Psychology 2802G 001 FW25
Research Methods in Psychology II
Western University
London Canada
Department of Psychology
Fall/Winter 2025
Psychology 2802G Section 001
Research Methods in Psychology II
1 Calendar Description
In this course, students will gain advanced knowledge of the scientific method as it applies to psychological research. Topics will include experimental, non-experimental and multi-method research designs, as well as visualization and interpretation of research results. Students will gain experience in communicating results and thinking critically about psychological research.
Antirequisite(s): Psychology 2830A/B, Psychology 2840A/B, Psychology 2855F/G Psychology 2856F/G the former Psychology 2800E, and the former Psychology 2820E.
Prerequisite(s): At least 70% in Psychology 2801F/G or Health Sciences 2801A/B; at least 60% in Data Science 1000A/B and at least 60% in 0.5 credit of Year 1 Math from among the following courses: Calculus 1000A/B, Calculus 1301A/B, Calculus 1500A/B, Calculus 1501A/B, Mathematics 1225A/B, Mathematics 1228A/B, Mathematics 1229A/B, Mathematics 1600A/B, or Applied Mathematics 1201A/B, or registration in Year 2 of an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience with special permission from the program administrator. Math 1228A/B is recommended. Students who have completed Statistics 1024A/B (or other Year 1 introductory statistics course in addition to 0.5 credit of Year 1 Math) instead of Data Science 1000A/B may enrol after completing an introductory programming class from the following list: Computer Science 1025A/B, Computer Science 1026A/B, Computer Science 2120A/B, Data Science 1200A/B, Digital Humanities 2220A/B, or Engineering Science 1036A/B. Data Science 2000A/B may be substituted for Data Science 1000A/B for students entering the program with 1.0 credits of Year 1 Math courses.
2 lecture hours and 2 laboratory hours, 0.5 course
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course, and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
2 Course Information
Instructor: Paul F. Tremblay, PhD
Office: see Brightspace for location
Office Hours: Mondays 1-3 pm
Email: ptrembla@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistants: Contact info for all TAs and lab sections will be posted to Brightspace
Time and Location of Classes: see Timetable on Student Centre
3 Course Materials
The class uses an open textbook that is free to download. A PDF of the book is available on Brightspace. Additional recommended or optional resources will be provided weekly in Brightspace as links to pdf versions of research articles.
Price, P.C., Jhangiani, R.S., & Chiang, I.A. (2015). Research Methods in Psychology (2nd Canadian Edition). Simple Book Production.
4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
The first objective is to continue to develop your knowledge of the design of research studies that meet standards of excellence, from the initial step of turning research aims into hypotheses that provide a clear direction for the entire methodology. Typical method sections in empirical research reports or study proposals include descriptions of the sample, sample size, sampling procedure, recruitment procedure, research design, procedure and instrumentation for the independent or explanatory variable(s), measurement of the dependent or outcome variables, the planned statistical procedure(s) and statements about ethical research conduct. We will cover all these steps in the course and consider a wide range of research methods (e.g., experiments, survey-based correlational research, coding observations, and qualitative research) used in various areas of psychology and related disciplines. The second objective of this course is to further develop our critical skills in evaluating the soundness of research all around us and as well as the validity of the claims from that research.
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge
|
Lectures, readings and lab activities and reports:
Lectures convey the common and unique components of each method to address goals of research and science
Labs and reports convey learning by doing, and focusing on challenges in real life research |
Research reports, exams |
|
Knowledge of Methodologies
|
Lectures, readings and lab activities and reports:
Lectures are structured to help students understand which method to use for a given research question. |
Research reports, exams
|
|
Application of Knowledge
|
Lectures, readings and lab activities and reports:
Each lab report will require students to develop ideas or evaluate existing research and answer specific probing questions. |
Research reports, exams
|
|
Communication Skills
|
Lectures, readings and lab activities and reports:
The lab reports require students to generate ideas and polish their ability to interpret and evaluate research clearly |
Research reports, exams |
|
Awareness of Limits of Knowledge
|
Lectures, readings and lab activities and reports:
Labs and reports immerse students in understanding the limitations more clearly |
Research reports, exams
|
|
Autonomy and Professional Capacity
|
Lectures, readings and lab activities and reports
Lectures and labs integrate real world example of challenges in research methodology |
Research reports, exams
|
5 Evaluation
Midterm test 20%
Final Exam 30%
Five Lab Reports 50%
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4 and are necessary for meeting these learning objectives
Midterm Test and Final Exam: Both the midterm test and final exam will be primarily multiple-choice format (other formats such as short answers may also be used--a breakdown will be confirmed prior to the test/exam). The final exam is cumulative, with emphasis placed on content from the second half of the course.
Five Lab Reports: Each assignment will focus on a different aspect of the lab sessions and will consist of written reports (approximately 500 words each) and worth 10% each. Each lab report must be submitted to Gradebook by 11:59 pm on the respective due date.
Policy on Missing Coursework
Midterm test is the Designated Assessment. If you miss the midterm, you will need to seek formal supporting documentation. A makeup test will be granted if approved by academic counselling. Dates for midterm make-up test will be announced via Brightspace. It is the student’s responsibility to check this date and ensure that they are available to write on the specified day if a make-up exam is required. The makeup may adhere to a different format from the original test.
Final Exam. The final exam is scheduled by the Office of the Registrar and requires formal supporting documentation. Students who receive academic consideration for an exam will be given an opportunity to write a makeup exam. The makeup may adhere to a different format from the original exam.
Five Lab Reports. Students need to complete all five reports, and all five reports will be equally weighted in the calculation of your overall grade. In terms of the course flexibility in assessment component, you will be allowed a 48-hour extension on one of first four assignments. Any additional extension may be granted with academic consideration. In the interest of fairness to the teaching assistants, extensions cannot be granted for more than two weeks past the original deadline.
Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your five written reports must be at least 50%.
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf
The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses
72% 2100-2999-level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
In the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.
Policy on Grade Rounding
Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered.
6 Assessment/Evaluation Schedule
Midterm: (Feb 12, in class) 20%
Final Exam: (as scheduled by registrar during final exam period) 30%
Lab Reports: (Five reports each weighted 10%) 50%
Report 1: Assigned Jan 22; Due Feb 5
Report 2: Assigned Feb 5; Due Feb 26
Report 3: Assigned Feb 26; Due Mar 12
Report 4: Assigned Mar 12; Due Mar 26
Report 5: Assigned Mar 26; Due Apr 9
Lab reports will be assigned during lab sessions, and you must submit them to Brightspace by 11:59pm on the date indicated above.
7 Class and Lab Schedule
See Brightspace Content Pages for weekly suggested readings.
|
Lec |
Lecture Topic |
Lab |
|
Jan 8 |
Overview |
Software (jamovi, jasp and r) data setup
|
|
Jan 15 |
Research Design & Causation |
Data setup across research designs
|
|
Jan 22 |
Designing Independent/ Explanatory Variables |
Rep1 assigned (due Feb 5). Manipulations/ treatment/ interventions IVs Assignment |
|
Jan 29 |
Measurement of Dependent/ Outcome Variables |
Measurement – Data visualization |
|
Feb 5 |
Sampling/Recruitment/Data Collection |
Rep2 assigned (due Feb 26). Measurement Assignment |
|
Feb 12 |
MIDTERM (in class) |
No lab |
|
Feb 19 |
READING WEEK |
No lab |
|
Feb 26 |
Experiments I. One Independent Variable (IV) |
Rep3 assigned (due Mar 12). Experiment proposal Assignment |
|
Mar 5 |
Experiments II. Two or more IVs, Interactions, Covariates |
Experiment proposal continued |
|
Mar 12 |
Experiments III. Including a Repeated Measures IV |
Rep4 assigned (due Mar 26). Review of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Assignment |
|
Mar 19 |
Quasi Experimental Methods |
RCT review project continued
|
|
Mar 26 |
Correlational Designs |
Rep 5 assigned (due Apr 9). Correlational study Assignment |
|
Apr 2 |
Longitudinal and Multiple Repeated Measures Designs |
Correlational study continued |
|
Apr 9 |
Qualitative Research Methods |
Review for exam |
8 Academic Integrity
Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
Plagiarism Detection Software
All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com.
Use of AI
The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content.
AI Policy for Psychology 2802G:
Responsible use of AI is allowed in 2802G. This includes using AI for brainstorming, improving grammar, or doing preliminary/background research on a topic.
AI is not to be used in place of critical thinking.
The misuse of AI undermines the academic values of this course. Relying on AI to create full drafts or fabricate sources is prohibited. You are ultimately responsible for any work submitted, so it is highly advised that you critically review your Generative AI output before incorporating this information into your assignments.
If you use AI, you must clearly explain its role in your work. All written assignments will require an AI Usage Statement, in which you will indicate what tools you have used, what you have used them for, and (broadly) how you have modified this information. Assignments without an AI Usage Statement will not be accepted.
Violations of this policy will be handled according to Western’s scholastic offense policies.
Multiple Choice Exams
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
Exam Proctoring Software
Tests and examinations for online courses may be conducted using a remote proctoring service. More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote
Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.
9 Academic Accommodations and Accessible Education
View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link.
Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western.
If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information. Email: aew@uwo.ca Phone: 519 661-2147
10 Absence & Academic Consideration
Academic Considerations: https://registrar.uwo.ca/academics/academic_considerations/index.html
11 Other Information
- Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
- Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca
- Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness@Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you.
If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf. Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal in writing to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).
Copyright Statement
Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
