Course Description
This course introduces students to the principles and practices of research in the behavioral sciences. Students examine scientific inquiry, research design, measurement, sampling, validity, reliability, ethics, and data collection strategies used in psychological research. Through the critical evaluation of scholarly literature and a scaffolded sequence of assignments, students learn to develop research questions, analyze research quality, identify gaps in the literature, and design a proposed study. The course culminates in the development of an APA-style research proposal that integrates psychological theory, scholarly literature, research methodology, and ethical considerations. (3 credits)
Prerequisites
- ENG 101: English Composition 1
- ENG 102: English Composition 2
- MAT 105: Statistics
- PSY 101: Psychology or SOC 101: Sociology
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Evaluate psychological research using principles of scientific reasoning, critical thinking, and evidence-based inquiry. [Standards: APA 2.1, 2.2, 2.4 | Psychology PLOs 2, 5]
- Develop research questions and hypotheses grounded in psychological theory and scholarly literature. [Standards: APA 1.1, 2.2, 2.4 | Psychology PLOs 4, 5, 7]
- Locate, evaluate, and synthesize information from primary and secondary scholarly sources to support psychological inquiry. [Standards: APA 2.3, 4.1 | Psychology PLOs 3, 4]
- Design research methodologies that align with specific research questions, hypotheses, and psychological phenomena. [Standards: APA 2.2, 2.4, 3.1 | Psychology PLOs 4, 5, 6]
- Evaluate the quality of psychological research through analysis of sampling procedures, measurement practices, validity, reliability, and ethical considerations. [Standards: APA 2.4, 3.1, 3.2 | Psychology PLOs 2, 5, 6]
- Apply ethical principles and professional standards when designing, conducting, and reporting psychological research. [Standards: APA 3.1, 3.2, 5.1 | Psychology PLOs 2, 5]
- Communicate psychological research using APA Style and professional scholarly writing conventions. [Standards: APA 4.1, 4.2 | Psychology PLOs 3, 8]
- Develop a research proposal that integrates psychological theory, scholarly literature, research methodology, and ethical considerations. [Standards: APA 2.2, 4.2 | Psychology PLOs 5, 8]
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 15% |
Research Proposal Development Assignments (Weeks 1-7) | 55% |
Final Research Propoal Assessment (Week 8) | 30% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle
- American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 7th ed. American Psychological Association, 2020.
- Gravetter, Frederick and Lori Ann Forzano. Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences. 6th ed. Cengage Learning. 2018.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,2,3,8 | Topics: Acquiring Knowledge and the Scientific Method; Research Ideas
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2 | 2,5,6 | Topics: Defining and Measuring Variables; Ethics in Research
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3 | 3,5,7 | Topics: Selecting Research Participants; Research Strategies and Validity
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4 | 3,5,8 | Topics: Experimental Research Strategy; Experimental Designs: Between-Subjects Design & Within-Subjects Designs
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5 | 2,3,8 | Topics: Non-Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies; Factorial Designs
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6 | 4,5,6,8 | Topics: Correlational Research Strategy; Descriptive Research Strategy
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7 | 3,7,8 | Topic: Integrating the Research Proposal
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8 | 3,7,8 | Topics: Final Research Proposal and Reflection
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COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.