Psychology Research Methods: A Writing Intensive Approach

Description

Psychology Research Methods: A Writing Intensive Approach provides instruction in critical concepts and processes in behavioral science research methods and skills in formulating and writing research papers. The book creates an experiential approach to learning, with chapters organized around the task of writing a complete APA-style research paper. The chapters consist of instructional text, excerpts from published research articles, and learning activities. The reading activities help students develop skills in reading scientific research, evaluating and analyzing scientific information, and assembling evidence to make a scientific argument. The writing activities help students to break down the process of writing a research paper into manageable and meaningful components. As students complete the chapter activities, they assemble their research paper. The book teaches research methods in a clinical context, inspired by the National Institute of Health’s Science of Behavior Change Program. Students acquire knowledge about research methods as they read research articles about behavioral health disorders, including studies about their prevalence, causes, and treatment. Teaching research methods with a clinical focus helps students appreciate the value of psychological research. Psychology Research Methods: A Writing Intensive Approach provides instruction in critical concepts and processes in behavioral science research methods and skills in formulating and writing research papers. The book creates an experiential approach to learning, with chapters organized around the task of writing a complete APA-style research paper. The chapters consist of instructional text, excerpts from published research articles, and learning activities. The reading activities help students develop skills in reading scientific research, evaluating and analyzing scientific information, and assembling evidence to make a scientific argument. The writing activities help students to break down the process of writing a research paper into manageable and meaningful components. As students complete the chapter activities, they assemble their research paper. The book teaches research methods in a clinical context, inspired by the National Institute of Health’s Science of Behavior Change Program. Students acquire knowledge about research methods as they read research articles about behavioral health disorders, including studies about their prevalence, causes, and treatment. Teaching research methods with a clinical focus helps students appreciate the value of psychological research. Psychology Research Methods: A Writing Intensive Approach provides instruction in critical concepts and processes in behavioral science research methods and skills in formulating and writing research papers. The book creates an experiential approach to learning, with chapters organized around the task of writing a complete APA-style research paper. The chapters consist of instructional text, excerpts from published research articles, and learning activities. The reading activities help students develop skills in reading scientific research, evaluating and analyzing scientific information, and assembling evidence to make a scientific argument. The writing activities help students to break down the process of writing a research paper into manageable and meaningful components. As students complete the chapter activities, they assemble their research paper. The book teaches research methods in a clinical context, inspired by the National Institute of Health’s Science of Behavior Change Program. Students acquire knowledge about research methods as they read research articles about behavioral health disorders, including studies about their prevalence, causes, and treatment. Teaching research methods with a clinical focus helps students appreciate the value of psychological research. Front Cover Psychology Research Methods Psychology Research Methods: A Writing Intensive Approach Copyright Contents Preface A Clinical Focus: Building on the Science of Behavior Change A Writing Intensive Approach: Writing to Learn The Organization of the Book: Integrating Basic Mechanistic Research and Applied Clinical Science Acknowledgments REFERENCE 1 - Introduction A Clinical Focus A Writing Intensive Approach Learning by Doing The Scientific Method and the Science of Behavior Change The Culture of Science The Products of Scientific Research Research Articles Writing Research Proposals and Papers Research Proposals Components of the Proposal Components of a Paper Reviewing an Area of Research Basic and Applied Research Methods Getting Started: Identifying a Disorder to Study Creating a Mental Map of the Research Proposal Identifying Question Topics Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 1 - Public health significance 2 - The building blocks of research: Application to public health significance Building Blocks of Research: Theories, Constructs, Hypotheses, and Variables Theories Constructs Theories and Constructs Variables Variables and Hypotheses Variables and Constructs Measurement Methods Measurement Instruments Defining Constructs and Variables Formal Operational Definitions Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 3 - From building blocks to building hypothesis-testing research Types of Research Descriptive Research Inferential or Hypothesis-Testing Research Generating Hypotheses Assigning Roles to Variables: Considering Predictor and Outcome Variables Categorical and Continuous Variables: Yes or No vs. More or Less Continuous Variables Categorical Variables Hypothesis-Testing Studies: Observational vs. Experimental Research Interpreting the Results of Hypothesis Testing Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 4 - Public health significance: Finding the evidence Public Health Significance Components of the PHS Communicating the PHS Scientific Articles Types of Research Articles Original Research Articles Quantitative Research Articles Qualitative Research Articles Review Articles Clinical Articles Finding Research Articles to Build Your PHS Section Finding Information on the Operational Definitions Finding Information on the Prevalence and Incidence of the Disorder Finding Information on the Consequences of the Disorder Finding Information on Risk Factors for the Disorder Assessing the Usefulness of a Particular Paper Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms Clinical Terms References Further Reading 5 - Public health significance: A focus on populations and sampling Understanding Samples and Populations Different Ways to Obtain a Sample Population-Based Sampling Convenience Sampling Choosing a Sampling Method Risk Factors: Targeting the Study How Can You Find Information On Risk Factors? Documenting Risk Factors Evaluating the Evidence: Identifying Threats to Validity and Gaps in Knowledge in Epidemiological Studies Threats to Internal Validity Threats to External Validity Evaluating Studies to Detect Threats to Internal and External Validity Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References Further Reading 6 - Writing the public health significance section Documenting the Sources of Evidence Components of a PHS Section Writing a Proposal to Study the Effects of a Treatment Writing a Paper on the Evidence About Prevalence or Risk Factors for the Disorder Assembling the Evidence Needed Brief Description of the Article by Judd and Akiskal (2003) Brief Description of Cerimele et al. (2014) Writing About the Prevalence of the Disorder Reviewing One Original Research Article on the Prevalence of a Disorder Combining Information Across Studies Writing About the Consequences of the Disorder Writing About the Risk Factors for the Disorder Writing About Threats to Validity and Gaps in Knowledge Putting it all Together Building Human Capital Terms Research Methods Terms References 2 - Theory of the problem 7 - Theory of the problem: Understanding risk factors and mechanisms Understanding Etiology Developing a Model of the Pathways Among Risk Factors, Mechanisms, and Symptoms Mediator and Moderator Variables Mediator Variables Moderator Variables Researching the Evidence for the “Theory of the Problem” Descriptions of Potential Mechanisms Establishing a B-C Pathway Understanding the Articles on the Mechanisms to Disorder B-C Pathway Brief Description of an Article by Libby et al. (2004) Researching the A-B (Risk Factor to Mechanism) Pathway Context, Mechanisms, and Interventions Building Human Capital Terms Research Methods Terms References 8 - Theory of the problem: Understanding research designs Descriptive Research: What is the Nature of the Problem? Qualitative Research Quantitative Approach Inferential or Hypothesis-testing in Basic Research Studies Approaches: Are There Relationships Between Two or More Variables? Observational Designs Experimental Designs Observational Versus Experimental Designs Understanding the Implications of Different Types of Research Designs Strengths and Limitations of the Observational Approach Strengths and Limitations of the Experimental Approach Cross-Sectional Versus Longitudinal Designs Understanding the Strengths and Limitations of Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Designs Testing Mediation and Moderation Testing Mediation Testing Moderation Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 9 - Theory of the problem: Understanding research results Quantifying Constructs Variability: An Essential Concept The Research Hypothesis and the Null Hypothesis Understanding the Presentation of the Statistical Analyses An Analytic Plan or Strategy A Section Explaining Preliminary Analyses Hypothesis-Testing Analyses Understanding the Inferential Analyses Building Human Capital Thinking About Numbers: A Focus on Yourself and Others Terms Statistical Terms References 10 - Writing the Theory of the Problem Components of the Theory of the Problem Section Writing a Proposal for a Study to Evaluate a Treatment for the Disorder Writing a Paper Reviewing the Evidence Concerning Causes of the Disorder Assembling the Evidence Needed Putting all the Evidence into Tables The A-B Studies: Tabling the Evidence for the Relationship of the Risk Factor to the Mechanism The B-C Studies: Tabling the Evidence on the Relations of the Mechanism to the Symptoms Tabling Meta-Analyses Evaluating the Evidence: Examining Threats to Internal and External Validity Threats to Internal Validity Threats to External Validity Summarizing the Evidence Writing About Threats to Validity and Gaps in Knowledge Putting it all Together: Writing a Summary Paragraph Building Human Capital Persistence and Attention to Detail Terms Research Terms References 3 - Theory of the solution 11 - Theory of the solution: Understanding psychological treatments A Little Background Information About Psychological Treatments Psychotherapies: The Big Picture and Some Details The Big Picture Treatment Packages and Components Treatment Modalities Treatment Delivery Formats Types of Therapists Treatment Settings Ancillary or Common Factors Across Treatments Finding the Evidence Finding Different Types of Articles Building Human Capital Terms References 12 - Theory of the solution: Understanding research design for treatment outcome studies Research Designs Uncontrolled Trials Randomized Controlled Trials Experimental and Control Treatments The Experimental Treatment The Control Treatment Does the Experimental Treatment Reduce Symptoms? Superiority and Noninferiority Trials Understanding Original Empirical Article on Treatment Outcomes Understanding the Analytical Plan and Statistical Methods Parallel and Cross-Over Designs Analyses of Parallel Designs Primary and Secondary Outcomes Missing Data: Intent-to-treat Analyses Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References Further Reading 13 - Theory of the solution: Identifying gaps in knowledge Identifying Gaps by Understanding the State-of-the-Science Problems in Internal and External Validity Common to Original Treatment Outcome Studies Threats to Internal Validity: Mismatch Between the Hypothesis and the Choice of Control Conditions Threat to Internal Validity: Problems with Quality and Dose of Treatment Threats to Internal validity: Problems with Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Threats to Internal Validity: Sources of Bias in Experimentation Threats to Internal validity: Problems with Measurement Threats to External Validity: Limits to the Characteristics of Participants Threats to External Validity: Therapist and Setting Characteristics Threats to External Validity: Generalizability of Treatment Modality and Delivery System Threats to External Validity: Maintenance and Generalization Across Time Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 14 - Writing the theory of the solution Components of a TOS Section Writing a Proposal for a Study to Evaluate a Treatment for the Disorder Writing a Paper Reviewing the Evidence on Existing Treatment(s) for the Disorder Starting the Process: Describing the Treatment and Understanding How it Works An Operational Definition and Description of the Specified Treatment(s) Explaining the Mechanism of Action Does the Treatment Work? Summarizing the Evidence Assembling the Evidence Needed: Putting the Evidence into Tables Writing Descriptions of the Evidence from Original Research Studies and Meta-Analyses Describing Original Research Articles Describing the Results of Meta-Analyses and Systematic Reviews Identifying Threats to Validity and Gaps in Knowledge Writing the Gaps in Knowledge Section Wrapping up the TOS: Proposing the Study or Providing Future Directions Putting it all Together Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 4 - Methods 15 - Methods: Participant selection and ethical considerations Components of the Methods Section Making Choices About the Methods to Use Choosing Participants The Number of Participants Needed (n) Eligibility Criteria Applying the Eligibility Requirements Applying the Eligibility Criteria Recruitment Strategies Ethical Conduct of Research Principles of Ethical Conduct Beneficence and Justice Respect for Persons Institutional Review Boards Informed Consent The Use of Deception Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 16 - Methods: Measuring variables Components of the Measures Part of the Methods Section Hypotheses and Measurement Methods Considering the Source of the Data: Who Should Provide the information? Measurement Methods: How Should the Data Be Collected? Achieving Balance The Quality of Measurement: Considering Reliability and Validity Reliability Establishing Measurement Reliability Measurement Validity Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 17 - Methods: Procedures for study implementation and protection of internal validity Procedures for Selecting and Recruiting Participants Procedures for Recruiting Participants and Screening for Eligibility Procedures for Explaining the Study and Obtaining Informed Consent Procedures for Detecting Sources of Bias in the Selection of the Sample Procedures Related to Measuring Variables Standardization and Training of the Assessors Procedures for Protecting the Assessments from Bias Procedures Related to the Timing of the Assessments Procedures Related to Delivering the Independent Variable in Experimental Studies Procedures for Random Assignment Procedures for Establishing the Reliability and Validity of the Delivery of the Independent Variable Procedures for Insuring the Comparability of the Experimental and Control Conditions Procedures for Reducing Threats to Internal Validity by Controlling Bias and Extraneous Variables Extraneous Variables Procedures for Managing and Analyzing Data Building Human Capital Terms Research Terms References 18 - Writing about research methods Writing About the Methods to be Included in a Research Proposal Providing an Overview Describing Participants Eligibility and Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Recruitment Ethical Issues An Example of a Template for Describing Participants for a Proposal Describing Measures An Example of a Possible Template for a Measures Section Describing the Independent Variable An Example of a Template for Describing the Independent Variable Analysis Plan Writing About the Methods for a Research Review Paper A Methods Section for a Research Review Evaluating Research Participants An Example of a Template to Summarize an Analysis of Participants Included in Studies Evaluating the Measures An Example of a Template to Summarize an Analysis of Measures Included in Studies Evaluating the Independent Variable A Possible Template to Summarize an Analysis of Treatments Included in Studies Building Human Capital: A Final Note on Communication Style References Glossary Index A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Back Cover