Psychologist as Detective, The: An Introduction to Conducting Research in Psychology, Updated Edition, 6th edition

Published by Pearson (July 9, 2015) © 2016

  • Randolph A. Smith Kennesaw State University
  • Stephen F. Davis Morningside College

eTextbook

per month

  • Anytime, anywhere learning with the Pearson+ app
  • Easy-to-use search, navigation and notebook
  • Simpler studying with flashcards

Revel

from$89.99

  • Inspire engagement through active learning
  • Provide an immersive reading experience
  • Assess student progress with performance insights
Dynamic content matched to the way today's students read, think, and learn

Interactives
Integrated within the narrative, interactives empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. REVEL's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson's bestselling titles to life. REVEL's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, so students stay focused and on task.
QuizzingEnd-of-chapter quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding before moving on.

Integrated Writing Tools

REVEL’s writing functionality enables educators to introduce writing — among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking — into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden. Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading. Assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
A Fully Mobile Learning Experience
REVEL enables students to read and interact with course material on the devices they use, anywhere and anytime. Responsive design allows students to access REVEL on their tablet devices and smart phones, with content displayed clearly in both portrait and landscape view.
Familiar Learning and Study ToolsHighlighting, note taking, and a glossary personalize the learning experience. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.


Superior assignability and tracking tools that help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts
Assignment Calendar
REVEL allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. And when students know what is expected of them, they're better motivated to keep up.
Performance DashboardREVEL lets educators monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. It offers actionable information that helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task. Of particular note, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining – which helps educators identify students who might need help to stay on track.


Within the text you will find that it:

  • Psychological Detective features in each chapter pose questions or situations to encourage critical thinking and stimulate class discussion
  • Rollover definitions are included with new terms that are introduced in the text
  • Review Summaries are included throughout each chapter to help students master smaller chunks of material
  • A Check Your Progress feature follows each Review Summary. Students can use these sections to test their mastery of the material and prepare for quizzes and exams

Dynamic content matched to the way today's students read, think, and learn

Interactives
Integrated within the narrative, interactives empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. REVEL's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson's bestselling titles to life. REVEL's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, so students stay focused and on task.
QuizzingEnd-of-chapter quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding before moving on.

Integrated Writing Tools

REVEL’s writing functionality enables educators to introduce writing – among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking – into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden. Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading. Assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
A Fully Mobile Learning Experience
REVEL enables students to read and interact with course material on the devices they use, anywhere and anytime. Responsive design allows students to access REVEL on their tablet devices and smart phones, with content displayed clearly in both portrait and landscape view.
Familiar Learning and Study ToolsHighlighting, note taking, and a glossary personalize the learning experience. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.


Superior assignability and tracking tools that help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts

Assignment Calendar
REVEL allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. And when students know what is expected of them, they're better motivated to keep up.
Performance DashboardREVEL lets educators monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. It offers actionable information that helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task. Of particular note, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining — which helps educators identify students who might need help to stay on track.

Updates to the Text:

  • All tables have been updated, and all URLs have been verified to ensure currency.
  • New examples have been added throughout the text to bring it up to date.
  • Updated and expanded material on “Surveying the Psychological Literature” is included in Chapter 2 (Developing a Good Research Idea and Conducting an Ethical Project).
  • A new table on “Current Electronic Databases for Literature Searches” is also included in Chapter 2.
  • New sections on the following qualitative research methods have been added to Chapter 3 (Qualitative Research Methods):
    • Interview studies
    • Narrative studies
    • Artifact studies
    • Historiographies
    • Symbolic interaction
  • Chapter 6 (Conducting a Good Experiment I: Variables and Control) has been streamlined, with difficult to comprehend material and nonessential tables deleted.
  • Chapter 14 (Writing and Assembling an APA-Format Research Report) has been completely revised to bring the material in line with the most current APA format guidelines.

1. Psychological Research and the Research Methods Course
2. Developing a Good Research Idea and Conducting an Ethical Project
3. Qualitative Research Methods
4. Nonexperimental Methods: Descriptive Methods, Correlational Studies, Ex Post Facto Studies, Survey and Questionnaires, Sampling, and Basic Research Strategies
5. Using the Scientific Method in Psychology
6. Conducting a Good Experiment I: Variables and Control
7. Conducting a Good Experiment II: Final Considerations, Unanticipated Influences, and Cross-Cultural Issues
8. Internal and External Validity
9. Using Statistics to Answer Questions
10. Designing, Conducting, Analyzing, and Interpreting Experiments with Two Groups
11. Designing, Conducting, Analyzing, and Interpreting Experiments with More than Two Groups
12. Designing, Conducting, Analyzing, and Interpreting Experiments with Multiple Independent Variables
13. Alternative Research Designs
14. Writing and Assembling an APA-Format Research Report

Randolph A. (Randy) Smith is Professor and Chair of Psychology at Lamar University. Randy completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Houston and PhD at Texas Tech University in experimental psychology (specialties in human learning/memory and statistics). Randy taught at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas for 26 years, chaired Kennesaw State University’s Psychology Department for four years, and became Chair of Lamar University’s Psychology Department in 2007. His professional work centers on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Randy served for 12 years as Editor of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s journal Teaching of Psychology and subsequently served as Editor of the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research.

He has written several book chapters and articles and made numerous presentations dealing with varied aspects of teaching, applying social psychology to teaching, and assessment of teaching. He has worked with high school teachers grading AP exams since the test’s inception and has served as Faculty Advisor for TOPSS (Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools). He is a member of the American Psychological Association (a Fellow of Divisions 1 and 2–General Psychology and Teaching) and a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. In 2006, Randy received the American Psychological Foundation’s Charles L. Brewer Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award and the University System of Georgia Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award.

Stephen F. Davis is Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. Currently he is Visiting Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Texas Wesleyan University and Distinguished Guest Professor at Morningside College. In 2002—2003 he was the Knapp Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Southern Methodist University and his PhD in experimental psychology from Texas Christian University. In 2007 he was awarded the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Morningside College. His research, which always includes student assistants, has investigated such diverse topics as academic dishonesty, learning versus grade orientation of students, Type A personality, the Impostor Phenomenon, and the behavioral effects of ingesting toxic metals. He is the author of more than 300 journal articles, 31 books, and more than 900 convention presentations.

Steve’s teaching abilities have drawn acclaim on the national level. He has received the National Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award from the American Psychological Foundation and the Teaching Excellence Award from Division Two (Society for the Teaching of Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. His professional accomplishments also include serving as president of the Southwestern Psychological Association, the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and Division Two of the American Psychological Association. He also served as the National President of Psi Chi (The National Honor Society in Psychology). He has been elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and the American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology.

Need help? Get in touch

Revel

Inspire engagement through active learning. Revel® integrates interactives and assessments into a compelling digital narrative. By applying concepts as they read, students immerse themselves in learning, deepening their understanding. This mobile, user-friendly platform empowers students to learn and study on the go, anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Pearson+

All in one place. Pearson+ offers instant access to eTextbooks, videos and study tools in one intuitive interface. Students choose how they learn best with enhanced search, audio and flashcards. The Pearson+ app lets them read where life takes them, no wi-fi needed. Students can access Pearson+ through a subscription or their MyLab or Mastering course.

Video
Play
Privacy and cookies
By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Help students learn, wherever life takes them

Your students deserve more than just a digital textbook. Revel® combines content, media, and assessment to create an engaging, immersive experience that lets them learn on the go — anytime, anywhere, on any device.