Research Methods in Psychology for Dummies - (For Dummies) by Martin Dempster & Donncha Hanna (Paperback)

About the Book

Discusses qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, case studies, laboratory observations, tests, experiments, and more.

Book Synopsis

Your hands-on introduction to research methods in psychology

Looking for an easily accessible overview of research methods in psychology? This is the book for you! Whether you need to get ahead in class, you're pressed for time, or you just want a take on a topic that's not covered in your textbook, Research Methods in Psychology For Dummies has you covered.

Written in plain English and packed with easy-to-follow instruction, this friendly guide takes the intimidation out of the subject and tackles the fundamentals of psychology research in a way that makes it approachable and comprehensible, no matter your background. Inside, you'll find expert coverage of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, case studies, laboratory observations, tests and experiments--and much more.

• Serves as an excellent supplement to course textbooks
• Provides a clear introduction to the scientific method
• Presents the methodologies and techniques used in psychology research
• Written by the authors of Psychology Statistics For Dummies

If you're a first or second year psychology student and want to supplement your doorstop-sized psychology textbook--and boost your chances of scoring higher at exam time--this hands-on guide breaks down the subject into easily digestible bits and propels you towards success.

From the Back Cover

Learn to:

• Understand the scientific method
• Design a research study
• Conduct surveys, case studies, tests, experiments, and more
• Interpret data

Don't be stumped by research methods--let this book help!

Need an overview of psychology research methods that's more approachable than your textbook? This plain-English guide explains research fundamentals and methodologies in easily digestible bites, helping you understand surveys, case studies, laboratory observations, tests and experiments, and much more. You'll find it pays off at exam time, too!

• Understand the basics -- explore what different research methods accomplish and the importance of reliability, validity, and ethical studies
• Designing for validity -- examine different survey and experimental designs and understand how to develop them to support validity
• It's qualitative -- discover how to approach qualitative research using the method of thematic analysis and explore some specific techniques
• What to do with the results -- get guidelines for reporting your research results and learn to prepare a written report and a conference presentation
• Prepare a proposal -- find out what goes into a research proposal and how to develop one, write it up, and create a research protocol

Open the book and find:

• Common research methods
• How to maintain scientific integrity
• Tips on designing questionnaires
• Secrets of successful small experiments
• Principles used in analysing qualitative data
• Ways to manage anxiety during a conference presentation
• How to calculate sample size
• Ten common mistakes and how to avoid them

About the Author

Martin Dempster, PhD, is a health psychologist and research coordinator for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology program at Queen's University Belfast. Donncha Hanna, PhD, is a psychology lecturer at Queen's University Belfast responsible for teaching statistics and research methods.