Skills

Psychology 2: Research Methods

10 weeks · 3 milestones

Design studies that can answer a question, ethically. Course 2 of the Varsity Curriculum: Psychology. Free sources only. Foundations only. Not a clinical or counselling qualification.

Part of: Psychology · Proves for: UG, College Applications, Career

Milestone map

3 milestones

Compare study designs

3 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Read OpenStax chapter 2 and the Noba module on research designs. Self-check: chapter 2 review questions. Then make a comparison of three published studies (one experiment, one correlational, one observational), naming what each can and cannot show.

Proof required

Link the public repo or shared document with a comparison of three published studies (one experiment, one correlational, one observational), naming what each can and cannot show, with every source cited.

What gets checked

Each design is named correctly.
Each claim matches what the design can show.
Threats to validity are named for each.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A comparison of three published studies (one experiment, one correlational, one observational), naming what each can and cannot show.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 2: Research Methods
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Each design is named correctly.
Each claim matches what the design can show.
Threats to validity are named for each.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Build and pilot a survey

3 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Read the study design chapters of Introduction to Modern Statistics. Self-check: chapter 2 review questions. Then make a short anonymous online survey or task with a consent page, piloted on at least five adults. If you collect data from people: adults only (18+), consent first, answers anonymous, and no health or clinical questions. Under 18? Use an open dataset; never collect data yourself.

Proof required

Link the public repo with a short anonymous online survey or task with a consent page, piloted on at least five adults: the experiment code, a link to run it, and the anonymous data from your test runs. Add the consent text you used.

What gets checked

Every question maps to the research question.
The consent page comes first and says how data is used.
Data from people follows the rules: adults, consent, anonymous, no health or clinical data.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A short anonymous online survey or task with a consent page, piloted on at least five adults.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 2: Research Methods
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Every question maps to the research question.
The consent page comes first and says how data is used.
Pilot problems are listed and fixed.
Data from people follows the rules: adults, consent, anonymous, no health or clinical data.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Preregister a study

3 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Read the OSF guide and pick a question you could test with open data or a short survey. Self-check: chapter 2 review questions. Then make a preregistration: question, hypothesis, design, sample size with its reason, and the exact analysis.

Proof required

Link the public repo or shared document with a preregistration: question, hypothesis, design, sample size with its reason, and the exact analysis, with every source cited.

What gets checked

The hypothesis is testable and stated before data.
The sample size has a reason.
The analysis is specific enough for someone else to run.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A preregistration: question, hypothesis, design, sample size with its reason, and the exact analysis.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 2: Research Methods
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

The hypothesis is testable and stated before data.
The sample size has a reason.
The analysis is specific enough for someone else to run.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Psychology 2: Research Methods →

Related outcomes

Milestone map

3 milestones

Compare study designs

3 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Proof required

What gets checked

Each design is named correctly.
Each claim matches what the design can show.
Threats to validity are named for each.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A comparison of three published studies (one experiment, one correlational, one observational), naming what each can and cannot show.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 2: Research Methods
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Each design is named correctly.
Each claim matches what the design can show.
Threats to validity are named for each.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Build and pilot a survey

3 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Proof required

What gets checked

Every question maps to the research question.
The consent page comes first and says how data is used.
Data from people follows the rules: adults, consent, anonymous, no health or clinical data.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A short anonymous online survey or task with a consent page, piloted on at least five adults.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 2: Research Methods
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Every question maps to the research question.
The consent page comes first and says how data is used.
Pilot problems are listed and fixed.
Data from people follows the rules: adults, consent, anonymous, no health or clinical data.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Preregister a study

3 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Proof required

Link the public repo or shared document with a preregistration: question, hypothesis, design, sample size with its reason, and the exact analysis, with every source cited.

What gets checked

The hypothesis is testable and stated before data.
The sample size has a reason.
The analysis is specific enough for someone else to run.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A preregistration: question, hypothesis, design, sample size with its reason, and the exact analysis.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 2: Research Methods
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

The hypothesis is testable and stated before data.
The sample size has a reason.
The analysis is specific enough for someone else to run.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.