Spring 2027

Research Methods

Covers scientific method and experimental, observational, and correlational research designs in psychological science, including demonstrations and experiments.

offering recorded4 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Andrea Donovan3.4/5Julia Greenberg3.3/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Julia Greenberg

The workload includes a heavy semester-long research paper and lengthy labs that some students found to be busy work, alongside a large volume of information on lecture slides.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Develop skills to find, read, and understand scientific articles and to synthesize scientific literature

  • Through an iterative process, learn how to effectively communicate research in multiple modalities

  • Develop critical thinking skills, examine linkages between method and results, consider alternative explanations, and become more knowledgeable consumers of research

  • Generate and test hypotheses; design psychological research using different approaches, data collection tools, and analysis techniques

  • Correctly interpret and convey statistical results via text, tables, and figures

  • Learn key principles of science, including use of evidence, how to evaluate scientific reliability and validity, and how to fairly and thoroughly evaluate research inside and outside the classroom.

  • Learn that ethical principles, behavior, and decision-making pertain to all aspects of the research process

  • Identify how psychological science can inform societal practices and policies. Review and apply what you learned.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
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AB
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All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Satisfied Communications A, grade of C inPSYCH 202, and grade of C in (PSYCH 210,STAT 324,STAT 340, or STAT 371)

PSYCH 225 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 1.00/5 from 2 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Andrea Donovan

Students found Andrea Donovan's mandatory attendance and written assignments tedious, noting that instructions were often unclear despite the class being easy. One student dropped the course because they felt she did not explain material well and would not provide help.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.17 GPA, 56.5% A/AB (n=69 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.31 GPA, 66.9% A/AB (n=133 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.20 GPA, 57.0% A/AB (n=135 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.03/5 from 30 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 3.1/5 raw quality · 3.5/5 difficulty · 28 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Julia Greenberg

Julia Greenberg is described as caring and approachable, with exams that students found fair and similar to practice problems. The course includes a heavy semester-long research proposal that reviewers found challenging due to unclear rubrics, though Greenberg structures it to be as manageable as possible. Labs are described as tedious, with strict grading on minor errors, so students recommended using TA office hours and studying from the textbook rather than relying solely on lectures.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.53 GPA, 77.3% A/AB (n=132 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.44 GPA, 75.6% A/AB (n=135 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.35 GPA, 66.9% A/AB (n=133 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Allyson Bennett, Jonathan Gallimore

Allyson Bennett managed a heavy homework load by breaking the IRP project into chunks, which students found well-organized and supportive. Jonathan Gallimore’s section featured no exams but required weekly quizzes, labs, and a major paper. One student found the class disorganized with rubric errors, while another appreciated his relatable teaching style and the outside work assigned to prepare for class.

ALLYSON BENNETT is recorded teaching in Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

ANDREA DONOVAN is recorded teaching in Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JONATHAN GALLIMORE is recorded teaching in Fall 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JULIA GREENBERG is recorded teaching in Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KARL ROSENGREN is recorded teaching in Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

REBECCA ADDINGTON is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

TINA WINSTON is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 720
LAB 301Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 302Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 303Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 304Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 307Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 308Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 305Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 306Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LEC 002Classroom Instruction0 / 720
LEC 004Classroom Instruction0 / 720
LEC 003Classroom Instruction0 / 720
LAB 309Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 310Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 311Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 312Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 313Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 314Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 315Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LAB 316Classroom Instruction0 / 180

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Julia Greenberg

Students described PSYCH 225 as a tedious but manageable course, with Dr. Greenberg helping to make the experience bearable through her approachability and clear lecture slides.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.40 GPA, 68.5% A/AB (n=257 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.38 GPA, 71.3% A/AB (n=268 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.27 GPA, 61.9% A/AB (n=268 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Julia Greenberg

The workload includes a heavy semester-long research paper and lengthy labs that some students found to be busy work, alongside a large volume of information on lecture slides.

Past student reviews · Julia Greenberg

Students frequently cited nit-picky grading and unclear rubrics for assignments as frustrating aspects, noting that attention to detail and using TAs were essential for success.

Topics

  • Scientific method
  • Research designs (experimental, observational, correlational)
  • Core issues in research methods across psychology
  • Research ethics

Skills

  • Use of experimental, observational, and correlational research designs
  • Find, read, understand, and synthesize scientific literature
  • Generate and test hypotheses; design psychological research
  • Interpret and convey statistical results via text, tables, and figures
  • Apply ethical principles to the research process

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.13 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
PSYCH 225 · Spring 2027

Research Methods

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
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  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:820:016368",
    "course_id": "PSYCH 225",
    "course_uid": "course_1177b5ab16c01f6a0eef7a2b",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "016368",
    "source_subject_id": "820",
    "title": "Research Methods",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "29f178fdef55d2e42e866877f58af5388869bd53be12fd2e360d4ee584415803",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}