Research design and statistics 2B: multivariate measures
This module expands upon foundational training on correlations and covariance from Research design and statistics 1B, providing deeper training in the principles and skills required for understanding, applying, and conducting psychological research. The module will cover (1) principles of research and (2) data analysis, for studies using multiple dependent measures.
Students will be taught a range of statistical techniques, including inferential tests relating to multiple dependent measures. Students will learn how to interpret the information these techniques produce, to better understand and interpret psychological research conducted by others, and to conduct psychological research and draw appropriate conclusions from this research.
Main topics include:
- Critical evaluation of psychological research, being able to comment appropriately on the design, analysis and interpretation of published research. This includes the evaluation of quantitative research involving multiple measures of behaviour.
- Selection from and use of a range of quantitative techniques appropriately to analyse, report and draw conclusions from quantitative data. This includes the analysis of data sets with multiple dependent measures, including the validation of psychometric scales, multiple regression and factor analysis.
- Understand of how to measure behaviour, how quantitative and qualitative data can be collected and analysed, and appreciation of the strengths and limitations of different research methodologies.
If you complete the course successfully, you should be able to:
- Make appropriate use of statistical software (e.g. SPSS or R) to analyse data sets involving multiple dependent measures.
- Design and interpret research involving the analysis of data sets including multiple dependent measures, including the validation of psychometric scales, the analysis of complex intercorrelations using multiple regression and factor analysis, and understand how these methods address the issues of translational research
- Discuss the concepts underlying qualitative and quantitative research and be able to defend the use of one or both and outline the advantages
- Describe research studies using these techniques in a form suitable for inclusion in a research report.
