Research Methods, Design, and Analysis

Larry Christensen, Ph.D., is currently chair of the psychology department at the University of South Alabama.  Prior to accepting his current position, he was at Texas A&M University where he progressed through the ranks from Assistant to Full Professor.  While at Texas A&M University, he served as director of graduate studies and developed a program of research focusing on the relationship between food and mood with a focus of attention on depression.  He continues this program of research at University of South Alabama but has also expanded into the area of food cravings.  Dr. Christensen has published approximately 70 scholarly research articles with the primary focus being the food-mood relationship.  He has also authored or co-authored five books focusing on research methods, psychological statistics and the effect of food on mood.  In addition to these accomplishments, he has served as past president of Southwestern Psychological Association, received the Phi Kappa Phi Scholar of the year award in 2001, served as a National Academy of Science study group member, was a consultant to the Texas Department of Mental Health-Mental Retardation, Research consultant to Procter and Gamble Co., and was a committee judge for the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize.   R. Burke Johnson, Ph.D.,is a research methodologist. He is a Professor in the Department of Professional Studies, at the University of South Alabama. He holds three masters degrees (psychology, sociology, and public policy). His Ph.D. is from the REMS Program (Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics) at the University of Georgia. He is author or coauthor of numerous articles and chapters, and was recently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Mixed Methods Research. He was guest editor of a special issue on mixed methods research in the journal Research in the Schools (available at http://www.msera.org/rits_131.htm)  and is currently guest editor of a forthcoming special issue on this topic for the American Behavioral Scientist. He is also working with Paul Vogt on the 4th edition of the Sage Dictionary of Statistics and Methodology.   Lisa A. Turner, Ph.D.,is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Alabama. Her Ph.D. is from the Experimental Psychology Program at the University of Alabama. She is author or coauthor of numerous articles and chapters investigating developmental and cognitive processes relevant to children with disabilities and their families.

PART I: INTRODUCTION

 

CHAPTER 1    Introduction to Scientific Research

CHAPTER 2    Research Approaches and Methods of Data Collection

 

PART II: PLANNING THE RESEARCH STUDY

 

CHAPTER 3    Problem Identification and Hypothesis Formation

CHAPTER 4    Ethics

 

PART III: FOUNDATIONS OF RESEARCH

 

CHAPTER 5    Measuring Variables and Sampling

CHAPTER 6    Research Validity

 

PART IV: EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

 

CHAPTER 7    Control Techniques in Experimental Research

CHAPTER 8    Experimental Research Design

CHAPTER 9    Procedure for Conducting an Experiment

CHAPTER 10  Quasi-Experimental Designs

CHAPTER 11  Single-Case Research Designs

 

PART V: EXPLORATORY AND DESCRIPTIVE METHODS

 

CHAPTER 12  Survey Research

CHAPTER 13  Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research

 

PART VI: ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING DATA 

 

CHAPTER 14  Descriptive statistics

CHAPTER 15  Inferential statistics

 

 

PART VII: WRITING THE RESEARCH REPORT

 

CHAPTER 16  Writing an APA Style Research Report

 

APPENDIX A:  Answers to end of chapter multiple choice questions.

 

GLOSSARY