courses.
Please contact Vanessa Snyder at (254) 501-5836 or visit Founder's Hall 114. Additional information can be found at
http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/disabilitysupport/index.php.
UNILERT: Emergency Warning System for Texas A&M University – Central Texas
UNILERT is an emergency notification service that gives Texas A&M University-Central Texas the ability to communicate health and
safety emergency information quickly via email and text message. By enrolling in UNILERT, university officials can quickly pass on
safety-related information, regardless of your location. Please enroll today at http://TAMUCT.org/UNILERT
Tutoring
Tutoring is available to all TAMUCT students, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored include Accounting, Finance, Statistics,
Mathematics, and Writing (APA). Tutors are available at the Tutoring Center in Founder's Hall, Room 204, and also in the Library in
the North Building. Visit www.ct.tamus.edu/AcademicSupport and click "Tutoring Support" for tutor schedules and contact info. If
you have questions, need to schedule a tutoring session, or if you're interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support
Programs at 254-501-5830 or by emailing cecilia.morales@ct.tamus.edu.
Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for almost any subject on your computer! Tutor.com is an online tutoring platform that enables TAMUCT students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing,
Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. To access Tutor.com, click on www.tutor.com/tamuct.
Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary paperwork. Professors
cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the student. The record’s office will give a deadline for which the form
must be returned, completed, and signed. Once you return the signed form to the records office and wait 24 hours, you must go
into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. If you are still enrolled, FOLLOW UP with the records office
immediately. You are to attend class until the procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or
fail to follow the procedure, you will receive an F in the course.
ASSIGNMENTS
I. Ethics training (2 pts)
To familiarize you with the ethical standards in our field related to ethical research practices when working with human subjects,
you will complete an online training module provided by the NIH. You will find the link to the training under the Online Course
Content tab in our Blackboard site. There is also an Ethics Training Assignment in the Assignments & Assessments tab where you can
turn in a screen captures of the Completion Certificate that the NIH website will give you. If you aren’t sure how to create/save
screen captures, you can print out your certificate and bring it with you to class by 2/20.
III. Proposal assignments (37 pts total)
Over the course of this semester each of you will generate a novel research question, design a quantitative study to answer that
question, and write a research proposal detailing how the study would be conducted. Your proposal will include a detailed literature
review, description of the proposed research methods, plan for data analysis, and discussion of the potential limitations and
implications of your study. For this project you will not collect data. However, if you wish to do so, I will be glad to assist you in
completing your research.
**Each assignment will have a link in Blackboard where you can submit your work as attachments (.doc or .docx files please)**
#1: Idea for Research Proposal (2 pts; due 1/30 11:59pm): The first step in conducting a research study is
coming up with a good idea. You should submit your idea to me online in BB using the assignment link provided. At this
stage you do not need to have a perfectly-defined research question (e.g., is the effect of corporal punishment on children’s
self-esteem different for boys than girls?), but you should have some focus. Obviously, the more well-focused your
idea/topic is at this point, you more quickly you will be able to move on to the next step. I am strongly encouraging
students this semester to find an existing study that they are interested in and develop a replication/extension of that
study. We will talk more about this the second week of class. You will be graded for this assignment based on completion.
#2: Outline of Research Proposal (10 pts; due 2/27 11:59pm): For this assignment you will need to
answer the questions posed in the “Outline of Research Proposal Form” that is posted with the link for this assignment. At
this point, you will be expected to identify information for all major components of the research proposal:
a) Introduction: identify your research question (which may have changed), identify why your question is
important/relevant, summarize current empirical evidence related to the question, identify what you expect the
answer to be (i.e., your hypothesis), and provide a rationale for your hypothesis.
b) Method: identify what type of research design you will use, key characteristics of your sample, how you will
operationally define your variables under study, and key aspects of your procedure
c) Data analysis plan: what statistical tests you will use and identify how these tests will relate to your research
hypothesis.
d) Discussion: identify the limitations of your study and the potential implications of your expected pattern of results
You will be graded on completeness and depth of thought in your answers to the questions on the Outline Form.
#3: Research Proposal Draft (5 pts; due 4/3 11:59pm): At this point you should have incorporated the
feedback I will have given you on your outline and crafted a rough draft of your final proposal paper. I will give you
feedback on content and writing style, but you will only be graded on content. A rubric will be posted in BB with this
assignment with more details.
#4: Peer Review (5 pts; post draft by 4/17 11:59pm; review due 4/23 11:59pm): To give you an
opportunity to get more feedback on your writing (and to get to critically evaluate another person’s writing) you will
participate in an online peer-review process. By 11:59pm on 4/16 you will post a copy of your paper to the Discussion Board
titled “Peer Review”. Failure to meet this deadline will result in a 5-point deduction (from your grade point total) each day
that you are late in making your post. By 12pm on 4/18 you will have been assigned a paper to review from one of your
peers. I will provide you with a rubric for completing the review. In addition to completing the rubric you should make
comments directly on the paper (either using pen/pencil or using the “track changes” & “comment” functions in Word). On
the peer review assignment tab you will turn in to me both the completed rubric and a copy of the reviewed paper with
your comments. Additionally, you should provide these documents to the person whose paper you reviewed. You turn in
these documents and provide the peer feedback no later than 4/23 11:59pm. You will be grade on how thorough and
thoughtful your review is. Note: You don’t need to be cruel, but they will benefit more from your criticism of what needs to
be fixed than if you praise prose that is problematic.
#5: Final paper (15 pts; due 5/1 11:59pm): This is the end product of your work in this course where you
communicate in writing your idea for a major research project. It should include all components of a research proposal. Note:
there are lecture videos posted on BB for the proposal as a whole and for how to write each section.
IV. Extra credit (max 5 points): There will be various extra credit opportunities during the semester that will require
your participation in ongoing research projects. This may include volunteering as a research participant, but it may also include
working on a project of your own (or a colleague) that is intended to be submitted for publication.
*grading rubrics and more detailed instructions for these assignments will be provided in BB
ASSESSMENTS
M&J Quizzes (6 x 2 pts each = 12 pts): To encourage you to keep up with the reading assignments related to the
design of research studies, you will be given quizzes in class over the assigned reading in the Mitchell and Jolley (M&J) textbook.
Note: often the video lectures elaborate on points that are addressed in the quizzes; you can be quizzed/tested on material
presented in the video but not the text (and visa versa). You can/should use your textbook when completing these quizzes, but you
should not enlist the help of other individuals.
Plagiarism Quiz (3 pts): To give you an opportunity to demonstrate that you understand what constitutes plagiarism, you
will complete a plagiarism quiz online the week of February 12th. You will probably do better on this quiz if you view the video on
plagiarism (posted on Blackboard under “Other Video Lectures”) before taking the quiz.
APA Quizzes (6 x 2 pts each = 12 pts): To help you master the sometimes complicated rules of APA writing style, you
will be given multiple APA quizzes online. You can/should use your APA manual when completing these quizzes, but you should not
enlist the help of other individuals. There will be an instructional video posted online for each section of the APA Manual that you
will be tested over.
APA Megaquiz (2 points possible extra credit): On April 23rd you will have an opportunity to complete a quiz in class
that covers all the material in the manual that you will have been tested on up to that point (i.e., not ch. 5). Your score on this quiz
can be used to replace your lowest APA quiz grade. You can/should use your APA manual when completing this quiz, but you should
not enlist the help of other individuals.
Article Quizzes (7 x 2 pts each = 14 pts): To encourage you to keep up with reading the assigned articles, you will be
given quizzes online that check your comprehension of the main points of the articles. These article quizzes must be completed prior
to the class in which the relevant article is to be discussed. You can/should use your copy of the article when completing these
quizzes, but you should not enlist the help of other individuals.
***All quizzes must be completed within one week of the date they are listed on the calendar below.
Final Exam (20%)
The comprehensive exam will be given in class on May 8th from 6pm-9pm. The exam will be open-book and open-note, but you must
work on it individually.
Grading
Research ethics training
Proposal assignments
M&J Quizzes (6x2 pts)
Plagiarism Quiz
APA Quizzes (6 x 2 pts)
Article Quizzes (7 x 2 pts)
Final exam
TOTAL
2
37
12
3
12
14
20
100
Course grades will be based on the percentage of total points earned by each student and will be assigned as follows:
A
90-100 %
B
80-89 %
C
70-79 %
D
60-69 %
F (<60 %)
Mastery of content
Above average
Average understanding
Below average
Failure to
understanding of content
of content
understanding of content understand content
**Note: Do not trust Blackboard to calculate your grade for you. If you are unable to do the calculations yourself, I will be glad to teach you how to calculate your
grade.**
Late work policy
If you turn in an assignment after the due date, you will receive a grade reduction of 10% for each day it’s late (with a maximum
reduction of 30%). No late work will be accepted for assignments turned in more than 7 days past its due date. No late work will
be accepted after May 6th. Late penalties will not be levied on the online quizzes, but if a quiz is not completed within one week of
its due date, you will not be able to earn credit for that quiz. See the Attendance/Participation Policy for information on in-class
quizzes.
Some Thoughts About Coursework Online
Making this course hybrid allows for great flexibility in what we are able to do. I believe that this flexibility supports learning
(especially for students with significant obligations outside of school). However, the increased reliance on imperfect technology
comes at a price. Sometimes Blackboard won’t work the way it should or when it should. This can be frustrating and discouraging.
Rather than view these frustrations as negatives, I choose to view them as opportunities to increase one’s skills in overcoming
technology-related obstacles. This skill set will become increasingly valuable as our society’s reliance on technology continues to
grow. The best advice I can give you is to “play around” with the technology and figure out if you know how to use it before you
need to use it. Good luck. If you get kicked out of a quiz, just email me, and I can reset it for you (note: this often happens if you try
to open another browser window while taking a quiz or if you are not using Google Chrome or IE-10).
Some Thoughts About This Course
Many of our students put this course off until they are about to graduate from the program, and many of those who have done so
tell me after finishing the class that they regret having put it off. They talk about how it would have been much easier to understand
the articles they had to read for other classes and write good papers if they had taken this class earlier. I hope you find this to be a
valuable experience wherever you are in your education. I believe it has the potential to be a surprisingly formative class for many
students. Challenging yourself to think like a researcher gets you to look at the world in a slightly different way (not necessarily the
“right” way, but it is another perspective). For me, learning is less about amassing mounds of knowledge and more about expanding
the way I am able to think about things. My hope is that you find your perspective broadened to some degree during this semester.
Unfortunately I cannot grade you on your “perspective.” Rather, I evaluate a product that you generate. This product is the result of
your own intelligence, your effort, my ability to teach, and luck. It is unfortunate that luck enters the equation, but it is unavoidable.
There may be semesters when life tosses you around quite a bit and earning a “C” is more impressive for you than the “A” that the
person next to you earned. In these instances I encourage you to take pride in your effort and not worry too much about grade that
cannot perfectly represent your achievements.
COURSE CALENDAR
Week
In-Class Activity/Topic
1
1/16
Course overview;
Basics of behavioral science;
Overview of research
designs
Finding & reading empirical
articles;
Article #1 discussion;
Generating a research idea
2
1/23
In-Class Assignment/
Assessment
----
Online Assignment/
Assessment
Review Blackboard site; Video:
How to find research articles
Quiz: Article #1
Video: Writing a research proposal
M & J Quiz Ch. 1 - 4
3
1/30
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
4
2/6
Measuring and manipulating
variables;
Article #2 discussion
M & J Quiz Ch. 5 & 6
5
2/13
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
6
2/20
How to conduct descriptive
research;
Article #3 discussion
M & J Quiz Ch. 7 & 8;
Ethics Training
Certificate
7
2/27
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
8
3/6
How to conduct simple and
multiple-group experimental
studies;
Article #4 discussion
M & J Quiz Ch. 10 & 11
9
3/13
Online Activity
----
Video: Measuring & manipulating
variables;
Video: Writing the introduction
Idea for research
proposal;
Quiz: Article #2
----
----
Video: Descriptive research;
Video: What is plagiarism?
APA Video Ch. 6 & 7;
Research ethics training
module;
Video: Writing the method section
Plagiarism Quiz;
APA Quiz Ch. 6 & 7;
Quiz: Article #3
----
Ethics Training
Certificate
Video: Simple experiments and
beyond;
APA Video 3-1;
Video: Choosing a test and data
analysis;
Outline of Research
Proposal;
Quiz: Article #4;
APA Quiz 3-1
----
----
Video: Factorial designs and
internal validity;
APA Video 3-2;
Video: Writing the discussion section
Quiz: Article #5;
APA Quiz 3-2
----
----
Video: Single-n and quasiexperimental designs;
APA Video 4-1
Research Proposal
Draft;
Quiz: Article #6;
APA Quiz 4-1
----
----
Video: Qualitative research;
APA Video 4-2
Post draft for peer
review;
Quiz: Article #7;
APA Quiz 4-2
Spring Break
10
3/20
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
11
3/27
How to conduct factorial
experimental studies;
Article #5 discussion
M & J Quiz Ch. 9, 12, & 13
12
4/3
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
13
4/10
How to conduct single-n
experimental & quasiexperimental studies;
Article #6 discussion
M & J Quiz Ch. 14
14
4/17
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
15
4/24
How to conduct qualitative
studies;
Article #7 discussion
APA Megaquiz
16
5/1
No face-to-face
class
No face-to-face
class
Comprehensive
Final Exam
17
5/8
----
----
Post review of
peer’s draft
APA Video 5
Research Proposal
Final Paper;
APA Quiz 5
----
----
###large portions of this syllabus were blatantly pirated from a wide variety of sources###
##Professor reserves the right to amend the syllabus at any time##