PSYC 255
Synthesis Paper
PSYC 255- Introduction to Research
Liberty University
Introductory Level Research
Research Purpose
When this class began, I had general knowledge of APA formatting from previous
classes, but I lacked knowledge surrounding the topic of research. I enjoyed the fact that what I
learned throughout this course; I was able to apply to all of my other classes; I feel equip to
perform my own research. In the beginning of the research textbook, there was a section entitled
Importance of Being an Educated Consumer. I find myself looking back on the notes I took over
that section often. When there is information constantly being thrown at me in the world of
psychology, it can often be hard to discern what is truth and what is not. An example of this
takes place on the Instagram app. It is considered trendy to post about accepting mental health.
As
great as this is, often it is not factual information and is considered what the textbooks
calls research babble (Crawford, 2019).
How to Research
It is not a secret that research can get complicated. There are an infinite number of topics
to gain knowledge about and the more knowledge gain can be helpful, but also lead to
additional questions. With that being said, there are methods to help simplify research methods.
One particular way to make psychological research easier is to focus on the goals of
psychological research: describe, explain, predict, and influence behaviors and mental
processing (Crawford
2017).
Synthesis Paper
PSYC 255- Introduction to Research
Liberty University
Introductory Level Research
Research Purpose
When this class began, I had general knowledge of APA formatting from previous
classes, but I lacked knowledge surrounding the topic of research. I enjoyed the fact that what I
learned throughout this course; I was able to apply to all of my other classes; I feel equip to
perform my own research. In the beginning of the research textbook, there was a section entitled
Importance of Being an Educated Consumer. I find myself looking back on the notes I took over
that section often. When there is information constantly being thrown at me in the world of
psychology, it can often be hard to discern what is truth and what is not. An example of this
takes place on the Instagram app. It is considered trendy to post about accepting mental health.
As
great as this is, often it is not factual information and is considered what the textbooks
calls research babble (Crawford, 2019).
How to Research
It is not a secret that research can get complicated. There are an infinite number of topics
to gain knowledge about and the more knowledge gain can be helpful, but also lead to
additional questions. With that being said, there are methods to help simplify research methods.
One particular way to make psychological research easier is to focus on the goals of
psychological research: describe, explain, predict, and influence behaviors and mental
processing (Crawford
2017).
