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Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation
Research Methods
Course: PSY290AC

First Term: 2025 Fall
 Lecture   3.0 Credit(s)   3.0 Period(s)   3.0 Load  
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: T - Lab Load


Description: Planning, execution, analysis, and written reporting of psychological research using American Psychological Association guidelines (APA). Critical review of literature and methods in representative areas of psychological research.



MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. List the basic assumptions of science. (I)
2. Conduct a basic research project including communicating the study’s results in a report that follows American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines. (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII)
3. Identify the ways in which people are continuously consuming and being influenced by scientific and quasi-scientific information. (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII)
4. Describe how sociocultural factors influence research practices and how research strategies may be impacted by value systems and worldviews. (I, V)
5. Explain the importance of collaboration in research. (I, VII)
6. Demonstrate the ability to contribute positively to team-based efforts. (I, VII)
7. Develop an operationally defined hypothesis. (II)
8. Differentiate between various research methods, including all major experimental and non-experimental approaches. (III)
9. Identify independent and dependent variables. (III)
10. Identify confounding variables (sources of secondary variance). (III)
11. Summarize the key components of a published, peer-reviewed scientific report. (VI)
12. Critically analyze scientific reports including suggestions of rival hypotheses. (VI)
13. Describe ethical concerns associated with research. (VII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.
 
MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Scientific method
   A. Basic assumptions of science
   B. Theoretical vs. applied science
   C. Scope of science
   D. Limits of science
   E. Importance of collaboration
   F. Sociocultural considerations
II. Formulation of question and hypothesis(es)
   A. Operational definitions
      1. Measurement strategies
      2. Possible outcomes (alternative)
   B. Inductive and deductive models
   C. Hypotheses and theories
III. Methods of research
   A. Observational studies
      1. Natural environment
         a. Obtrusive
         b. Unobtrusive
      2. Simulated environmental studies
   B. Non-experimental methods
      1. Case studies
      2. Correlational studies
         a. Concepts of correlation
         b. Necessities of causation
      3. Surveys
      4. Longitudinal studies
      5. Secondary data analysis and/or “big data” contexts
      6. Single subject (N = 1) designs
      7. Other
   C. Experimental methods
      1. Independent Variables
      2. Dependent Variables
      3. Control Variables
      4. Extraneous Variables (Confounding Variables)
         a. Subject Bias
         b. Observer/Experimenter Bias
         c. Controlling Extraneous Variables
IV. Research designs
   A. Between subjects (independent samples) designs
   B. Within subjects designs
      1. Repeated measures
      2. Matched subjects
   C. Factorial designs
   D. Quasi-experimental designs
   E. Other
V. Evaluation of research design
   A. Sampling and sample size
   B. Internal validity
   C. External validity
   D. Generalizability
   E. Statistical and/or practical significance
   F. Sociocultural factors
VI. Writing research reports
   A. Accessing peer-reviewed scholarly resources
   B. Reading and summarizing scientific articles
   C. Literature review of topic or researcher
   D. Writing in a scientific style using APA guidelines
   E. Major sections of a report
   F. Evaluating resources
VII. Research ethics and historical context
   A. Treatment of participants
   B. Research conduct
   C. Institutional review boards
   D. Appropriate attribution of collaboration and contribution
   E. Other contemporary ethical issues
 
MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: February 25, 2025

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.