ABSTRACT
Scholarship on teaching about research methods and statistics effectively in the behavioral sciences is sparse. Teaching research methods and statistics well is essential because psychology majors must be able to evaluate critically the psychological research they encounter in upper level courses. The authors present two ways for instructors to augment the basic statistics curriculum offered in most behavioral science departments. Beyond covering the strengths and weaknesses of approaches to inquiry in each area, the Davidson colleagues describe ways to enhance students' abilities to read primary sources, to design experiments, and to collect, analyze, and present research findings. Further, the authors discuss the balance between traditional teaching modes and newer technologically based approaches. Finally, the authors identify potential ways of assessing student outcomes associated with the approaches they discuss. The chapter presents a variety of non-American Psychological Association style activities that focus on improving students’ general communication and writing skills.
