Course Description
This course will assist students in learning to be good consumers of research literature and learn the basics of being ethically and multiculturally competent researchers. This is a foundational course in research methods; therefore, students will be encouraged to understand how to evaluate the quality of research and what research findings under different research designs can and cannot imply about human nature and behavior. This course covers statistical significance and statistical validity and reliability issues in when evaluating the credibility of research study outcomes. Students will also be asked to consider their curiosities about people and learn to translate their wonderings into research questions. The challenge will then be to learn the fundamentals of how to study those questions under different research designs. Students will learn how choices in design impact how they are able to approach answering their research questions and with what level of certainty.
Course topics include
- Reading and evaluating research
- Turning curiosities into research questions
- Operationalizing psychological constructs
- Understanding research design
- Statistical validity, reliability, and error
- Culture and research
Textbooks
Heppner, P. P., Kivlighan, D. M., Jr., & Wampold, B. E. (1999). Research design in counseling. 2nd Edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Mitchell, M.L. & Jolley, J.M. (2006). Research design explained. 6th Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
All course texts are accessible within the course
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any advantages to taking these courses through Alliant?
Yes, there are several advantages to taking these courses through Alliant’s CE Division:
- The instructors have been designated by Alliant program directors. They are very familiar with our programs and know what is needed to prepare you properly.
- The courses will be accepted by Alliant as meeting the academic prerequisites for admission.
- You will receive an academic transcript showing your grade, and we will also report your enrollment in and completion of the course directly to your campus Admissions Office. (Reminder: Entry requirements for the Clinical Psychology programs state that you must receive a grade of “C” or better; entry requirements for the Organizational Psychology programs state that you must receive a grade “B” or better.)
What is the format of the courses?
The courses are offered online as Guided Independent Study. All course material will be online.
Refunds for online courses are only granted to those who have not logged in to the course. Should you need to withdraw or cancel your enrollment, you are eligible to receive a full refund if you notify ce@alliant.edu withing 48 hours of registration.
