RES Research Courses at Global Campus

This course equips students with the skills to design a rigorous and ethically sound approach to their proposed project. Students will identify viable data sources, determine appropriate sampling strategies, and assess the sample size necessary to produce credible results. Students will select and secure the resources and materials needed for project execution and create clear data collection and analysis protocols. Prerequisite: RES 730.

This course involves the advanced study of research design, and the quantitative methods that can be used in addressing research questions. Students will gain experience developing their own research ideas and learning how to select and apply appropriate research designs to test those ideas. Through the process of critiquing research articles, students will also learn how to evaluate which research designs would be appropriate to test various areas of inquire, as well as how to communicate the methods and results of particular quantitative studies. Students will be required to complete a training on ethics in research, as well as complete a quantitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

This course involves the advanced study of the theory and practice of psychological measurement. Students review and apply the concepts of measurement (levels of measurement, variables, and validity and reliability of instruments and measurement procedures), and basic principles of statistics (descriptive statistics, univariate inferential statistics for comparisons of sample means, correlation, and regression), as a basis for exploring the proper use of tests and measurements in psychological research. Students will explore published research based on psychometric instruments and other measurement methodologies, and design a quantitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

This course involves the advanced study of research design, in general, and the qualitative inquiry, in particular, that can be used in addressing research questions. The epistemological assumptions underlying the qualitative methodology will be explored as students become familiar with the philosophical issues underlying how we know what we know. The ability to choose a researchable topic and create associated research questions will be emphasized. Students will become familiar with a variety of approaches including ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, narrative, participatory action research, and case study. A variety of common data collection methods will be studied, such as observation, interviews, surveys, and historical document collection. Validation and reliability standards, as well as evaluation criteria for qualitative approaches will be addressed. Students will be required to complete training on ethics in research, as well as complete a qualitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

This course emphasizes inferential statistical concepts related to methods most appropriate to data and theories. The focus is on a quantitative approach to the concepts and methods of statistical inference. Topics include hypothesis testing, probability, multiple correlation and regression, t-tests, Analysis of Variance, Analysis of Covariance, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance, and nonparametric tests. Research design issues are addressed, with a focus on selecting data analysis techniques to appropriately address research questions and apply the concepts covered to various research problems and real life situations. Emphasis is on developing skills for interpreting statistical results presented in scholarly research articles.

As the second part of a two-course sequence for students who will do an Applied Doctoral Project (ADP), this course involves exploring project approaches specific to ADP development. Approaches include: Systematic Literature Review; Program Evaluation; Action Research; Program development; and Handbooks. Students will apply at least two of those approaches to their possible ADP topic and be equipped to explore a chosen approach deeper as part of future completion of their ADP.

Students with interest in qualitative research, or with a desire to utilize this methodology for their respective doctoral dissertation, will be given an opportunity to greatly expand their existing knowledge base on qualitative research methodology. Students may elect to begin working on a preliminary proposal for their doctoral dissertation (or select and explore a topic of interest that may become the dissertation topic) for the culminating project in this course.

This course demonstrates the value of evidence-based practice as an integral part of formulating human services research and policy. Course work examines the current definition of evidence-based policy and approaches to move the field forward. The course provides an evaluation of evidence-based literature, including case study examples of the application of evidence-based practices in human services. The course also examines actions to further evidence-based policy, including preparing and communicating data more effectively, using existing analytic tools, conducting policy surveillance, and tracking outcomes with different types of evidence.

This course emphasizes the ethical and methodological rigor required to conduct research aligned with intended project outcomes. Students will adhere to Human Protection Standards and Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements while collecting, storing, and evaluating data. Students will be held to the highest standards of scholarship and integrity throughout the data management process. Prerequisite: RES 740.

This course requires students to analyze and present research findings using rigorous methodologies  and ethical responsibility. Students will utilize technologies essential to achieving their research goals while applying appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative analyses. Students will align results with the identified purpose of the project. Students will transform raw data into findings relevant to their research. Prerequisite: RES 750.