Introduction to research methods in psychology/IRMP102/Unit 1 Outcomes
After you have successfully completed this unit, you will be able to:
• Define nonexperimental research and distinguish it clearly from experimental research
• Explain when a researcher might choose to conduct nonexperimental research as opposed to experimental research
• Define correlations
• Graph scatter diagrams
• Identify when correlations are inappropriate
• Identify the advantages of correlational research
• Identify the limitations of correlational research
• Describe naturalistic observation
• Identify the advantages and limitations of naturalistic observation
• Describe case studies
• Identify the advantages and limitations of case studies
• Describe survey research
• Identify the advantages and limitations of survey research
• Describe archival research
• Identify the advantages and limitations of archival research
• Define quasi-experimental research
• Identify the advantages and limitations of quasi-experimental research
• Define cross‐sectional research
• Describe the advantages and limitations of cross‐sectional research
• Define longitudinal research
• Describe the advantages and limitations of longitudinal research
• Describe common threats to internal validity, including selection, history, maturation, regression to the mean, instrumentation, and testing
Before proceeding any further, you should read the section "Overview of Nonexperimental Research" in Chapter 7 of your textbook (Nonexperimental Research)
