PSYC214 RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY II

Course Code:3710214
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week):4 (3.00 - 2.00)
ECTS Credit:7.0
Department:Psychology
Language of Instruction:English
Level of Study:Undergraduate
Course Coordinator:Assoc.Prof.Dr. V.DOĞU ERDENER
Offered Semester:Spring Semesters.

Course Objectives

The main aim of this course is to build upon the existing knowledge of students who took PSYC113, PSYC116 and PSYC217 courses in research methods and statistics and get them further familiarised with issues such as survey and experimental designs, how to manipulate independent variables, experimental control and the like. Towards this goal, the crux of the assessment of this course will consist of preparing a research proposal and the completion of a research project to be written up in APA format. As part of their projects, students will also use and further their skills in statistical analyses using SPSS.


Course Content

This course aims to familiarize students with the use of experimental methods in psychology. The content will include basic principles of good experimentation, between group and within-group experiments, how to deal with the problems associated with these kinds of experiments, design and interpretation of factorial experiments. During the course of the semester, students will be required to create a simple experiment of their own, collect data, and report the result in a computer generated report in the appropriate format.
Prerequisite: PSYC 113.



Course Learning Outcomes

This unit endeavours to help studemts gain:

  • an understanding of research methods in terms of their definition, significance, and implications in psychology.
  • the basic understanding and appreciation for the importance of scientific research and its role. 
  • the role of the relationships among different research methods and their implementation with their weakness and strengths.

Program Outcomes Matrix

Level of Contribution
#Program Outcomes0123
1Solid background in basic theories and approaches in psychology
2Skills to follow both national and international publications and developments in the discipline and to obtain and interpret new information in the light of acquired theoretical knowledge
3Awareness of the value of continuing educational practices such as in-service trainings, seminars, and conferences to keep career-relevant knowledge and skills up-to-date
4Skills to conduct research based on basic knowledge related to testing and measurement, research methods, and statistics as well as the ability to present and disseminate research findings both orally and in writing
5Knowledge and skills about conducting research and practice by adhering to ethical guidelines
6Skills in oral and written communication both in Turkish and English as well as preferably learning a third language
7Skills to work in teams that involve disciplinary and interdisciplinary projects
8Critical thinking skills in following the psychological literature together with the psychology-related information appearing in popular media
9Skills to generate practical and culture-sensitive solutions to problems
10Awareness of societal, environmental, and economic factors in professional practice and research
11Skills to lead and pioneer in the profession of psychology, either in academia or professional practice
12Skills in independent and team work

0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution