This course teaches the basics of experimental research methods. The most important steps in conducting an experiment (e.g., research design, operationalization, data analyses) will be discussed.
Learning objective
Students will learn how to design their own experiment and will become aware of the most important factors that need to be considered when planning and executing experimental research. Specifically, we will discuss how to formulate research questions and hypotheses, how to operationalize the relevant concepts, how to construe the experimental design, how to control potential confounding variables, how to determine the sample size, and how to carry out the experiment. As part of the course, students will design their own experiment and present it in class. Moreover, students will be given a scientific article that includes experimental research and will be asked to discuss the strong and weak points of the experimental design in class. This exercise will train students' critical thinking about scientific evidence.
This course focuses primarily on laboratory and online research; however, many aspects can be applied to field experiments as well.
Literature
Suggested method books (good reference books)
-Research Methods in Psychology: Investigating human behavior. (2nd edition) P. G. Nestor, & R. K. Schutt (Eds.), SAGE
-Research Methods in Psychology (4th edition) G. M. Breakwell, J. A., Smith, & D. B. Wright (Eds.), SAGE
About data analyses:
-Data Analysis: A Model Comparison Approach to Regression, ANOVA, and Beyond (3e) by Charles M. Judd, Gary H. McClelland, and Carey S. Ryan. Published by Routledge, 2017.
-Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (Introducing Statistical Methods S.) (2nd Edition) A. Field., SAGE
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course