Steve:
Take a look at Bordens and Abbott's _Research Design and Methods_ fourth
edition (1999, Mayfield). In addition to experimental designs, it has one
entire chapter on nonexperimental designs, one on survey research, one on
N=1 research, and on specialized designs (Quasi-Exp, Before-After, ANCOVA,
partial correlations) that appear in applied research. It also has some
material on multiple regression and meta-analysis. I have used the book and
generally like it. Unfortunately, it doesn't go a smashing job with each
individual topic. It only briefly describes the purpose of ANCOVAs and
partial correlations - but that's to be expected. The survey chapter and the
N=1 chapter are good, the others I don't like much.
Plymouth students sound similiar to yours. Ironically, they may believe
an applied focus is less quantitative and easier, but it's not. It is easier
randomly assigning to groups and doing a simple ANOVA than to analyze data
in quasi-experimental situations. So at most you can only explain the
general purpose of the designs and statistics sans the messy details. That's
basically what Bordens and Abbott does. I hope this helps. John K.
Steve VandenAvond wrote:
> Hi all!
>
> Sorry for what I am sure is a repeat request. I teach at a small
> liberal arts college in which many of our psychology majors either go on
> to get master's degrees in social work, counseling, or school psych, or
> get jobs as case workers in social service settings. Needless to say,
> like many students, those at SLC are interested in applied psych.
> Likewise, the students here see research methods as a course for "those
> few that would like to either get a Ph.D. or work for one!" I have
> tried to focus on the applications of research methods to their daily
> lives (e.g., evaluating product info, political info, etc.) and their
> eventual professional lives (e.g., program evaluation), but I find that
> it's almost as if I am battling against the textbook (I have tried
> Zechmeister's books and one by McBurney). Does anyone have any
> suggestions for research methods books that focus a bit more on applied
> research? Thank you sincerely in advance. Happy summer!!!
>
> Steve
> --
> ****************************************************
> Steve VandenAvond, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor of Psychology & Director
> Psychology Program
> Department of Social Science and History
> Silver Lake College
> 2406 Alverno Drive
> Manitowoc, WI 54220
> Voice: (920) 686-6227
> e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> _/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/_/_/_/
> _/ _/ _/
> _/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/
> _/ _/ _/
> _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/
>
> **********************************************************
> http://www.sl.edu/socscience/Default.htm
--
---------------------------------------------------------------
John W. Kulig [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Psychology http://oz.plymouth.edu/~kulig
Plymouth State College tel: (603) 535-2468
Plymouth NH USA 03264 fax: (603) 535-2412
---------------------------------------------------------------
"What a man often sees he does not wonder at, although he knows
not why it happens; if something occurs which he has not seen before,
he thinks it is a marvel" - Cicero.
