Research Methodology

Paper Code: 
PSY141
Credits: 
04
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
12.00
Unit I: 
Introduction to Research in Psychology

Traditions of Psychological Research: Positivism, Interpretation, critical theory, psychodynamics.

Paradigms in Psychological Research: Macro theory and microtheory, conflict paradigm, symbolic interpretive, structural functionism, Feminist Paradigms

Dietetics of Psychological Research: Idiographic and Nomothetic Explanation, Inductive and Deductive theory, Qualitative and Quantitative data, Pure and Applied research.

Ethics of Psychological Research: Informed consent and deception, freedom to withdraw, protection from harm and  debriefing,  removing  harmful  consequences,confidentially.

 

12.00
Unit II: 
Structuring of Research in Psychology

Research Methods: Descriptive observation : Naturalisitc observation, case study, survey research, sources of error in descriptive research

Relational Research : Introduction, data for a correlation study, applications of correlational methods.

Experimental Method Qualitative field study: naturalism, ethno methodology, grounded theory, institutional ethnography, participatory action research

Research designs: Introduction, purpose Types : pretests – post test, variants of basic designs, randomized group,correlated groups

20.00
Unit III: 
Statistical Evaluation of data in Psychology

Quantitative Data Analysis

Descriptive Statistics:   measures of central tendency, measures of variability, correlation coefficient, regression analysis, normal distribution.

Inferential Statistics : sampling, Standard Error Formula (mean, S.D. correlation) testing differences between two groups – t test, F test (one way Anova, two way Anova, ANCOVA)

Non Parametric Tests: Mann – Whitney, Wilcoxan Signed – ranks, chisquare

Qualitative Data Analysis: Introduction; linking theory and analysis - Discovering patterns, grounded theory method, semiotics, conversation analysis; Qualitative Data Processing : Coding, Mamoing, concept mapping; Computer programmes for Qualitative data – Leviticus as seen  through  NUDIST;  the  qualitative  analysis  of quantitative data.

8.00
Unit IV: 
Interpreting the Results of Research in Psychology

Interpreting   Specific    Results:   Problem    of     scale attenuation, regression artifacts

Interpreting Patterns     of      Research:    Reliability   and replication, converging operations

8.00
Unit V: 
Presenting Research Results in Psychology

Goal of a research report: General APA guidelines for writing style format : some elements of working style, guidelines for typing or word processing

Elements of an APA – style research; submitting a manuscript for publication, writing a research proposal.

Essential Readings: 
  • David E.G., Kantowitz, B.H. & Roediger H.L. (2006). Research Methods in Psychology
  • Gravetter, F.J., Frozano, L.B. (2006). Research Methods for the Behavrioual Sciences.
  • Babbie, E. (2004). The practice of social research.
  • Kerlinger, F.N. (2004), Foundation of Behavioural Research.

 

Academic Year: