Introduction to Psychological Research Methods

Move Beyond Intuition: Research Rigor

We carry strong intuitions about how the mind works—most of them wrong. This course teaches you to test those intuitions rigorously, using the methods psychologists have developed over a century.

You'll learn the design principles that separate real findings from coincidences: how to ask questions that can actually be answered with data, how to interpret results without fooling yourself, and how to write findings up so others can scrutinize and extend your work. The course emphasizes critical evaluation: not just "what did the data show?" but "do I believe it, and why?"

These skills transfer far beyond psychology—anywhere you need to trust evidence over assertion.