Activities for Teaching Statistics and Research Methods

This book offers original, pedagogically sound, classroom-tested activities for teaching statistics and research methods that engage students, teach principles, and inspire teachers. A sound understanding of statistics and research methods is essential for all psychologists, and these topics are core components of both Advanced Placement and undergraduate psychology curricula. Yet, these courses are often challenging for many students, some of whom may burn out and even give up on psychology altogether. Each chapter in this book contains classroom exercises in a particular topic area that are practical and easily implemented, and help students learn core principles in ways that are fun and engaging. Whether illustrating basic concepts like variance and standard deviation, correlation, p-values and effect sizes, or teaching strategies for identifying confounding factors, recognizing bias, constructing surveys, and understanding the ethics of behavioral research, each chapter offers clear and compelling tools for engaging students on conceptual and practical levels. The book also includes a handy table that organizes activities by topic area, class level, and length of time to complete, so instructors can quickly pinpoint the content they need.