Becoming a Behavioral Science Researcher A Guide to Producing Research That Matters

Acclaimed for helping novice behavioral scientists hit the ground running as producers of meaningful research, this text now has been extensively revised with more than 50% new material, including current guidance on open science; transparency; replication; and quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods reporting standards. The book provides the conceptual knowledge and practical skills needed to bridge the gap between introductory research design and analysis courses and execution of an independent study. In a candid, conversational style, Rex B. Kline guides the reader to choose appropriate research designs and analysis options; avoid common fallacies in interpreting the outcomes of statistical tests; make informed measurement choices; screen data for problems that could yield inaccurate results; and craft effective theses, journal articles, and presentations. Revised pedagogical features include engaging examples from published studies and student theses, as well as end-of-chapter exercises with answers.
 
New to This Edition
*Addresses critical "research crises" that have come to the fore in the last decade--and ways to remedy them.
*New chapters on the replication crisis, reporting standards, the open-science movement, and statistics reform.
*Extensively revised chapters on effect size estimation and psychometrics.
*Updated discussions of how to write publishable journal articles and create effective presentations.
 

Rex B. Kline, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Concordia University in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Since earning a doctorate in clinical psychology, he has conducted research on the psychometric evaluation of cognitive abilities, behavioral and scholastic assessment of children, structural equation modeling, training of researchers, statistics reform in the behavioral sciences, and usability engineering in computer science. Dr. Kline has published a number of chapters and journal articles in these areas. His books include Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling, Fourth Edition, and Becoming a Behavioral Science Researcher, Second Edition.
 

I. Promise and Problems
1. Introduction
2. Research Trinity: Design, Measurement, and Analysis
3. Crises
II. Remedies
4. Reporting Standards: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods Research
5. Open Science
6. Statistics Reform
Appendix 6.A. Significance Testing Glossary
7. Effect Size
Appendix 7.A. Source Tables for Two Factorial Examples
8. Psychometrics
III. Skills
9. Practical Data Analysis
10. Writing
11. Presentations
Appendix 11.A. Example Thesis Student Slideshow
Appendix 11.B. Example Handout