Psychological research methods and statistics courses are an increasingly common undergraduate requirement, but are amongst the least popular classes in undergraduate curricula. This paper describes the rationale and implementation of a PSYC325 advanced- level research methods course designed to provide a ‘valid’ (authentic) research experience. Student researchers choose research topics and develop specific research questions, complete ethics for their project, collect and analyse data, before submitting, then revising and resubmitting, a report in journal format. I present evidence for the perceived and actual utility of the course, firstly in the form of student evaluations of important course-relevant aspects (e.g., stimulation of interest, utility of material, quality of feedback) that compare favourably with departmental norms, and secondly in the better-than-peer performance of PSYC325 alumni outperformed in subsequent research-related study.

Keywords: teaching research methods, psychology, authentic assessment