Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology

About this course

Develop a comprehensive understanding of psychological research through a structured learning journey that progresses from foundational concepts to statistical analysis and qualitative inquiry. The specialization begins by introducing the objectives of scientific research, core research methods, and the principles of experimental and survey design, providing learners with the skills to plan and evaluate psychological studies. Building on this foundation, the second course develops quantitative research skills through descriptive statistics, statistical inference, t-tests, correlation, ANOVA, chi-square, and distribution-free tests. Learners gain the ability to summarize data, test hypotheses, interpret statistical findings, and critically evaluate quantitative evidence in psychological research. The final course focuses on qualitative research methodologies and research ethics. Learners explore classical and contextual qualitative approaches, assess their strengths and limitations, and understand the ethical principles that guide responsible psychological research. By the end of the specialization, learners will be able to design, evaluate, and interpret psychological research using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods while applying sound ethical practices. This Specialization is based on the book Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, by S Alexander Haslam and Craig McGarty.

Course objectives

• Design and evaluate psychological research studies
• Critically assess quantitative evidence
• Explore qualitative approaches to psychological research
• Apply ethical principles in psychological research