PSYC 217-901: Research Methods in Psychology Fall 2019, Term 1 Wednesday 5-8pm, AERL 120 Online home: https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/42995 Professor: Andrew Rivers, PhD Office hours: Monday 1-3pm @ Kenny 3110 Contact: amrivers@psych.ubc.ca TEACHING FELLOWS: Shunya Yagi Office hours: Available by appointment only Contact: syagi@psych.ubc.ca . Daphne Ling Office hours: Thursdays 3:30-4:30pm @ Kenny 3504 Contact: daphne.ling@ubc.ca Ella Weik Office hours: Wednesdays 12-1pm @ Kenny 3504 Contact: eweik@bcchr.ca COURSE DESCRIPTION: . Research Methods in Psychology will prepare you to apply the scientific method to the study of human behavior. In this course you will learn about different methods of acquiring knowledge about human psychology-including experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental methods. You will also experience first-hand what it is like to be a psychological scientist as you 1) propose a research idea, 2) develop an experimental test of your research idea, 3) collect experimental data, 4) analyze experimental data, and 5) communicate your findings in a scientific report. Most importantly, this course will allow you to further develop your skills as a critical consumer of scientific knowledge. This is not only a skill for scientists and academics; critical thinking is a highly valued skill in many professions, especially as the Information Age matures with the explosion of easily available and 'big' data. By the end of this course, a successful student can expect to be able to: 1. Describe key scientific principles in psychology. 2. Explain, compare, and contrast various research methods used by psychologists, including their relative strengths and limitations. 3. Use scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena. 4. Interpret, design, and conduct an experiment to investigate a psychological question. 5. Collaborate with a team to complete a coordinated research project. 6. Demonstrate basic competence in statistical literacy. 7. Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science. 8. Demonstrate effective writing skills for dissemination of scientific findings. 9. Exhibit effective presentation skills for dissemination of scientific findings. 10. Critically evaluate research studies and their conclusions. pp. 1 .
COURSE BASICS: PSYC 217 PREREQUITES AND PATHWAYS BEYOND: PSYC 217 requires completion of both PSYC 101 and PSYC 102. PSYC 217 is a program requirement to receive a B.A. in Psychology and is the pathway to enroll in PSYC 218 (Analysis of behavioral data). . REQUIRED MATERIALS: Cozby, P. C. & Rawn, C. D. (2016). Methods in behavioural research (Second Canadian Ed.). Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson. ISBN 978-1-25-9088469 OPTIONAL MATERIALS: Cuttler, C. (2010). Research methods in psychology: Student lab guide. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt. ISBN: 978-0-7575-7968-4 Electronic text available at https://he.kendallhunt.com/product/research-methods-psychology- student-lab-guide COURSE WEBSITE: All materials including an electronic syllabus, supplemental readings, lecture slides, and assignment information are located at our online home: https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/42995 COURSE FORMAT: Course time will be allocated to lecture, in-class activities, and small group discussion. In each lecture, I will strive to maximize the time we have for each class. This means that I will start lecture promptly, and I ask that you are present and ready to learn right at 5pm and be prepared to stay alert until 8pm (please caffeinate accordingly