Melonie Sexton

Developing Scientific Literacy and Research Skills in an Online Psychology Class

Introduction

Developing scientific literacy and research skills in an online psychology class. Boost scientific literacy & research skills in online psychology. Study shows embedded peer-reviewed articles improve community college students' ability to interpret research.

Abstract

Students at community colleges have few opportunities for an undergraduate research experience. Compared to students who start at four-year institutions, two-year students are less likely to take a class where peer-reviewed articles are incorporated into the curriculum. As a result, these students often transfer into universities with a limited understanding of scientific literacy and research methodology. This study examined whether embedding peer-reviewed research articles and scaffolded assignments into an online General Psychology course at a large, diverse community college would improve students’ research skills and, by extension, their broader scientific literacy. Specifically, the study asked: Do students who participate in an embedded undergraduate research experience demonstrate measurable gains in their ability to interpret, evaluate, and use peer-reviewed research articles? The intervention consisted of four research-based lab reports and a guided instructional module, “How to Read a Research Article,” designed to help students develop the skills necessary to analyze scholarly sources. Results showed significant gains in students’ ability to interpret psychological research, particularly among students who began the course with lower baseline skills. Findings highlight the value of embedding course-based research opportunities into online community college classes to promote equity, access, and early development of scientific literacy.

Review

This study addresses a critical gap in undergraduate education by focusing on the development of scientific literacy and research skills among community college students, particularly in an online learning environment. The authors highlight the often-limited opportunities for these students to engage with peer-reviewed literature, potentially hindering their preparedness for transfer to four-year institutions. By embedding a structured undergraduate research experience—comprising scaffolded assignments and explicit instruction on reading research articles—into an online General Psychology course, the study sought to enhance students' ability to interpret, evaluate, and utilize scholarly sources. The reported significant gains in students' research interpretation skills, notably among those with lower baseline abilities, underscore the intervention's effectiveness and the study's relevance to promoting educational equity and access. A significant strength of this work lies in its innovative approach to integrating sophisticated research skills into an existing online community college course. The detailed description of the intervention, including four research-based lab reports and a dedicated instructional module, suggests a well-designed and reproducible pedagogical strategy. Targeting community college students is particularly commendable, as this demographic often receives less attention in pedagogical research on scientific literacy despite representing a crucial pathway to higher education. The finding that students with lower initial skills demonstrated the most substantial improvement is a powerful outcome, indicating the intervention's capacity to narrow achievement gaps and provide foundational support where it is most needed. This study offers a compelling model for educators seeking to cultivate scientific literacy in diverse student populations within accessible online formats. While the abstract presents promising findings, a more detailed methodological exposition would further strengthen the claims. Specifically, the abstract would benefit from elaborating on the particular instruments or rubrics used to measure "gains in students' ability to interpret psychological research" and whether a control group was employed to isolate the effects of the intervention. While "significant gains" are reported, providing more context on the statistical methods and effect sizes would enhance understanding of the practical magnitude of these improvements. Future research could explore the long-term retention of these skills, their transferability to other disciplines, and how the online format specifically influenced student engagement and learning outcomes. Nonetheless, this study presents a valuable contribution to the literature on pedagogical interventions for scientific literacy, particularly within the online community college context.

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