École de psychologie | School of Psychology

Faculté des sciences sociales | Faculty of Social Sciences

Research Methods and Ethics

PSY 2174D

Shanna Kousaie, Ph.D.

Fall 2021

COURSE INFORMATION

Class schedule: Lecture: Monday 14:30-16:00

Thursday 16:00-17:30
Lab: Tuesday 11:30-13:00

This course will be delivered online synchronously via Zoom.

Professor’s office hours: By appointment

E-mail: skousaie@uottawa.ca
Phone number: (613) 562-5800 ext. 8966

Teaching assistant: TBA

Before emailing a question, please fully read this syllabus and explore the associated resources.
The answers to many questions can be found in this document and students may be referred
back to the syllabus if the answer is already available. Please allow at least two (2) business
days for responses to inquiries before pursuing another route of communication.

OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION

Methodology and ethics of research. Research protocol. Experimental and non-experimental
designs. Documentation. Writing style. Current research illustrating the different protocols
employed across subfields of psychology.

GENERAL AND SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Describe and apply the scientific method
• Describe and understand the main experimental and non-experimental methods
• Comprehend ethical practice in the field of psychology
• Participate in the research planning process

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INDIGENOUS AFFIRMATION
ANISHINÀBE
Ni manàdjiyànànig Màmìwininì Anishinàbeg, ogog kà nàgadawàbandadjig iyo akì eko weshkad.
Ako nongom ega wìkàd kì mìgiwewàdj.
Ni manàdjiyànànig kakina Anishinàbeg ondaje kaye ogog kakina eniyagizidjig enigokamigàg
Kanadàng eji ondàpinangig endàwàdjin Odàwàng.
Ninisidawinawànànig kenawendamòdjig kije kikenindamàwin; weshkinìgidjig kaye
kejeyàdizidjig.
Nigijeweninmànànig ogog kà nìgànì sòngideyedjig; weshkad, nongom; kaye àyànikàdj.

Listen to the audio file

ENGLISH
We pay respect to the Algonquin people, who are the traditional guardians of this land. We
acknowledge their longstanding relationship with this territory, which remains unceded.
We pay respect to all Indigenous people in this region, from all nations across Canada, who call
Ottawa home.
We acknowledge the traditional knowledge keepers, both young and old.
And we honour their courageous leaders: past, present, and future.

INCLUSION
The University of Ottawa aims to be an equitable and inclusive institution, actively participating
in ensuring the wellbeing of students, personnel and faculty members. The University is
committed to eliminating obstacles to student inclusion in accordance with the Ontario Human
Rights Code. The Code provides that every person has the right to equal treatment with respect
to goods, services, facilities, housing, contracts and employment as well as membership in trade
or professional associations and unions without discrimination because of ‘’Race, Ancestry,
Place of origin, Colour, Ethnic origin, Citizenship, Creed, Sex, Sexual orientation, Gender identity,
Gender expression, Age, Record of offence (in employment only), Receipt of public assistance,
Marital status, Family status, Disability’’.
The Human Rights Office of the University of Ottawa adds ‘’although the Human Rights Code
does not provide a definition of discrimination, the notion of discrimination covers unfair
treatment on the basis of race, disability, sex, or any other personal characteristic. It can take
many different forms, can target a single person or a group and can be part of a system.’’

If you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you can seek confidential assistance
through the University Human Rights Office to discuss your situation and/or to file a formal
complaint.

The following uOttawa Campus based services are available to you and your fellow students:
• uOttawa Counselling Service including Individual Counselling provided by uOttawa
Counsellor, Pierre Bercy who specializes in anti-black racism;
• University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) Resources for/from the Black Community,
Centre for Students with Disabilities, Racialized and Indigenous Students Experience
Centre, Womxns Resource Centre and uOttawa Pride Center
• Anti-racism student committee (Email: car.arc.uottawa@gmail.com)
• Mashkawazìwogamig: Indigenous Resource Center
• University of Ottawa’s Human Rights Office including policies on accessibility.

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 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Following successful completion of this course you will be able to:
• Think critically about research
• Understand the importance of conducting ethical research and identify the main
principles of research ethics in humans and animals
• Understand the main types of scientific inquiry used in psychology
• Identify a problem to study, develop a research question and a testable hypothesis, and
design a research study
• Conduct a literature review and write a research proposal

TEACHING METHODS
This course will be delivered synchronously using Zoom (https://zoom.us/). Classes on Zoom will
be recorded and subsequently posted on Virtual Campus (Brightspace) for a limited time
(usually 48 hours) to encourage students who are not able to attend synchronous classes to
keep up with the progression of the course.

Course information, assignments, and assessments will be available on Virtual Campus

(Brightspace).

PLEASE CONTACT THE PROFESSOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS THAT
LIMIT YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE COURSE.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR REMOTE AND ONLINE CLASSES

During this unprecedented time, it is more important than ever to show civility and respect. During online classes,
students are expected to adhere to the same standards of behaviour as they would follow in a real classroom,
including in private and public chat. Failure to behave appropriately may result in the professor removing access to
the student’s camera and/or microphone.

General guidelines for online classes, discussions and email:

• Post only what you would say in a face-to-face conversation, avoid offensive language, insults or threats and
avoid using slang terms.
• Respect the views of others.
• Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes and acknowledge your own mistakes if you make them.
• NEVER invite others to join your class.
• Material produced as part of this course, including, but not limited to, any pre-recorded or live video is
protected by copyright, intellectual property rights and image rights, regardless of the medium used. DO
NOT copy, redistribute, reproduce, republish, store in any way, retransmit or modify this material.

Intellectual Property Protection and Online Security: All information and materials in this course are intended for use
by course students only. We emphasize that the protection of intellectual property, the confidentiality of
information, the privacy of each individual and the security of the virtual classroom are essential to the smooth
running of the course. Therefore, out of respect for intellectual property, course sessions should not be recorded
without the explicit consent of the professor. Also, out of respect for intellectual property, privacy and safety of
others in the course, please do not distribute links to the course, do not record all or parts of the course sessions, and
do not distribute or post course materials via the Internet. The consequences of distributing this information outside
the course could be very serious. It should be noted that those whose participation in the course would be disclosed
to repressive governments could be exposed to danger. If you have any concerns about the course, we invite you to
communicate them directly to the instructor.

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REQUIRED MATERIALS
Morling, B. (2021). Research methods in psychology: Evaluating a world of information (4th ed).
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

The textbook can be purchased from the campus bookstore, as well as online from:
https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393536263. If you require assistance please contact
customer support at: - https://support.wwnorton.com/request

OPTIONAL MATERIALS
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (7th ed). American Psychological Association.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

Evaluation format Weight Date

Exams: 50%
Midterm exam 20% October 21, 2021
Final exam 30% TBA (during final exam period)
Term paper: 25%
Annotated bibliography 5% October 5, 2021
Research proposal 20% December 2, 2021
(including peer review)

Other evaluations: 25%

Short essays (best 2/3) 15% November 1, 15, 22
TCPS 3% October 12, 2021
In-class activities 7% Ongoing

ASSESSMENT POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Students must complete the midterm exam, final exam and term paper in order to pass this
course. Failure to complete all of these elements will automatically result in an EIN grade (i.e.,
failure/incomplete).

ATTENDANCE
Class attendance is necessary to successfully complete this course. In-class activities comprise a
portion of the final grade (7%). Students who are unable to attend regularly scheduled classes
must notify the professor in advance to ensure that alternate activities are assigned.

TIME COMMITMENT
In order to succeed in a 3-credit course, alongside the standard 3 hours of in-class instruction,
students should expect to spend a minimum of 6 hours per week outside of the classroom
engaged in activities related to the course, e.g. homework, reading, studying, etc., and should
expect a minimum time commitment of 9 hours per week per course (on average).

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LANGUAGE EXPECTATIONS
This course is delivered in English, and in class interactions, including any online discussion
boards, and feedback will also be managed in English. Given that part of your evaluation will be
based on your writing abilities, it is recommended that you take the appropriate measures to
avoid mistakes such as spelling, syntax, punctuation, inappropriate use of terms, etc. You may
be penalized up to 15% for poorly written materials, to the professor’s discretion.

ONLINE EXAMINATION STRATEGY

Your midterm and final exam(s) will be administered through Brightspace. The professor will be
available via Zoom during exams.

MOBILE DEVICES
Unless explicitly requested, please refrain from using mobile devices during our class. As our in
class time is quite limited, I would ask that you prioritize using this time to engage with class
discussions and other content-related activities. Active participation and engagement with the
content and your peers helps ensure full participation marks for your contributions this
semester.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
All assignments are to be submitted by their due date and time.

All late submissions will be immediately docked 5%, with an additional 5% for each subsequent
day late to a maximum of 3 days, including weekends. After 3 days all outstanding assignments
will be given a zero (0%) grade.

Exceptions are made only for illness or other serious situations deemed as such by the
instructor. University regulations require all absences from exams and all late submissions due
to illness to be supported by a medical certificate. Absence for any other serious reason must be
justified in writing, to the professor, within five business days following the date of the exam or
submission of an assignment.

The Faculty reserves the right to accept or refuse the reason; reasons such as travel, jobs, or
any misreading of the examination timetable are not acceptable.

MISSED EXAMS AND REQUESTS FOR DEFERRAL

Students who are excused for missing an exam will be required to write a deferred exam, except
where the professor offers a re-weighting scheme which applies to the student’s case.
Professors may decline to offer a deferred exam and instead re-weight the remaining pieces of
work only if (i) the re-weighted scheme is indicated on the syllabus and (ii) it respects both the
25 percent rule (Academic Regulation 9.0) and the final exam rule.

IMPORTANT: Deferred final exams for courses at the Faculty of Social Sciences, except for SVS
3505, SVS 3515 and all ECO courses, will take place during the next term (please consult the
Important academic dates and deadlines webpage to know the specific dates).

DFR forms must be completed for both midterms and final exams. The form can be obtained
online by accessing the Faculty of Social Sciences’ undergraduate forms. Once completed, the
form with supporting documentation (ex. medical certificate) will automatically be sent to the
academic unit which offers the course.

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 The request must be completed within five working days of the exam and must respect all the
conditions of Academic Regulation I-9.5.

The Faculty reserves the right to accept or refuse the reason. Reasons such as travel, jobs, or
any misreading of the examination timetable are not acceptable.

DEFERRED EXAM PERIOD:

• Midterm: [date – please, contact your Academic Unit]

• Final Exam: February 20 to 26, 2022

ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Midterm exam (20%): The midterm exam will be comprised of multiple choice, matching, and
short answer questions. The content of the exam will cover material discussed in class and in
your textbook up until the week prior to the exam (October 14th, 2021)

Final exam (30%): The final exam will be cumulative with a greater focus on material discussed
in class and in your textbook following the midterm. The final exam will be comprised of
multiple choice, matching, and short answer questions.

Term paper (20%, including peer review): The term paper will take the format of a research
proposal. The purpose of the research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a
specific research question and to present practical ways that such a study should be conducted.
Prior to submitting your final research proposal, there will be a peer review session in class
where you will have the opportunity to receive and to provide feedback from/to your
classmates. Participation in the peer review session will comprime 3% of the research proposal
grade.

Annotated bibliography (5%): The annotated bibliography is designed to help you get started on
the literature review for your research proposal. An annotated bibliography is a list of citations
to documents that is followed by a brief evaluative paragraph (the annotation) informing the
reader of the relevance, accuracy and quality of the sources cited. You should locate and review
articles that may contain useful information and ideas related to your research topic/question.

Short essays (best 2/3; 15%): Three short essays will be assigned and the highest two (2) grades
will count towards 15% of your final grade. You will be given a question related to material
covered in class and will be asked to respond to the question in 500-750 words.

TCPS (3%): You will complete the online Tri-Council Policy Statement Course on Research Ethics
(TCPS 2: CORE), which is an introduction to the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement:
Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2). It consists of eight modules and takes
approximately 3 hours to complete.

In-Class Activities (7%): In class discussions and breakout rooms will be used complete short
activities designed to support your learning and understanding of the course material.

Additional details for each assessment, as well as rubrics, will be available on Brightspace. All
assignments are to be submitted online via Brightspace.

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Regulation on Academic Fraud
Preamble
Academic integrity is a fundamental value at the core of all academic activities. The regulation on
academic fraud defines the acts that can compromise academic integrity and outlines the various
sanctions and consequences of such acts, and the procedures for handling allegations and setting
sanctions. Further information on academic integrity is available on the website of the Provost and
Vice-President, Academic Affairs.

Definition
1. Any act by a student that may result in a distorted academic evaluation for that student or
another student. Academic fraud includes but is not limited to activities such as:
1. plagiarising or cheating in any way;
2. submitting work not partially or fully the student’s own, excluding properly cited
quotations and references. Such work includes assignments, essays, tests, exams,
research reports and theses, regardless of whether the work is in written, oral or any
other form;
3. presenting research data that are forged, falsified or fabricated in any manner.
4. attributing a statement of fact or reference to a fabricated source;
5. submitting the same work or a significant part of the same piece of work in more
than one course, or a thesis or any other piece of work submitted elsewhere without
the prior approval of the appropriate professors or academic units;
6. falsifying or misrepresenting an academic evaluation, using a forged or altered
supporting document or facilitating the use of such a document;
7. taking any action aimed at falsifying an academic evaluation.

Sanctions
1. Students who commit or attempt to commit academic fraud, or who are a party to academic
fraud, are subject to one or more sanctions (full list), such as:
1. a written warning;
2. zero for part of the work in question;
3. zero for the work in question;
4. zero for the work in question and the loss of additional marks for the course in
question;
5. zero for the work in question, with a final grade no higher than the passing grade for
the course in question;
6. an F or NS grade for the course in question.

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COURSE CALENDAR
NOTE: This is a tentative schedule. The professor reserves the right to make changes to this
schedule as the semester progresses. The deadline to withdraw from the course is November
19, 2021.

Date Topic Lab Reading

Sept 9 Course introduction
Sept 13 Psychology as a science Chapter 1
Sept 14: Introductory lab
Sept 16 Sources of information Chapter 2
Sept 20 Sources of information Sept 21: Developing your Chapter 2
research question; Annotated
Sept 23 Writing an APA style report bibliography pp. 523-560
(Due Oct 5; 5%)
Sept 27 Claims and validity in research Sept 28: Library workshop Chapter 3
Sept 30 Claims and validity in research (Patrick Labelle) Chapter 3
Oct 4 Ethics in research Oct 5: Ethics TCPS certificate Chapter 4
Oct 7 Ethics in research (Due Oct 12; 3%) Chapter 4
Oct 11 THANKSGIVING (NO CLASS)
Oct 12: Proposal: Introduction
Oct 14 Measurement Chapter 5
Oct 18 Midterm Review
Oct 19: review session
Oct 21 MIDTERM (20%)
Oct 25
READING WEEK – NO CLASS
Oct 28
Sampling Chapter 7
Nov 1
Descriptive statistics Nov 2: Proposal: Methods pp. 467-475
pp. 478-486
Nov 4 Descriptive and Inferential statistics
pp. 491-521
Nov 8 Survey & Observational research Chapter 6
Nov 9: Proposal: Analysis, Chapter 8
Nov 11 Correlational research Results & Discussion Chapter 9 (pages 241-
246; 248-251; 260-269)
Nov 15 Simple experimental designs Nov 16: Proposal: Final review Chapter 10
/ thoughts / questions
Nov 18 Complex experimental designs Chapter 12
Proposal due Dec 2 (20%)
More on experimental designs Chapter 11
Nov 22
Research proposal Nov 23: Individual meetings
Research proposal – Discussion & for proposal
Nov 25 Peer review Proposal due Dec 2 (20%)
Course evaluation
Research proposal - Peer review Nov 30: Individual meetings
Nov 29
Qualitative research for proposal Jameel et al. (2018)
Dec 2 Quasi-experimental design Proposal due Dec 2 (20%) Chapter 13
Replication, transparency &
Dec 6 Chapter 14
importance in the real-world
(NOTE: MONDAY SCHEDULE)
Dec 8
Course conclusions & Review

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Morling, B. (2021). Research methods in psychology: Evaluating a world of information (4th ed).
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Jameel, B., Shaheen, S., &Majid, U. (2018). Introduction to qualitative research for novice
investigators. Undergraduate Research in Natural and Clinial Science and Technology
Journal, 2(6). https://doi.org/10.26685/urncst.57

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Intellectual property right of course content

The materials you receive for this course are protected by copyright and must be used for this course only. You do
not have permission to disseminate these materials, regardless of the means of dissemination including the
uploading of these materials to any website or mobile application. These materials include but are not limited to,
any course notes provided by the professor, their Powerpoint presentations, and any lecture recordings you may
have.

If you require clarification, please consult your professor.

© 2021 Shanna Kousaie
All rights reserved.

Regulation on Bilingualism at the University of Ottawa

Every student has the right to require that a course be given in the language used to describe the course in the
course calendar (Academic Regulation I-2).
Except in programs and courses for which language is a requirement, all students have the right to produce their
written work and to answer examination questions in the official language of their choice, regardless of the course’s
language of instruction.

Prevention of Sexual Violence

If you feel unsafe, call 9-1-1 or reach out to Campus Protective Services at 613-562-5411.
The University of Ottawa has a zero-tolerance policy for any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender
identity or gender expression. This includes both physical and psychological acts that are committed, threatened, or
attempted against a person without the person’s consent, such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking,
indecent exposure, voyeurism, sexual exploitation, and cyberbullying. The University, as well as various employee
and student groups, offers a variety of services and resources to ensure that all uOttawa community members have
access to confidential support and information, and to procedures for reporting an incident or filing a complaint.

Notice: Collection of Personal Information with Adobe Connect/Zoom/MS Teams

Recordings
In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in Ontario and with University Policy
90, your personal information is collected under the authority of the University of Ottawa Act, 1965.
The Adobe Connect/Zoom/MS Teams sessions will be recorded for purposes consistent with the fulfillment of the
course learning activities and outcomes. The recording may include the use of your video presence, picture, and
voice. If you choose not to have your picture or voice recorded, you may disable the audio and video functionality
or request accommodation from your instructor. The recording will be available only to authorized individuals
through University of Ottawa systems.

If you have questions about the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in this notice, please
contact SKOUSAIE@UOTTAWA.CA.

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STUDENT SERVICES & RESOURCES

Faculty Student Experience Centre

The goal of the Student Experience Centre is to help students with their academic and social well-being
during their time at the University of Ottawa. Regardless of where a student stands academically, or how far
along they are in completing their degree, the Student Experience Centre is there to help students continue
on their path to success.

A student may choose to visit the Student Experience Centre for very different reasons. Younger students
may wish to talk to their older peers to gain insight into programs and services offered by the University,
while older student may simply want to brush up on study and time management skills or learn about
programs and services for students nearing the end of their degree.

In all, the Student Experience Centre offers a place for students to talk about concerns and problems that
they might have in any facet of their lives. While students are able to voice their concerns and problems
without fear of judgment, mentors can garner further insight in issues unique to students and find a more
practical solution to better improve the services that the Faculty of Social Sciences offers, as well as the
services offered by the University of Ottawa.

Mental Health Services Resources Guide for Students of the University of Ottawa
This guide contains up to date mental health resources that can be used by undergraduate and graduate
students both on the University of Ottawa campus as well as in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.

Academic GPS
The Academic GPS hub is a one-stop shop for academic support. Whether you’re an experienced student or
just starting out, you’ll find some great resources to help you succeed.

With the Academic GPS, you can:

• chat with a mentor seven days a week
• register for study groups
• take part in study methods workshops (note taking, time management, exam preparation, stress
management, Academic Integrity Session, etc.)
• book an appointment with a mentor

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Health and Wellness
Your wellness is an integral part of your success. If you don’t feel well, it can be hard to focus on your
studies.
Dedicated professionals and fellow students who care about you are always ready to provide advice and
support. Depending on your needs, many activities and services exist to accompany you during your
academic journey.

Services include:
• opportunities to connect;
• counselling sessions
• peer support;
• physical activity;
• wellness activities and workshops;
• spiritual guidance.

If you want to connect with a counsellor, you can book an appointment online or go to their walk-in clinic at
100 Marie-Curie, fourth floor.

You can also drop-in to our wellness space, chat online with a peer helper, or access 24/7 professional help
through the website.

Academic accommodations
The Access Service tries to make sure all students with disabilities have equal access to learning and
research environments, the physical campus and University-related programs and activities. The Academic
Accommodations service works with other campus services to create an accessible campus learning
environment, where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to flourish.

We offer a wide range of services and resources, provided with expertise, professionalism and
confidentiality.
Some services we offer
• Help for students with disabilities in making the transition
• Permanent and temporary accommodation measures
• Learning strategy development
• Adaptive exams
• Transcriptions of learning material
• Interpretation (ASL and LSQ)
• Assistive technologies

If you think that you might need any of our services or supports, email the Academic Accommodations
service (adapt@uOttawa.ca).

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Human Rights Office
The mandate of the Human Rights Office is to provide leadership in the creation, implementation and
evaluation of policies, procedures and practices on diversity, inclusion, equity, accessibility and the
prevention of harassment and discrimination.

Contact information: 1 Stewart St. (Main Floor – Room 121) - Tel.: 613-562-5222 / Email:
respect@uOttawa.ca

Career Services
Career Services offers various services and a career development program to enable you to recognize and
enhance the employability skills you need in today's world of work.

uoSatisfACTION
Do you have any comments on your university experience or suggestions on how to improve it?

Tell us!

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