"This book helps readers understand research design and analysis. The intended audience includes those in the sciences who wish to conduct their own research without investing several semesters completing coursework in statistics and related fields, as well as those in the sciences and media who wish to read published research in an informed manner. In the former case, this book will provide a general basis for designing and conducting research, though with the assistance of a statistical consultant. The chapters of this book are laid out into three major sections. In the first section, the author briefly reviews the purpose of research as well as ethics and rules guiding research involving human participants and animal subjects. In the second section, the author walks the reader through basic research designs and validity. In the third section, the author provides a cursory review of statistics, including interpretation and specific techniques. This includes a description of when each statistical technique is appropriate and informative. The section on statistical techniques is intended to help the new researcher to be able to communicate in an informed manner with a statistical consultant or to be able to comprehend the jargon they may find in many research documents. Finally, the author reviews the how-to's of reporting and presenting research findings"-- Provided by publisher.