MMFT 515 Research Methods and Evidence Based Practice in MFT

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Research literacy is critical for Marriage and Family Therapists to ensure ethical and evidence-based practice. This course equips students with the skills to interpret, critique, and apply research findings in clinical settings. By integrating systemic therapy research with ethical and faith-based perspectives, students learn to evaluate interventions, contribute to research, and engage in data-driven clinical decision-making.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

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Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Video Discussion: Present Your Research

Video Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete a Video Discussion to present his or her Research Proposal paper assignment. For the Video Discussion, the student will create and upload a 5–10-minute PowerPoint video. A part of conducting research is to present the student’s findings at professional conferences/workshops and the student will practice presenting his or her proposals. Each presentation must demonstrate course-related knowledge and assertions and must be supported by at least two outside scholarly sources in current APA format. The student will reply in a 2–3-minute video to 2 of his or her peers discussing the implications to the marriage and family therapy field and highlight Christian integration with the topic. Replies must be supported by at least one scholarly source in current APA format. (CLOs: B, C, D, E)

Topic Selection Assignments (2)

Topic Selection: Find a Gap Assignment

The student will select 3 topics related to the marriage and family therapy profession. The topics and summaries of 3 peer-reviewed articles published within the last 5 years (one article per topic) will be submitted to the instructor for approval and feedback. The instructor will give the student feedback on his or her topic selections regarding which may be the most “researchable and ethical topic,” based on assignment requirements, and may recommend the student focus on one for subsequent assignments. The proposal will not be completed as an experimental study, but rather as a proposal of a study that could be conducted in the future. The assignment must adhere to current APA format.

Topic Selection: Final Topic Selection Assignment

After receiving feedback from the Topic Selection: Find a Gap Assignment, the student will then choose one topic selection based upon the professor’s feedback, highlighting measurable variables (quantitative) or research strategy (qualitative) for the Research Proposal Paper Assignment. The assignment must adhere to current APA format. 

(CLOs: B, D, E)

Stimulus Questions: Chapter Two Research Training – Joys and Challenges Assignment

For this assignment, the student will write answers to the stimulus questions located at the end of the textbook chapters. Answers to the Stimulus Questions will assist the student in the development of the Research Proposal Paper Assignment. The assignment must adhere to current APA format. (CLO: A)

Quantitative or Qualitative Research Reporting Assignment

The student will analyze data from a chosen case scenario (not related to his or her proposal) for either a quantitative or qualitative study, and will write up a results and discussion section corresponding to that data/case scenario. The student will interpret the study’s design, discuss hypotheses (for the quantitative case scenario), data collection, method of analysis, results, and implications for the marriage and family therapy field. The reporting results for each section will be written in no more than 1 page. The assignment must adhere to current APA format. (CLO: C)

Building a Research Design Assignment

Using the feedback received from his or her Final Topic assignment, the student will use a decision-making template to build a quantitative or qualitative research design outline. This assignment will help the student develop the Research Proposal Paper Assignment and must adhere to current APA format. (CLOs: B, C)

Research Proposal Paper Assignment

For this assignment, the student will expound upon the Topic Selection: Final Topic Selection Assignment in hopes to formulate a research study that can be used in marriage and family therapy. The student will conduct a literature review to develop appropriate research hypotheses/questions and discuss the design chosen. The student will then conclude the proposal with the implications that the study could have upon the marriage and family therapy field and integrate a biblical perspective in light of these implications. The paper must be 2-3 pages, include at least 5 citations and references, and be in current APA format. (CLOs: B, C, D, E)

Quizzes (3)

The student will complete 3 quizzes. Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned module. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain a varying number of multiple-choice, true/false, and short answer questions, and have a 1 hour and 15-minute time limit. (CLO: B, C, E)

Quiz: Dispositions Reflection

The student will rate him/herself on the nine dispositions required for this program. The quiz will contain 9 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay question and is limited to 60 minutes. The student is allowed 1 attempt to complete the quiz.