NSU PYCL507 Complete Course Latest 2021 September (No Assignment 2)

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 1

The Scientific Method – Cause and Effect

What are the major differences between experimental, quasi experimental, and non-experimental research?

Discuss the three major conditions to meet cause and effect (be sure to review your text for further information). Provide a typical experimental "weakness" that wouldn't allow a researcher to determine cause and effect.

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 2

Between- and Within-subjects Approaches

Develop a hypothetical research scenario and research question that would necessitate the use of a Posttest Control Group Design. The research can be either experimental or quasi-experimental. The O1 represents the outcome measure (dependent variable) and the X represents the treatment (independent variable).

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 3

Factorial Designs and Single-case Approach

Develop a hypothetical research scenario that would necessitate the use of a A-B-A Design. The research will be considered experimental. What would the major dependent variable be?

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 4

Survey Approach

Develop a hypothetical research scenario that would warrant the application of the survey approach. Would this application utilize a cross-sectional or longitudinal design? Why or why not?

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 5

Central Limit Theorem

Describe one aspect of the Central Limit Theorem and explain how this concept would be applied in relation to any one of the research designs you came up with in the previous exercises.

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 6

Normal Distribution and Law of Large Numbers

In your hypothetical example of a survey study, how would the Law of Large Numbers apply in regard to the overall validity of the study?

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 7

Misuse of Statistics

From your own experience, when have you seen statistics being "misused" in an attempt to manipulate or sway judgment?

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 8

Battling Bad Science

What was the most interesting aspect of the TED TALK video? How does this apply to your own field of study?

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 9

Legalizing Drugs (Debate)

Which side of the debate did you side with? Did you change your opinion after the debate or did it remain the same? Elaborate on your response. Be respectful of your classmates' responses.

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Exercise 10

Tricks of the Trade

Discuss some ideas of how researchers and editors can tighten up the field of research and ensure validity to the finding.

 

 

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Assignment 1

Reliability and Validity

Locate an established survey/test/assessment/instrument, which is commonly used in the field of psychology, then provide the following information:

Wait, how do I find an instrument?

Download the List of Psychological Tests found in Modules 5-6 and scroll through the plethora of instruments. Find one that you think interests you and start from there. Be creative and start with the internet to start your research on the instrument of choice.

Title of Instrument

Include full title and name of developers.

Description

Provide a full description of the instrument. This includes the intended use of the scale and the target population. Also include the number of items within it and note if there are any subscales within the entire scale. Include any other relevant information, not including psychometric properties. This should be about 1-page in length.

Psychometric Properties (not specifically related to the instrument of choice)

Summarize two major types of Reliability. Specifically, define each term and discuss the application and relevance to the instrument, which you have chosen (1-page in length).

Summarize two major types of Validity. Specifically, define each term and discuss the application and relevance to the instrument, which you have chosen (1-page in length).

Psychometric Properties of the Instrument (include instrument name here) (1/2 – 1-pages in length).

Include here any type of psychometric properties of the instrument that you can locate. This includes various forms of validity and reliability. Include the correlational coefficients (r = .41).

How do I locate the psychometric properties of an instrument?

One way to locate the psychometric properties is to go to the Tests & Measurements database in the NSU library (see screenshot on next page).

Another way is to simply Google the title of the instrument followed by the word “psychometric properties.” For example, if you’re interested in writing your assignment on the Beck’s Depression Inventory then in the search engine simply type “Beck’s depression inventory psychometric properties.”

The search will reveal many studies that have been conducted on the scale with the primary focus in establishing the validity and the reliability of the instrument.

See Format of Assignment on following page

[Name]

[Course Title]

Reliability and Validity

Use the following headings

Instrument

Description

Psychometric Properties

Psychometric Properties of the Instrument

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Assignment 2

Key Performance Indicator Assignment: Critique of a Research Article

9 pages in length including references

Your paper should include your name and course title, adhere to APA style, and written in 12-font and double-spaced. Use the five APA Level-2 headings and APA Level-3 headings as sub-sections. The full APA references should appear at the end of the assignment. Use format template on next page for this assignment.

Include the full reference of the article as the title of your paper.

From a recent (past 5 years) peer-reviewed journal, find an article that utilized the quantitative method. Read the article and be able to provide a short summary of the study. Use the following guidelines:

Introduction – Briefly discuss the purpose of the Introduction section of a manuscript.

•             Problem Statement – Identify the background/rationale and research problem for the study.

•             Theory – Identify the theory the researcher(s) grounded the study in and describe the major research findings that support the theory. Next, list out the research questions or hypotheses.

Methods – Briefly discuss the purpose of the Methods section of a manuscript.

•             Population and Sample – Who or what was the population of interest and what sample participated in the study.

•             Tools for Measurement – Present the assessment or survey tools that were used to collect the data.

•             Design – Briefly describe the research design that was utilized. Provide a definition of the design and a rationale as to why the design was the most appropriate (i.e., connect the design back to the research problem to be addressed).

•             Procedures – Briefly describe the data collection procedures.

Results - Briefly discuss the purpose of the Results section of a manuscript.

•             Identify the primary type of statistical analysis that was used to analyze the data.

Discussion - Briefly discuss the purpose of the Discussion section of a manuscript.

•             Describe the findings of the study and discuss how it supports or refutes the theory presented in the literature review.

Limitations and Suggestions – Identify the potential reasons why one should “suspend trust” in the research. Offer potential suggestions for improvement.

Name

Title

Introduction

Problem statement.

Theory.

Methods

Population and sample.

Tools for measurement.

Design.

Procedures.

Results

Discussion

Limitations and Suggestions

References

 

PYCL507 Research and Evaluation for Counsellors

Assignment 3

Community-based Program Evaluation

Work within this document. There are three parts to this assignment. The first two should be included in this document. The third is the poster presentation which can be submitted separately.

There will be two overall submissions to the assignment drop box- submission 1 should include this document with all responses embedded and submission 2 should include the poster presentation.

Part 1 - Agency Interview

Students will locate a counseling agency (e.g., community mental-health center) and study their website and all their associated materials. After researching the agency then answer the questions listed below.

Keep all the Bold-faced heading and format in APA.

Description of the Organization (in 4-5 sentences provide a general description of the agency)

Questions (example questions- more questions can be included or these can be modified)

1.            What type of services do they provide?

2.            Who is the target population?

1.            What services do the target population need?

3.            How best should the project/ program deliver those services (or activities)?

4.            What are the strengths of their program (e.g., ground in evidenced-based practices etc)?

5.            Is the cost of the services or activities reasonable in relation to the benefits?

6.            Are there alternative approaches that could have the same outcomes with less cost?

Include any other relevant information here.

Summary (in 5-8 sentences briefly summarize the results of your research and provide some insight into the next step)

Part 2 – Program Evaluation Report

Based on your research, students will prepare a report detailing a program evaluation design to evaluate the overall agency or a specific program within the agency. Specifically, students will select an evaluation approach as described in the PPT and chapter listed in the course module titled “Program Evaluation.”

Decide whether a Formative or Summative Evaluation should be conducted.

Evaluation Approach (Formative or Summative). Briefly describe the type of evaluation approach selected. (4-5 sentences)

                Type. There are types of formative and summative evaluations. Describe the type and provide a brief justification as to why this type was selected. (4-5 sentences)

Application. Discuss how this particular approach and type would be applied to the hypothetical scenario presented in Part I of this assignment (5-7 sentences).

Part 3 - The Presentation

 Use the Poster Presentation Found in the Program Evaluation Model to set up your Logic Model that includes details from Parts I and II of this Assignment