COGS 201 Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science

This course provides students with a foundation to think critically about research in Cognitive Science and lays the groundwork for the original research that will be done in the senior year. We will examine primary literature, carefully considering the processes involved in moving from a general idea to a specific research question. We will consider the strengths and weaknesses of a range of approaches to studying cognition, with a focus on experimental design. The course will culminate in an original research proposal.

*For Fall 2020, this course will be conducted remotely in a “tutorial”-like format: we will have asynchronous mini-lectures, synchronous discussions, and small-group activities. Our discussions will be foundational and contemporary, focusing on the consequences the global pandemic has had on experimental research. Fall 2020 labs will be cancelled, but students can expect to be engaging in several lab-like activities throughout the semester. Students will not be required to take the lab at a future time, but may optionally enroll in the stand-alone lab or in a class focused on data processing, visualization, and analysis in a future in-person semester.*