Free Psychology Books: Research Methods in Clinical Psychology 2nd Ed by Chris Barker

Research Methods in Clinical Psychology - An Introduction for Students and Practitioners,2nd 

This book is structured around a simple chronological framework, which we call the research process: that is, the sequence of steps that researchers go through during a project. The steps can be grouped into four major stages. Like all such frameworks, it is idealized, in that the stages are not always distinct and may interact with each other. However, we find it a useful way of thinking about how research is conducted, both one’s own and other people’s. 

1. Groundwork (Chapter 3). This stage involves both scientific issues—choosing the topic, specifying the conceptual model, reviewing the literature, formulating the research questions—and also practical issues—resolving organizational, political, financial, or ethical problems. Sometimes researchers give the groundwork short shrift, being anxious to get on with the business of running the project itself. However, we will argue that devoting careful thought at this stage repays itself with interest during the course of the project. 2. Measurement (Chapters 4 to 7). Having formulated the research questions, the next step is to decide how to measure the psychological constructs of interest. We are here using the term ‘‘measurement’’ in its broadest sense, to encompass qualitative as well as quantitative approaches to data collection.

 3. Design (Chapters 8 to 11). Research design issues concern when and from whom the data will be collected. For example: Who will the participants be? Will there be an experimental design with a control group? How many preand post-assessments will there be? What ethical concerns need to be addressed? 

These design issues can usually be considered independently of measurement issues. The research questions, measurement procedures, and design together constitute the research protocol, the blueprint for the study. Having gone through these first three stages, researchers will usually conduct a small pilot study, whose results may cause them to rethink the protocol and possibly to conduct further pilots. Eventually the protocol is finalized; the last stage then consists of implementing it.

Note: "This download page will direct you to skip advertising shorte.st. Basically when the page loads the site shorte.st. with various advertisements, the add-on does go directly to the site you want, kindly be patient waiting a few seconds to skip the add-on". Thank you ~ by Admin