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WESTERN UNIVERSITY
LONDON CANADA
Department of Psychology
Psychology 2800E - Section 001 (# 1040)
Research Methods in Psychology
(2013 - 2014)
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION: Using selected examples, this course will introduce students to the
variety of ways to conduct research in Psychology. Topics to be covered include: The scientific approach;
ethical issues in human and animal research; designing, running, analyzing, and writing up a research
project; experimental, observational, and correlational research strategies. (2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory
hours per week; 1.0 course)
Antirequisites: Psychology 2820E, 2840F/G, 2855F/G, and 2856F/G
Prerequisites: At least 60% in a 1000-level Psychology course.
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for
credit. So, if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose
credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your
Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your
record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the
event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
COURSE INFORMATION:
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Dr. Doug Hazlewood
6330 SSC
519 661-2111 (ext. 84663)
hazlewoo@uwo.ca
Fall: Mondays and Tuesdays, 5:30 - 6:30 pm (or by appointment)
Winter: Tuesdays, 5:30 - 6:30 pm (or by appointment)
Course website:
Textbook website:
https://owl.uwo.ca
http://www.wadsworth.com (follow links to White & McBurney, 9th edition)
Lectures:
Thursdays, 1:30 - 3:30 pm; UCC 56
Labs:
Labs will meet for two hours each week in room 3120 (or 3133) SSC. Check your
registration materials for the day and time of your lab.
https://owl.uwo.ca
Krista Macpherson (kmacphe3@uwo.ca)
Lab website:
Lab Coordinator:
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TEXTBOOKS (required):
(1) White, T. L. & McBurney, D. H (2013). Research methods (9th ed.). Belmont CA: Wadsworth. [Be
sure to purchase the 9th edition; used copies might be available].
(2) Stanovich, K. E. (2013). How to think straight about psychology (10th ed.). Toronto: Pearson. [Be
sure to purchase the new 10th edition].
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course provides an introduction to the ways in which scientific research is conducted in psychology.
We will consider a wide range of research methods, including observation, archival research, surveys,
case studies, and (especially) experiments. We will also consider topics closely associated with scientific
research including measurement, ethics, report writing, and data presentation.
In addition to providing training in research techniques needed for third- and fourth-year psychology
courses (e.g., Psychology 4850), it is expected that Psychology 2800 will contribute significantly to the
development of scientific thinking skills that students can apply in their future careers and in their
everyday life.
Although this is a course in research methods rather than statistical analyses, you will analyze data
collected in the laboratory component of the course, which requires an understanding of basic statistical
concepts. If you do not have credit in Psychology 2810, it is recommended that you read Chapter 15 of
the White & McBurney textbook (we will also cover some of that material in lectures).
EVALUATION:
Course grades will be based on a Lecture component and a Laboratory component, each worth 50% of the
final grade. Note: To earn credit in this course, you must achieve at least a passing grade (50%) in both
components.
(1) The Lecture component (50%) is based on two tests and two exams. Students are responsible for
material assigned in the textbooks, as well as material covered in lectures. The Fall Midterm and Winter
Midterm tests (each worth 10%) will consist of multiple-choice questions. The Midyear and Final exams
(each worth 15%) will consist of multiple-choice and short-answer essay questions. A summary of the
test and examination schedule is provided below. Note: You must attend your assigned lecture section.
(2) The Laboratory Component (50%) is based on several written assignments, as well as student
attendance and participation. These requirements (along with their weights and the assignment due dates)
will be discussed at the first lab meeting. For now, it is important to note that if you fail the lab
component of the course, then you will fail the entire course, regardless of your performance on exams.
Note: You must attend your assigned lab section.
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario grading guidelines, which are as
follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):
A+
A
B
90 - 100
80 - 89
70 - 79
One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level.
Superior work that is clearly above average.
Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory.
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C
D
F
60 - 69
50 - 59
below 50
Competent work, meeting requirements.
Fair work, minimally acceptable.
Fail.
Note that the Psychology Department expects 2100-2990 level courses (including this course) to have
final grade averages near 72%.
SUMMARY OF TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE:
Fall Midterm Test
Midyear Exam
Winter Midterm Test
Final Exam
October 24, 2013 (in class; rooms TBA)
Material: W & M Chapters 1 - 5, 14 (exclude Stanovich)
Date, Time, and Location to be announced
Material: W & M Chapters 8, 9, & 15 (p. 387 - 389)
Stanovich Chapters 1 - 5, 8, 10, & 11
February 13, 2014 (in class; rooms TBA)
Material: January 9 - February 6 (W & M and Stanovich)
Date, Time, and Location to be announced
Material: February 27 - April 3 (W & M and Stanovich)
10%
15%
10%
15%
Note 1: “Material” also includes “lecture material”.
Note 2: You must go to your assigned room. Room assignments will be announced in class and posted on
OWL.
Note 3: Electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, dictionaries, ipods/earphones) are NOT permitted during
tests and exams. Please leave these devices at home or in your book bag.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
(1) Lecture Attendance: Lecture material covered in Section 001 (Hazlewood) will not be the same as
material covered in Section 002 (Brown). Therefore, students must attend their assigned lecture sections.
In addition, material covered in lectures will not always be the same as material covered in the textbooks.
As such, students who wish to do well in this course are strongly encouraged to keep up with the
readings and attend their assigned lecture section on a regular basis.
(2) Lab Attendance: 50% of your final grade will be based on performance in the laboratory component
of this course. Please note that lab attendance is mandatory. Students who miss eight or more lab classes
will automatically receive a failing grade in the lab portion of the course, which will result in failing the
entire course. As such, it is important that you regularly attend your assigned lab section each week.
(3) Policy regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines:
Students will be allowed to write makeup exams and will be given extensions of lab assignment deadlines
only under special circumstances. These include medical or compassionate reasons and must be
substantiated with proper documentation. Please note that documentation must be submitted to (and
approved by) an academic counsellor in your Dean’s office. Additional information regarding
appropriate documentation and procedures can be found at
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergradresponsibilities.htm and in materials provided in your lab.
A student who misses an exam or assignment deadline for any other reason (or who is unable to
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substantiate a claim) will be assigned a grade of zero for the exam and a penalty each day that the
assignment is late (weekends automatically count as two days). In fairness to all students, no exceptions
to this policy will be allowed.
(4) Policy Regarding Illness:
If you feel that you have a medical or personal problem that is interfering with your work, then you should
contact your Faculty Academic Counselling Office as soon as possible. Problems may then be
documented and possible arrangements to assist you can be discussed at the time of occurrence, rather
than retroactively. In general, retroactive requests for grade revisions on medical or compassionate
grounds will not be considered.
(5) Academic Offences:
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other
scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine
the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the
following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholoff.pdf. (see “Undergraduate”
section).
As of September 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic
offenses.
Cheating: All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses
using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating positions in all tests and exams. If a
similar pattern of responses is detected, students will be reported to the Dean’s office for further
investigation and possible disciplinary action.
To avoid any suspicion of cheating, please take the following steps:
(i) If you studied with another student, then do not sit near this person during the tests/exams. Students
who study together are more likely to have similar answers.
(ii) Keep your answers covered so students sitting near you do not have the opportunity to cheat from
your exam.
(iii) If you suspect that someone is cheating from your exam, then immediately notify the course
instructor or one of the proctors. That way, a record can be made of the incident, and alternative
seating arrangements can be provided.
Plagiarism: All written assignments will be submitted to Turnitin, a service designed to detect and deter
plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in
Turnitin’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the
reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system.
Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement currently betweenWestern University and
Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).
Students are strongly encouraged to submit a draft of their written assignments to Turnitin at least 24
hours before the due date, so they can examine the plagiarism report and make necessary corrections if
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matches are detected.
Possible penalties for scholastic offenses include failure of the assignment; failure of the course;
suspension from the University; and expulsion from the University.
(6) Minimizing Distractions During Classes:
To avoid unnecessary distractions, please keep these simple rules in mind:
(a) Arrive to each class on time (if you must arrive late, please find a seat at the back or side of the room,
not in the middle of the room);
(b) Do not leave the room during the lecture unless it’s an emergency. Wait until the break, or you
might miss some important exam material;
(c) Ensure that your cell phone is off!;
(d) Avoid “private” conversations with the person sitting next to you! This can be a very serious
problem that must be avoided. Please note that private conversations can be distracting to other
students even if you are discussing the lecture material!
Be forewarned: In the interest of minimizing distractions to other students, I will not hesitate to ban
students from lectures if they appear unable to control their private conversations.
(7) Instructions for Completing the Readings:
The Appendix (see below, p. 8) provides some guidelines for completing the assigned readings. Please
read it over and see me if anything is unclear.
(8) Organizing Your Schedule:
In this course, it is possible that Lab Assignments will be due the same week (or even the same day) as
Term Tests. Moreover, it is possible that you will have tests and assignments in other courses that are due
at the same time as tests/assignments in this course. This problem cannot be avoided (e.g., by asking for
extensions of deadlines). However, the problem can be minimized by carefully organizing your schedule
at the beginning of the term, to ensure that all of your responsibilities are met in a timely (and stress free!)
manner. Clearly, studying for a test and trying to finish an assignment a few days before they are due will
be a lot more stressful than spreading your preparations out (e.g., finishing the assignment one week
before it is due, so you can focus your attention on preparing for the test). Remember that professors have
control over the deadlines, but you have control over when these deadlines are met. Developing a
schedule that allows you to finish some requirements early will free-up your time for other obligations,
and it will make your life a lot less stressful. I hope this helps!
ACCESSIBILITY:
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any
other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for
Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding
accommodation.
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OTHER INFORMATION:
(1) Please read carefully the document at http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergradresponsibility.htm for
additional information regarding: Policy on medical notes; Policy on cheating and academic misconduct;
Policy regarding makeup exams/extensions of deadlines (including appropriate documentation);
Procedures for appealing academic evaluations; and other issues.
In addition, please read carefully the “Psychology 2800E Labs - Course Outline” (provided in your lab
section) for additional information regarding: Missed assignments; Due dates; Extensions; Plagiarism;
Submitting independent work; and Attendance requirements.
(2) Exam Room Assignments: Room assignments for tests and exams will be announced in class, posted
on my office door, and posted on the course web site. Therefore, please do not contact the department
secretaries for this information. Also, be sure to go to your assigned room!
(3) Asking Questions During Tests/Exams: To be fair to all students, NO questions will be allowed
during the exams. I cannot help you define any “concepts” or “words” on the exams. I cannot discuss
what you remember from the textbook or the lectures (because some questions are designed to test your
memory of this material). I cannot tell you whether the “reasoning” behind your chosen answer is correct,
because that’s the same as telling you whether or not your answer is correct. Obviously that’s not
something we should discuss during the exam! I cannot help you decide what to do if you think two
options are correct (except to tell you to choose the best option). Note that we CAN discuss these issues
AFTER the exams, but we cannot discuss them during the exams. If a question is so confusing that no
one can understand it and answer it correctly, then I will drop the question. This is the fair thing to do.
(4) Documents on our Course Website (OWL):
* Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
* Test and Exam Dates, Room Assignments (and Material to be covered).
* Sample Midyear Exam Questions (to illustrate format of the Identification and Short Answer questions).
* Tips for Sending Email.
* How I Create Fair Exams.
* Doug Hazlewood’s Teaching and Research Interests.
(5) Other Useful Websites:
Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Having academic problems? See http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/havingproblems.asp
Having problems with OWL? Go to http://itshelp.uwo.ca
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist
you. Please visit http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information about these resources.
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LECTURE AND READING SCHEDULE
W&M
Stanovich
Science as a “Way of Knowing”
1 & [4]
1, 4, 10, 11
Sep 26
Goals of Science and the Role of Theories
1
2, 3, 5, 8
Oct 3
Ethics
[2] & 3
Oct 10
Measurement 1: Definitions & Levels
5
Oct 17
Measurement 2: Reliability & Validity
5 & [14]
Oct 24
FALL MIDTERM TEST (10%); Rooms TBA
1 - 5, 14
Oct 31
Study Day (No Class)
--------
Nov 7
Observational Research
8
Nov 14
Archival Research (and Case Studies)
8
Nov 21
Surveys
9
Nov 28
Sampling 1: Definitions and Sampling Methods
9 (p. 229 - 237)
Dec 5
Sampling 2: Sample Size and Sampling Error
15 (p. 387 - 389 top)
TBA
MIDYEAR EXAM (15%); Time & Location TBA
8, 9, 15
Jan 9
Validity in Experiments 1: SCV & Construct Validity
6, 15 (p. 391-394)
6-7
Jan 16
Validity in Experiments 2: Internal & External Validity
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6-7
Jan 23
Experimental Control 1
7
Jan 30
Experimental Control 2
7
Feb 6
Experimental Control 3 (Expectancy Effects)
6 (p. 153 - 155)
Feb 13
WINTER MIDTERM TEST (10%); Rooms TBA
6, 7
Feb 20
Reading Week (No Class)
-----
Feb 27
Within-Group (aka “within-subjects”) Designs
10
Mar 6
Multiple Factor (“Factorial”) Experiments
11
Mar 13
Single-Participant Experiments
12
Mar 20
Quasi-Experiments 1
13
Mar 27
Quasi-Experiments 2 (Developmental Designs)
13
Apr 3
Meta Analysis
13, Epilogue
TBA
FINAL EXAM (15%); Time & Location TBA
10, 11, 12, 13, Epi
DATE
TOPIC
Sep 12
Introduction and Overview
Sep 19
---------
1-5, 8, 10, 11
6, 7
9
12
9, 12
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Psychology 2800E Section 001 (Hazlewood)
APPENDIX
Instructions for Completing the Readings
Here are some guidelines that you should follow when completing the assigned readings.
(1) Keep up with the weekly reading assignments. My lectures will expand on this material, so it
will be helpful if you’ve read the assigned chapters in advance.
(2) Although I will not be lecturing on material in chapters 2, 4, and 14 of the White &
McBurney textbook, portions of this material are relevant to the labs, and you are
responsible for this material on the Fall Midterm Test.
(3) A good way to learn any material is to apply it, because it makes you an “active consumer”,
rather than a “passive recipient”. For this reason, most chapters in the White &
McBurney textbook end with sections designed to give you experience applying the
material (see Nuts and bolts; Reading between the lines; Cases in point; and Exercises).
Some of this material is described as “required”, but this does not mean that it will be
emphasized more than any other textbook material on tests and exams. Instead, you
should view any opportunity to apply the material as “highly recommended”, while
keeping in mind that your goal is to learn all of the textbook (and lecture) material.
(4) The White & McBurney textbook contains references to a “Lab Manual” and “Web-Based
Workshops”. We will not be using the Lab Manual in this course, so you are not
responsible for this material on tests and exams. Similarly, although you are not required
to participate in the workshops, feel free to explore the web site if you wish to learn more
about topics discussed in the textbook.
(5) The Stanovich textbook provides an interesting and very readable introduction to some
important issues and problems we face when developing a scientific/empirical approach
to psychology. As such, it serves as an excellent supplement to the White & McBurney
textbook (and my lectures). Each week, I’ve tried to assign Stanovich chapters that
compliment the other material. However, to “spread the readings out” in the first half of
the course, I’ve assigned the Stanovich chapters (1 - 5, 8, 10, & 11) to the Midyear Exam
in December. Although these readings will not be covered on the October Midterm Test,
you should keep up with the reading schedule (even if it means simply “skimming” the
assigned Stanovich chapters prior to lectures).
Note: Stanovich relies on “real world” examples to illustrate the material. DO NOT ignore these
examples (some of them will appear on tests/exams). I hope this helps!