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Doctoral Study in Research Methodology

1. Overview

   Based within the Psychology Department at the University of Rhode Island, the Research Methodology Area has existed informally for the past 20 years as an area of specialization for doctoral study. We are listed as a training program in the APA Division 5 (Statistics) guide to Graduate Study. Our students and faculty have published in every major journal in the area, and research methodology has long been a nationally recognized area of strength for within the Psychology Department. This concentration is now more formally structured, and the current document describes our goals, some of our past accomplishments, and more detailed requirements.

2. Goals

   The major goal is to formalize a collective strength and emphasis on behavioral research methodology at the University of Rhode Island in order to provide quality doctoral training.

   
   Specific objectives are to:

   • Form a multidisciplinary collaboration of behavioral research methodologists across campus,

   • Offer state of the art training in behavioral research methodology,

   • Continue to generate major grants, offering funded research methodology opportunities for students and faculty,

   • Generate Research Assistantships and consulting in behavioral research methodology,

   • Provide funded training grant opportunities in behavioral research methodology,

   • Encourage greater interest and expertise in research methodology among students and faculty,

   • Attract high quality incoming students, both undergraduate and graduate, interested in behavioral research methodology,

   • Facilitate mentoring opportunities in behavioral research methodology among undergraduates, graduates, and faculty, and

   • Recruit high quality faculty and postdoctoral fellows interested in behavioral research methodology.

3. Research Methodology Course Content

Faculty and students interested in affiliating with the Research Methodology focus area will typically have an interest in one or more statistical methods, such as:



Analysis of variance	Power analysis
Evaluation research	Principle components analysis
Factor analysis	Qualitative methods
Logistic regression	Research design
Meta-analysis	Structural equation modeling
Multivariate statistics	Survey research, and/or
Population health methodology	Time series analysis




Along with one or more statistical method interests, affiliates of this focus area will also tend to conduct research within a major content area, such as:




Animal behavior	Body Image
Behavior change	Clinical psychology
Community psychology	Peace and non-violence
Cross-cultural psychology	Personality
Decision making	Poverty & malnutrition
Developmental psychology	Primary prevention
Education	Public health
Epidemiology	Quality of life
Friendly science teaching	Reading & literacy
Gender issues	Risk & resilience
Health promotion	School psychology
Health psychology	Social psychology
Human sexuality	Substance use
Multicultural psychology	Undergraduate studies, and
Neuropsychology	Women's health

4. Possible Research Methodology Career Tracks

   Graduates from this focus area in research methodology would be qualified to serve in numerous capacities, including:

   Academics	Methodological Research (e.g. Research Centers)
   Applied Statistical Research	Private Sector (e.g. Drug Companies, Pro Change)
   Biostatistics	Statistical service (e.g. data analyst)
   Evaluation Research	And many more...

5. Student Preparation

   The typical student who focuses on Research Methodology will be expected to have the following courses prior to graduate school: Introduction to Statistics, Psychological Testing, and Introductory Research Methods.
   
   It would also be helpful to have background in some or all of the following topics in previous or concurrent coursework: Matrix Algebra, Analysis of Variance, and Multiple Regression.
   
   Finally, students who focus on Research Methodology are expected to have several research experiences prior to and subsequent to enrolling in a graduate program. These could include:
   
   

   Working with faculty on their research	Collaborating on a research publication
   Presenting papers at a conference	Working on a research grant, and
   Honors or other student-directed research	Other related research involement

6. Course Requirements for a Research Methodolgy Focus

   All doctoral students would continue to be required to take the three-core methodology courses:

   PSY (STA) 532	Experimental Design
   PSY 533	Advanced Quantitative Methods (Multivariate Methods)
   PSY 611	Methods of Psychological Research

   Students who concentrate in research methodology would take 4 additional methodology courses, most likely drawing half from within psychology and half outside of psychology (see suggested options, below):

   Advanced psychology courses listed in the catalog:

   PSY (STA) 517	Small N Designs (Time Series Analysis)
   PSY (STA) 610	Parsimony Methods (Factor Analysis & Cluster Analysis)
   PSY (STA) 612	Structural Equation Modeling
   PSY 613	Qualitative Research and Analysis

   Courses taught regularly in psychology but not in catalogue with a separate title:

   PSY 690	Power Analysis and Meta-analysis
   PSY 625	Evaluation Research

   Courses taught by other departments

   APS 640	Epidemiologic Methods (Logistic Regression & Survival Analysis)
   NUR 660	Philosophical Foundations for Health Care Research
   STA 501	Analysis of Variance and Variance Components
   STA 502	Applied Regression Analysis
   STA 520	Fundamentals of Sampling and Applications
   STA 541	Multivariate Statistical Methods
   STA 542	Categorical Data Analysis Methods

   In addition, students would be encouraged to take methodology Directed Readings and Research (PSY 692, 693) on topics such as: Matrix Algebra, Data Management, Computer Programming (could includes Data Base Programming), Applied Data Analysis.

   Finally, we would like to add other topics not currently covered anywhere on campus but needed: Exploratory Data Analysis, Test Theory (Item Response Theory), Growth Curve Analysis, Longitudinal Methods, Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Biostatistics, Survey Research.

7. Suggested Plan of Study (90 credits total: Research Methodology Courses Bolded)

   Semester 1
   

   PSY (STA) 532	Experimental Design
   PSY 000	Evaluation Research
   PSY 692	Independent Study
   PSY 600-609	(1 of 4 Required Non-Methodolgy Core Content Courses)
   PSY 615	Experimental Area Orientation (1 credit)

   Semester 2
   

   PSY 533	Advanced Quantitative Methods
   PSY (STA) 517	Small N Designs
   PSY 693	Independent Study (e.g. Matrix Algebra)
   PSY 600-609	(1 of 4 Required Non-Methodolgy Core Content Courses)

   Semester 3
   

   PSY 611	Methods of Psychological Research
   PSY (STA) 612	Structural Equation Modeling
   PSY 599	Master's Thesis
   PSY 600-609	(1 of 4 Required Non-Methodolgy Core Content Courses)

   Semester 4
   

   PSY 613	Qualitative Research and Analysis
   PSY (STA) 610	Parsimony Methodology
   PSY 599	Master's Thesis
   PSY 600-609	(1 of 4 Required Non-Methodolgy Core Content Courses)

   Semester 5
   

   PSY 000	Power Analysis and Meta-analysis
   PSY 692	(e.g. Applied Data Analysis) or another Methodology Course
   PSY 693	Independent Study
   PSY 699	Doctoral Dissertation Research (3 credits)

   Semester 6
   

   Methodology Elective	(e.g. APS 640 Epidemiologic Methods)
   PSY 692 or 693	or another Methodology Course
   Other Elective	(e.g. Multicultural Competency)
   PSY 699	Doctoral Dissertation Research (3 credits)

   Semester 7
   

   Elective	(e.g. STA 501 Analysis of Variance and Variance Components)
   PSY 699	Doctoral Dissertation Research (6 credits)
   (Comprehensive Exams:	Usually taken after completing all coursework)

   Semester 8
   

   Elective	(e.g. STA 541 Multivariate Statistical Methods)
   PSY 699	Doctoral Dissertation Research (6 credits)

8. Research Methodology Faculty in Psychology

   • Su Boatright (Undergraduate Research)
   • Jerry Cohen (Analysis of Variance, Social Psychology Research)
   • Charles Collyer (Analysis of Variance, Research Methods)
   • Lisa Harlow (Multivariate Methods, Structural Equation Modeling, Friendly Science Teaching)
   • Joe Fava (Principal Components Analysis, Survey Methods, Health Psychology Research)
   • Bob Laforge (Public Health Methods, Survey Research, Logistic Regression)
   • Nansook Park (Structural Equation Modeling, Quality of Life Research)
   • Colleen Redding (Health Psychology Research)
   • Joe Rossi (Power Analysis, Research Methods, Multivariate Methods, Health Psychology)
   • John Stevenson (Evaluation Research, Substance Use Research)
   • Wayne Velicer (Multivariate Methods, Population Health Methodology and Research)
   • Ted Walls (Longitudinal Modeling)
   • Mark Wood (Substance Use Research, Methodology)

9. Other Possible Research Methodology Faculty

   • John Boulmetis, Education, Director of Graduate Studies (Evaluation)
   • Patricia Burbank, Nursing, (Philosophy of Science, Theory and Foundations of Research)
   • Ginette Ferst, Nursing (Qualitative methods, women’s health)
   • Liliana Gonzalez, Statistics, (Statistics)
   • Choudary Hanumara, Computer Science & Statistics, (Statistics)
   • James Heltshe, Statistics, (Statistics)
   • Louis Heifetz, Education, URI Co-Director of the joint Ph.D. Program, (Evaluation Research)
   • Minsuk Shim, Education, (Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Methodology and Research)
   • Cynthia Willey Temkin, Pharmacy, (Epidemiology, Logistic Regression, Survival Analysis)
   
   

   Please contact Lisa Harlow <lharlow@uri.edu> or Wayne Velicer <velicer@uri.edu> for more information.

Web site last updated: May 2007.
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