Research Methods

PSYC 505 – 4 credits

Fall quarter, Mon and Wed 3:30-5:20

Instructor

  • Rich Hartman, PhD (rhartman@llu.edu)
    • office hours:
      • Psychology Research Annex #2 (best by appointment): Mon 11:15-12:15, Wed 10:30-11, 5:30-7:30
      • via Zoom (by appointment only): Tue / Thu / Fri 12:00-3:00

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the methods used in psychology research. The goal is to help you become a well-informed consumer of research and to give you the skills needed to perform your own research. This course will address the major theoretical and philosophical issues of the research process, including the history of the field, formulating a research question, funding, grant-writing, experimental design, sampling / measurement / scaling, validity (external, internal, construct, conclusion), reliability, ethics, data analysis, and writing up / interpreting the results. Note that the schedule (below) contains links to download the required reading(s) for that section. This class is required for all 2nd year doctoral students in the LLU Clinical Psychology programs.

Some Recommended Books

There are no required textbooks for this class. Everything that you need to know to complete the course requirements will be presented in class. Because of the broad range of individual comfort levels associated with the various aspects of “research methods” (e.g., writing, critical thinking, formatting, statistical analyses, data presentation, etc.) and the broad scope of possible projects, some books may be more helpful than others. That being said, here is a list of textbooks that may provide some extra guidance.

Required Software

Resources From the Web

Grading

Projects / papers are due at the beginning of class time on the date assigned. Projects turned in after this time will be considered 1 day late. Late projects will lose 20% for each day late. If you feel you have a legitimate reason for turning in an assignment or taking an exam late, you must contact me before the due date. Additionally, up to 2% of the total possible points may be deducted for each instance of disruptive classroom behaviors, including (but not limited to) tardiness, talking to neighbors, playing with electronics, sleeping, etc. PLEASE NOTE: Barring an emergency or health issue, there are very few valid reasons to get up and leave class once it has started. ALSO NOTE: Classroom presentations require both a speaker and an audience. Unexcused absences on days in which other students are presenting will result in a loss of up to 50% of the points for your own presentation.

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  • 2.5 pts CV (my example) and biosketch (NIH template and an example)
  • 2.5 pts human subjects certification at LLU’s IRB Educational website
  • 2.5 pts join researchgate
  • 2.5 pts proof of reference manager software
  • 20 pts initial oral proposal
  • 30 pts initial written proposal (requirements, example)
  • 15 pts primary review of someone else’s proposal (scoring guide)
  • 15 pts 3 secondary reviews of someone else’s proposal (scoring guide)
  • 50 pts final oral proposal (grading parameters)
  • 50 pts final written proposal
  • 10 pts “classroom participation”

Tentative Weekly Schedule (subject to change as needed)

  • WEEK 1:
    • 9/25 Mon: brief meeting to start class
    • 9/27 Wed: Specifics of the research proposal sections and scoring / project examples
  • WEEK 2:
    • 10/2 Mon: Shan Tamares from the Library Using the library’s databases and other research resources
    • 10/4 Wed: Getting your research proposal started
  • WEEK 3:
    • 10/9 Mon: First oral presentation (5m) of research proposal day 1
    • 10/11 Wed: First oral presentation (5m) of research proposal day 2
  • WEEK 4:
    • 10/16 Mon: Experimental language, philosophy, and conceptualization
    • 10/18 Wed: The 4 main types of research “validity”
  • WEEK 5:
    • 10/23 Mon: External and construct validity (sampling and measurement)
    • 10/25 Wed: Internal and conclusion validity (experimental design and analysis)
  • WEEK 6:
    • 10/30 Mon: Ethical issues in research
    • 11/1 Wed: Writing up and presenting your results
      • The elements of style for writing scientific journal articles
      • Who says you can’t get published?
  • WEEK 7:
    • 11/6 Mon: Research careers
    • 11/8 Wed: DUE: proposal, CV, biosketch, proof of Researchgate & reference manager
  • WEEK 8:
    • 11/13 Mon: Society for Neuroscience conference (work on primary reviews)
    • 11/15 Wed: Society for Neuroscience conference (work on secondary reviews)
  • WEEK 9:
    • 11/20 Mon: NO CLASS
    • 11/22 Wed: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)
  • WEEK 10:
    • 11/27 Mon: Proposal review (10m) day 1
    • 11/29 Wed: Proposal review (10m) day 2
  • WEEK 11:
    • 12/4 Mon: Proposal review (10m) day 3
    • 12/6 Wed: Final oral presentation (5m) of research proposal day 1
  • WEEK 12:
    • 12/11 Mon: Final oral presentation (5m) of research proposal day 2
    • 12/13 Wed: DUE: proof of IRB certification, revised (final) research proposal

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy

If you are an individual with a certifiable disability and need to make a request for reasonable accommodation to fully participate in this class, please visit the Dean’s Office of your school. To view the Disability Accommodation Policy please go to the student handbook (beginning on page 60).

Academic Integrity Policy

Acts of dishonesty including theft, plagiarism, giving or obtaining information in examinations or other academic exercises, or knowingly giving false information are unacceptable. Substantiated violations are to be brought before the dean for disciplinary action. Such action may include, but is not limited to, academic probation or dismissal from the program. To view the Standards of Academic Conduct Policy please go to the student handbook (beginning on page 76).

Academic Policies and Standards for Performance

All students receive copies of their Program’s Student Handbook and the Loma Linda University Student Handbook upon admission to the University and program. Students are held responsible for becoming familiar with the policies contained in these documents. Specifically, students need to know and understand the academic policies that guide their classroom and practicum experiences. These include but are not limited to policies for assignment standards, late assignments, attendance, identification of codes for course assignments, and academic dishonesty. Students should address any questions they may have regarding these policies to the Department’s Academic Standards/Affairs Committee.

Protected Health Information

The purpose of the Protected Health Information (PHI) policy is to provide guidance and establish clear expectations for students regarding the appropriate access to and use of PHI during course studies and related program activities. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), patient health information is protected. Click here for more information.

SBH Course Attendance and Grading Policies

Attendance Policy: School of Behavioral Health (SBH) programs are programs of professional preparation and students are expected to attend all class sessions; failure to do so will negatively impact the student’s ability to continue in the course. SBH’s position regarding attendance reflects the need for students to actively participate in class activities aimed at integrating course specific content as well as integration of knowledge from a range of courses. The SBH faculty believe this cannot be accomplished through independent study alone.
  • Attendance Requirements for In-Person Main Campus Courses:
    • SBH students are required to attend 80% of all scheduled in-person classes to receive a passing course grade. Courses designated for Main Campus instruction cannot be attended online.
  • Attendance Requirements for Hybrid and Synchronous Online Courses:
    • Students enrolled in a hybrid or synchronous online course must attend 80% of all weekly in-class or online sessions and engage with weekly module activities to be eligible to receive a passing course grade.
  • Attendance Requirements for Asynchronous Online Courses:
    • SBH students enrolled in asynchronous courses must demonstrate regular engagement with the weekly module activities and are not permitted to have more than two 7-day periods (from the first day of the module week) without engagement with the module. Engagement is defined as reviewing module resources, interacting with peers by responding to discussion/assignment prompts and communicating with the instructor.
Students who do not complete the attendance requirements as stated above (regardless of class format) will be advised to withdraw from the course, and in cases of non-communication with the instructor and program director, will receive a failing grade with subsequent notification to the Loma Linda University Financial Aid Representative. The stated allowances for class absences are to be used for illness, personal emergencies, jury duty, or work responsibilities. Appropriate documentation should be provided. Students should give special attention to scheduling personal appointments at times that do not conflict with their responsibilities regarding class attendance. For all courses, students are required to be seated in the classroom (in-person or virtual classrooms) and ready to participate by the class-time listed in the university online course schedule or the welcome page of their Canvas classroom.  Early departures, class tardiness, multitasking, frequent and/or extended breaks, and having your camera off without faculty approval (for synchronous online classes) are documented and factored into the course grade, potentially resulting in an unsatisfactory or failing grade. Instructors record didactic synchronous online sessions or meetings related to a course using digital technology (e.g., Zoom, Panopto). These recorded class sessions or meetings may be made available to students within the class through the Learning Management System and shall not be posted or shared beyond the students registered for the course and course instructors, unless otherwise approved. Students shall not record meetings held on digital platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Panopto), without expressed written permission from the instructor or meeting leader.

Late Assignment Submission Policy

It is imperative that students submit course assignments by the due date indicated on the syllabus. However, we understand that there may be circumstances where a student needs to submit their work late. In such cases, the following policies apply:
  • Late Assignment Submission: Assignments submitted after the due date will not be accepted if they are more than two weeks late. This policy ensures that students submit their work in a timely manner and allows for efficient grading and feedback processes. If a late assignment is accepted, it may result in a deduction of up to 10% from the total score. This penalty encourages students to submit their work on time while still providing an opportunity for those who face genuine difficulties.
  • Time-Dependent and/or Sequenced Assignments: For assignments that are time-dependent or sequenced, the professor has the discretion to not accept late submissions. This is because these assignments often build upon previous work or require timely participation, making it challenging to incorporate late submissions without disrupting the learning process.
  • Online Discussion Posts, Reading Quizzes, and Knowledge Checks: Late submissions are not allowed for online discussion posts, reading quizzes, or knowledge checks. These activities are designed to foster timely engagement and assess understanding in a dynamic learning environment. However, if a discussion post is designated as a larger course assignment, it may fall under the 10% deduction rule for late submissions. Your instructor will notify you if this is the case.
A time-limited extension for up to two weeks, without a late assignment penalty, will be considered for extenuating circumstances. Time-limited extension requests need to be submitted to the instructor for approval with a copy of the request sent to the Program Director. Documentation should be provided as appropriate. After two weeks the assignment will not be accepted. Students who cannot meet the requirements of the two-week time-limited extension need to review with their instructor and Program Director whether they should withdraw from the course or meet the University’s criteria for an Incomplete (I). Unless an Incomplete (I) has been approved, all assignments must be submitted by the last Friday of the quarter at 2:00pm (PST).