[SHORTENED TITLE UP TO 50 CHARACTERS] 2
Synthesis Paper Assignment
The purpose of this paper is to explain and describe what the subject, Christian Herrera,
has learned about research in the online course from Liberty University Online titled Psychology
255: Introduction to Research. The specific questions that are being addressed are “What has the
subject learned about research?”, “How does the subject evaluate what he has learned about
research from a Biblical perspective?”, and “How did I, the researcher, prepare for this paper?”.
What did you Learn?
When I asked the general question “What did you learn in this course?”, the subject
responded with a lot of information. It appeared, however, that the main thing the subject took
away from the course is the amount and variety of research methods that are available and used.
He began to explain that there are two overarching types of research methods: experimental and
non-experimental (Introduction to Research, Crawford, 2019). He explained experimental
research method is when a researcher manipulates the variable of an experiment whereas non-
experimental research methods are the study of how variables are related (Crawford, 2019).
Some examples of non-experimental research methods given were case studies, ethnography, and
naturalistic observation. In these methodologies, researchers do not influence or manipulate
variables but simply observe the subject of research and draw conclusions from that (C. Herrera,
Personal Communications, October 2022). An example of experimental research method is
laboratory experiments in which the researcher is manipulating the variables to force an outcome
(C. Herrera, Personal Communications, October 2022).
Mr. Herrera then began explaining how he realized that research is being done in a lot
more situations than he previously realized. Herrera (2022) expressed that:
[SHORTENED TITLE UP TO 50 CHARACTERS] 3
I also learned that research is necessary for almost all aspects of life such as the
media, studying, sports, religious practices, social interactions and so much more.
Whether people realize it or not, we are taking what we know and trying to
understand something, manipulate the subject in question, and then draw a
conclusion. For example, in a football game, players and coaches are constantly
analyzing their opponent before and during the game to try and predict their
opponent's next move in order to implement a strategy that is suited to best their
opponent to win the game. Even after the game, win or lose, the coaches and players
will watch the game film to analyze the things their team did right and wrong so they
can improve in all aspects of the game to get better and win more games. A more
relatable example is friendship. When we first meet someone, we apply a certain level
of tact so that we do not offend them or make them feel uncomfortable. We also
analyze what we say and how they respond to try and understand them better. We may
learn that they are a Christian, they love musicals, and that they grew up in a single-
parent home. All this information will inform us how we respond and how to further
the conversation and potential friendship even if we don't fully realize it. (Herrera,
2022).
When I asked what else he may have learned, he began talking about proper APA
formatting. He explained that in previous courses that required him to use APA format for
writing papers, he did just enough research to get by. However, in this course, Mr. Herrera
explained that he had access to the Publication of the American Psychological Association (APA)
Seventh Edition. With that resource, he learned all the information he needed to properly format
a paper, how to reference specific sources (personal communications), what a header is, and what
[SHORTENED TITLE UP TO 50 CHARACTERS] 4
the different levels of headers are used for and when to use them. (C. Herrera, Personal
Communications, October 2022).
How Does it Align with the Bible?
All of this relates to Jesus and the Bible. On a base level, it can be interpreted that
research is what needs to be done. Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew that people are to "love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (English
Standard Version, Matthew 22:37). A primary way of using the mind is to learn, study, research,
and have aa greater understanding of the world which will ultimately lead to a greater
understanding of who He is. The book of Proverbs also says that it is a king's glory to search out
what God has concealed (English Standard Version, Proverbs 25:2). Generally, research is a good
thing that scripture has advocated for. However, it can also be a bad thing. In the book of
Ecclesiastes, the author says that the one who increases their knowledge increases their vexation
and sorrow (English Standard Version, Ecclesiastes 1:18). He does not say why exactly but
regardless, he is saying that an increase in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding can lead to
frustration and sadness.
Furthermore, Christians need to research the historical context of the Bible. If they are to
truly understand what the scriptures are communicating, they need to know why the authors
chose to write what they wrote and what was happening in that time in history.
The Research Process
The process I used for this research paper started with a lot of reflection. After a
significant amount of time reflecting, I wrote down as much as I could about what was learned in
this research course. After writing out as much as I could, I confirmed its accuracy with the
textbooks used by Mr. Herrera. The next step was to separate what was new knowledge from
[SHORTENED TITLE UP TO 50 CHARACTERS] 5
previously learned information. I repeated this process 3 times to ensure that all information was
included and accurate. I only included all newly learned information because that was from this
course and not from pr
When it came to the Bible, I read through scripture to discover its truths and examining if
research aligned with it. From what was found, I do believe research is a Biblical necessity for
Christians.
Overall, Mr. Herrera learned a lot of new and useful information from this Psychology
course that can be taken into new courses or into a profession. This study was an interesting but
good one, and certainly one I won’t soon forget.
