Goals and Objectives for Research Methods in Psychology

(Intended as a first draft for an internal department document)

Students will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology and the social sciences, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.

Students will be able to:

• Articulate the value of empirical social science research.
• Explain different research methods used by psychologists and other social scientists.
• Describe how various research designs address different types of questions and hypotheses.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions derived from empirical research. Interpret basic statistical conclusions.
• Distinguish between statistical significance and practical significance.
• Locate and use relevant empirical research to support or refute public policy proposals, interventions or theoretical explanations of human behavior.
• Recognize that theoretical and sociocultural contexts as well as personal biases may shape research questions, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
• Follow appropriate ethical guidelines in the treatment of human participants in the design, data collection, interpretation, and reporting of research.
• Generalize research conclusions appropriately based on the limitations of particular research methods.
• Recognize the limitations of applying normative conclusions to particular individuals.
• Recognize the limitations of generalizing from a single individual experience to larger groups.
• Recognize that individual differences and sociocultural contexts may influence the applicability of research findings.

Adapted from: 2001 APA Undergraduate Psychology Major Learning Goals and Outcomes.

Evidence-based practice (APA Presidential Task Force)

APA Division 32 position statement about evidence-based practice