Kim Woods only

Week 6 Guidance

Psychological Research

There are many ways to conduct research including but not limited to an experiment, survey, case study and naturalistic observation. Before any researcher decides how research will be conducted, he or she will look at the purpose of the study, as well as the research questions and hypothesis. Each method has strengths, weaknesses and even limitations.

Researchers will consider and identify an operational definition. According to Schacter, Gilbert & Wegner (2009), an operational definition is a description of a property in terms of a concrete condition that can be measured. The first step involved in making any measurement is to identify the property, concept or thing we want to measure in concrete terms. The second step needed is to identify a way to measure what we would like to assess (Schacter, Gilbert & Wegner, 2009). This can be accomplished in a variety of ways in research.

It is essential to ensure that our data are measured in both valid and reliable ways. Validity refers to the idea that we are indeed measuring what we set out to measure.  Reliability is the tendency for results to be consistent whenever and wherever it is measured.

One of the most important considerations involves the ethical issues of an experiment or study. According to American Psychological Association (APA) (2010), all research must follow the standards set forth in the APA Code of Ethics. Before any research with subjects can be complete, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) must approve all parts of the research design. Informed consent must be provided for all subjects. This involves sharing all aspects of the study, the purpose of the research, identification of the benefits that may come from the research, identification of any risks, how confidentiality will be upheld and identifying who can be contacted with questions, just to name a few. Researchers may not coerce participation in an any experiment or study. Researchers must ensure that no harm comes to anyone involved in the research as well. After an experiment is complete, researchers need to debrief all subjects and explain the true nature and purpose of the study. 

If all guidelines are followed, we can obtain some fantastic and even life-changing information with continued current and proper research. This research is published in peer reviewed journals and we are able to stay on top of what is happening in the field of psychology. It truly is so exciting!