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Research Methods in Psychology
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Research Methods in Psychology

Fourth Edition
Edited by:
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616 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

Research Methods in Psychology has been substantially and meticulously revised in its Fourth Edition. Continuing to offer enviable coverage of the research methods that psychology students at intermediate levels need to muster, the textbook has now been broadened to cover the full suite of beginner level research methods too. It now has extensive coverage of psychological methods, both quantitative and qualitative.

For this new edition, a new editorial arrangement has been put into place. Daniel B. Wright steps in to help steer the quantitative research methods section of the textbook and partners Jonathan A. Smith who remains as the lead Editor for qualitative research methods. Glynis M. Breakwell, as with all editions to-date, remains as overseeing Editor for the textbook. Together, they have brought together a team of world leading educators in psychological methods to write accessible and engaging chapters that help students not only learn about the central methods for psychological investigation today, but to see the 'real world' value and importance of using methods well for very good research. As a result, all parties involved have shaped this new edition into a tour-de-force undergraduate textbook.

Research Methods in Psychology, Fouth Edition now includes:

  • Significantly extended coverage of statistics, including chapters on descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, ANOVA, regression and correlation, and latent variable models
  • A new chapter on content analysis
  • A new chapter on writing up your research
  • Concise and accessible introductory sections that place each method in context and show students how they relate to the bigger picture
  • A more intuitive structure that better reflects the content of methods course teaching
  • A substantially revised companion website
  • More visual material and an improved, more attractive layout

This textbook will be perfect for beginner and intermediate level psychological research methods students worldwide.

 
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION
Glynis M. Breakwell, Daniel B. Wright and Jonathan A. Smith
Research Questions and Planning Research
 
PART TWO: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Chris Fife Schaw
Introduction to Quantitative Research
Graham Hole
Experimental Method
Chris Fife-Schaw
Quasi-Experimental Design
Patrick Sturgis
Surveys and Sampling
Chris Fife-Schaw
Questionnaire Design
John Rust
Psychometrics
Marianna E. Carlucci and Daniel B. Wright
Descriptive Statistics
Graphical and Numerical Methods

 
Marianna E. Carlucci and Daniel B. Wright
Inferential Statistics
Katherine McGuire and Kamala London
Factorial ANOVA
Jeremy Miles
Correlation and Regression
Daniel B. Wright and Daniella K. Villalba
Exploratory Factor Analysis
 
PART THREE: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Virginia Eatough
Introduction to Qualitative Methods
Rudi Dallos
Observational Methods
Glynis M. Breakwell
Interviewing
Glynis M. Breakwell
Diary and Narrative Methods
Lynne Millward
Focus Groups
Jonathan A. Smith and Virginia Eatough
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Karen Henwood and Nick Pidgeon
Grounded Theory
Adrian Coyle
Discourse Analysis
Glynis M. Breakwell
Content Analysis
 
PART FOUR: WRITING UP YOUR RESEARCH
Daniel B. Wright, Jonathan A. Smith and Glynis M. Breakwell
What if Victor Had Used the APA Manual to Write up His Research?

Useful general RM text.

Dr Peter Gossman
Education, Worcester University
March 3, 2020

Informative guide for introductory psychology - A user-friendly format which enables less confident learners to develop some quite complex research skills.

Mrs Stephanie Lee
IIP, Weston College
November 17, 2015

I found this book to be a curious mix. Unexplained statistical terminology, which would be impenetrable for research students beginning their studies, sit alongside painfully patronising explanations of other, more obvious terms. The author's asides and 'aw shucks, geeky old me' comments are an unwanted distraction. I will not be recommending this book to my students.

Mrs Ruth Parkes
School of Social Work, University of Central Lancashire
July 28, 2015

Good resource for quantitative research methods. Includes both research methods and data analysis techniques.

Miss Philippa Laskey
Applied Psychology, University of Cumbria
January 7, 2015

Very good description of the different research methods.
Indispensable when looking at the different research methods to use in Psychology-related research.

Dr Sofia Barbosa Boucas
Department of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health, Oxford Brookes University
August 20, 2014

A good introduction to a variety of research methods covering both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Well-structured and clearly written.

Dr Ala Hola
Psychology , Durham University
April 2, 2014

This is a useful resource and an asset to HE study. However, some of the information is a little difficult for first year degree students to comprehend. That said, it has proved to be a reliable aid to teaching and Masters study.

Mrs Kerry Noble
Education Department, Doncaster College
February 18, 2014

Great content and explanation of research methods utilised in psychology research.

Dr Jessica Jones Nielsen
Department of Psychology, City University
January 13, 2014

An excellent, informative textbook written in an accessible & engaging style.

Dr Kathryn Kinmond
Psychology , Manchester Metropolitan University
October 22, 2013

A good book with useful additonal support for students studying research methods in Psychology

Dr Rebecca Monk
Department of Psychology, Edge Hill University
September 13, 2013

Glynis M. Breakwell

Dame Glynis M. Breakwell is Professor Emeritus at the University of Bath in the Department of Psychology and has Visiting Professorships at Imperial College, London and the University of Surrey. Her research focuses upon identity process theory, social influence and social representation processes, leadership in complex organisations, and the psychology of risk management, perception, and communication. She has published more than 20 books, several of which are on research methods. She has been an adviser to both public and private sector organisations on the use of psychological methods and theories, especially concerning responses to... More About Author

Jonathan A. Smith, DPhil

Jonathan A. Smith is Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck University of London, UK where he leads the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research group. He has written many articles applying IPA to a range of areas in health, clinical and social psychology. He is co- author (with Paul Flowers and Michael Larkin) of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research (Sage, 2009). He also has a wider interest in qualitative psychology generally and has co-edited a number of books in the area. More About Author

Daniel B. Wright

Daniel B. Wright is the Dunn Family Foundation Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Assessment, in the Department of Educational Psychology and Higher Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His interests are in methodology and applied cognitive science. More About Author

For instructors

Also available as a South Asia Edition.