Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis

Preface ix Acknowledgments xii Part I: What Is Applied Behavior Analysis Research? 1(18) The Operant Research Model 4(1) Important Methodological Milestones 5(5) The Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis 10(7) How to Use This Book 17(2) Part II: Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis: Ten Steps for Successful Research 19(206) Select Your General Topic, Find a Good Setting, and Choose Appropriate Participants 21(20) Coming Up With a Good Idea to Research 22(1) The Importance of a Good Setting 23(1) Necessary Characteristics of a Good Research Setting 23(7) Necessary Characteristics of Participants 30(3) How Entry Into Settings Is Typically Gained 33(3) Cultivating a Research Setting 36(5) Narrow Down Your Research Question 41(22) Reviewing the Literature 43(3) Deciding on the Specific Behavior to Study 46(1) Deciding on the Type of Change to Study 46(8) Doing a Resource Assessment 54(9) Decide on Your Dependent and Independent Variables 63(18) Dependent Variables 64(8) Independent Variables 72(9) Establish Social Validity 81(8) Three Features of Social Validation 82(1) Sample Research Using Social Validation 83(1) A Brief History of Social Validation 83(1) Four Operational Steps of Social Validation 84(1) Examples of Research Using Social Validation 84(2) Habilitative Validity 86(3) Create Your Data Collection Systems 89(44) Dimensions of Behavior 90(3) Types of Measurement 93(15) Setting Up the Data Collection System 108(11) Complications in the Use of Observers 119(14) Pilot Test Your Key Variables 133(8) Pilot Testing Your Measurement System 134(2) Pilot Testing Your Independent Variable(s) 136(5) Identify the Appropriate Research Design 141(52) The Purpose of Research Design 142(2) Characteristics and Logic of Single-Subject Design Research 144(3) Exploratory Methods/Weak ``Designs'' 147(7) Behavioral Analysis Research Designs 154(39) Conduct an Ethics Check 193(12) BACB Guidelines for Responsible Conduct 194(4) The Institutional Review Board 198(1) Developing a Responsible Research Design 199(1) Prevention of Abuse of Behavioral Research Findings 200(2) The Ethics of Publishing Your Work 202(3) Carry Out Your Research Project: Daily and Weekly Checklists for Success 205(8) Preparing Your Contact Person 206(1) Preparing Your Observers 207(1) Final Preparations 207(1) Getting Ready for Day 1 208(1) Days 2, 3, and 4 208(1) Week 2 208(1) Week 3 and Beyond 208(2) Preparing for the First Intervention 210(1) Managing the Rest of Your Study 211(1) Wrapping Up Your Study 212(1) Analyze and Graph Your Data 213(12) The Virtues of Visual Analysis 214(1) Should I Analyze My Data Statistically? 215(4) Guidelines for the Design of Graphs in Applied Behavior Analysis 219(5) What Next? 224(1) Part III: Going Public 225(16) Giving a Data or Other Presentation 226(6) Presenting a Poster 232(2) Publishing Your Research 234(7) References 241(12) Index 253(15) About the Authors 268