Book Description

In The Practical Researcher, Dana S. Dunn’s student-friendly writing style and personal tone provide readers with a practical and engaging introduction to research methods in psychology. Using basic theory, solid research practices, and step-by-step techniques, the author leads students through the process of conducting a project from start to finish. The importance of learning to search, read, and critique the psychological literature, as well as writing clearly about it, is emphasized throughout. Packed with useful decision trees, tables, checklists, and illustrations, this clear and precise book will equip students with the tools they need to carry out their research successfully. Special Features New “Doing Research” decision trees open each chapter and guide students through the active learning exercises that inform the research process Research Foundations boxes explore common issues encountered by researchers and use examples to bring research to life Practical tools and tips for doing research appear throughout, such as writing an experimental script, operationalizing independent and dependent variables, and creating manipulation checks, among many others Over 40 Active Learning Exercises help students build practical skills such as creating a project timeline, developing a peer research contract, using a random numbers table, and reporting results in poster or paper form, among many others Generating Research Ideas section provides easy to follow guidelines for developing ideas by using freewriting, keeping a research notebook, or brainstorming research ideas alone or as a research team Critical thinking is emphasized when searching, reading, and writing about psychological literature Updated chapter on Ethical Considerations in the Practice of Research includes a solid foundation and practical exercises (e.g., completing an IRB form for an ethics review, writing an informed consent form, crafting a scientifically and ethically sound debriefing script) Updated references and research practices includes the latest APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct Expanded advice on presenting research at student conferences and submitting project results to student journals New annotated student paper in Appendix A