THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
LONDON
CANADA
Department of Psychology – 2011-2012
Psychology 2800E (formerly 280E) Section 002
Research Methods in Psychology
1.0 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.
Antirequisites: Psychology 2820E, 2840F/G
Prerequisite: At least 60% in a 1000 level Psychology course
2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours, 1.0 course
Unless you have either the requisites 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.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor:
Office and Phone Number:
Office Hours:
Email:
Course Coordinator:
Dr. Patrick Brown
SSC 7328 / 661-2111 Ext. 84680
Mondays 2 – 4 pm
brown5@uwo.ca
Dr. Patrick Brown
Teaching Assistant:
See lab section outline
Time and Location of Lectures:
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 an
accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
McBurney, D.H. & White, T.L. (2009). Research Methods (8th Edition). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Cengage Learning
Stanovich, K.E. (2010). How to Think Straight About Psychology (9th Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course provides an introduction to the ways in which research is conducted in psychology. We
shall consider a wide range of alternative research methods, including observation, archival
research, questionnaire surveys, case studies, and experimentation. We’ll also consider topics
closely allied to research design, such as 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 4850E), it is expected that Psychology 2800E will contribute significantly to the
development of scientific thinking skills that students can apply to their future careers and in
everyday life.
Although this is a course in research design rather than statistical analysis, you will analyse data
collected in the laboratory component of the course, and that requires an understanding of
fundamental statistical concepts. If you do not have credit (or are not currently registered) in
Psychology 281, it is recommended that you read Appendix A of the McBurney & White text.
5.0 EVALUATION
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
C
D
F
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
50-59
below 50
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
Competent work, meeting requirements
Fair work, minimally acceptable
Fail
The course requirements, along with relative weightings in the determination of final grades, are listed
below:
Midterm #1
Mid-year Exam
Midterm #3
Final Exam
Laboratory Component
10%
15%
10%
15%
50%
Tests and the final exam will include both multiple-choice and essay questions, and will be based on both
the textbook and lecture material. The Mid-year Exam will cover the entire first term’s material. The Final
Exam will cover the entire second term’s material.
NOTE: It is a Department of Psychology policy that to earn credit in Psychology 2800E you must
achieve a passing grade in BOTH the laboratory and classroom (lecture) components of the
course. That is, you must have an overall passing grade on the exams and an overall passing
grade on the lab assignments. Fail either and you fail the course.
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Midterm #1
th
November 9 2011 (in class)
Mid-year exam Scheduled by Registrar for Mid-year exam period (10 – 21 December 2011)
th
Midterm #2
March 7 2012 (in class)
Final exam
Scheduled by Registrar for Final exam period (14 – 30 April 2012)
7.0 LECTURE SCHEDULE
Week
Topic
McBurney
Stanovich
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Introduction
Characteristics of the scientific method
Ethics
Ethics
Surveys (1)
Surveys (2)
Variables
Reliability & validity of measurement
1
1
3
3
10
10
5
5
1
2
9
MIDTERM # 1 – November 9 – McBurney 1, 3, 5, 10 Stanovich 1, 2, 3, 5
10
11
12
13
Communication
Tables and graphs
Validity of argument
Review
5
3
th
4
6
7
4
7
MID-YEAR EXAM (during exam period Dec. 10-21) – McBurney 1, 3–7, 10, Stanovich 1–5, 7
14
12
15
16
17
19
20
21
Control
Observational & archival methods
Case studies
True experiments – between subjects
True experiments – between subjects
True experiments – within subjects
Reading Week – No Class
True experiments – complex designs
8
9
9
11
11
11
6
8
12**
9
22
MIDTERM # 2 –March 7 – McBurney 8, 9, 11, Stanovich 6, 8, 9 – 11
23
24
25
26
True experiments – complex designs
Single subject designs: n = 1 experiments
Quasi-experiments
Review
10
11
th
12
13
14
12
FINAL EXAM (During final exam period April 14–30) – McBurney 8, 9, 11-14, Stanovich 6, 8 – 12
Note: Minor variations from this schedule may occur.
** Chapter 12, Complex Designs, will not be tested on the March midterm.
8.0 STATEMENT ON 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
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic
offenses. 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 locations in all tests and exams. 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 between The University of Western Ontario
and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course,
suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://www.registrar.uwo.ca/index.cfm
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergradresponsibilities.htm
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2011 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.