title: An inquiry-based approach to teaching research design: asking the right questions.
abstract: To describe an inquiry-based learning activity and discuss the advantages of using such activities to demonstrate research design to undergraduate psychology students the authors presented students with the research problem of eyewitness memory recall and asked students to solve the problem, using the information provided by the course. Working in small groups, students reviewed eyewitness studies and designed their own research materials, including a videotaped theft and a CD-ROM version of the eyewitness survey and potential suspect line-up. Poststudy interviews showed that the students enjoyed the activity and felt that they had a better understanding of experimental research design than they had before the exercise. It is proposed that this activity may be a useful hands-on tool for instructors who have difficulty teaching students fundamental topics such as literature reviews, hypothesis testing, reliability and validity of research measures, and experimental design.
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078, USA.
authors.forename: Nikki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yonts
authors.forename: Charles I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DeBoer
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McMillin
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Potts
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*