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i
Research Methods
f FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
ft
Ben Gorvine • Karl Rosengren • Lisa Stein • Kevin Biolsi
*

OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Research Methods
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Ben Gorvine
Northwestern University
Karl Rosengren
University of Wisconsin —Madison

Lisa Stein
Northwestern University

Kevin Biolsi
KB Statistical Services

New YorK Oxford


OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford.
It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research,
scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a
registered trademark of Oxford University Press in the UK and
certain other countries.

Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press


198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.

© 2018 by Oxford University Press

For titles covered by Section 112 of the US Higher Education


Opportunity Act, please visit www.oup.com / us / he for the
latest information about pricing and alternate formats.

All rights reserved . No part of this publication may be reproduced,


stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press,
or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms agreed with
the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning
reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights
Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above.

You must not circulate this work in any other form


and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

CIP data is on file at the Library of Congress


ISBN number : 978- 0-19- 020182- 1

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed by LSC Communications, United States of America.


Brief Contents
PREFACE XVIII

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Research Methods 1


CHAPTER 2 The Ethical Imperative 25
CHAPTER 3 Negotiating the Institutional Review Board Process 51
CHAPTER 4 Starting Your Research 71
CHAPTER 5 Focusing Your Question and Choosing a Design 93
CHAPTER 6 Developing Your Research Protocol 119
CHAPTER 7 Survey and Interview Approaches 145
CHAPTER 8 Experimental Designs 177
CHAPTER 9 Variations on Experimental Designs 205
CHAPTER 10 Observation, Case Studies, Archival Research, and Meta- analysis 227
CHAPTER 11 Neuroscience Methods 253
CHAPTER 12 Research over Age and Time 279
CHAPTER 13 Analyzing Your Data I: An Overview 301
CHAPTER 14 Analyzing Your Data II: Specific Approaches 333
CHAPTER 15 Writing Up Your Results 373
CHAPTER 16 Publishing Your Research 401
APPENDIX 423
GLOSSARY 424
REFERENCES 437
CREDITS 455
AUTHOR INDEX 457
SUBJECT INDEX 462
Ml
Preface xviii

Introduction to Research Methods 1


INSIDE RESEARCH: Martha Arterberry, Department of Psychology, Colby College 1
Why You Should Care about Research Methods 4
Methods for Evaluating Claims 4
The Extraordinary Coffee Bean 5
Trust the Experts 6
MEDIA MATTERS: -
The Insistent Autism Vaccine Myth 8
Read arvd Evaluate Past Research 10
Search for Convergence 10
How to Evaluate the Quality of Reported Research 10
Preliminary Findings i i
Published Research 12
How Cognitive Biases and Heuristics Affect Your Judgment 13
Conducting Your Own Research to Evaluate Claims 16
Distinction between Science and Pseudoscience 16
The Goals of Science 17
The Scientific Method 17
Objective 17
Consistent 18
Public 18
Based on Established Principles and Past Knowledge 18
Driven by a Quest for Knowledge and Truth 19
Distinction between Applied and Basic Research 20
The Research Process and Organization of This Book 21

CHAPTER 2 The Ethical Imperative 25


INSIDE RESEARCH: Jennifer Lansford, Duke University Sanford
School of Public Policy 25
Why Ethics Matter 28
MEDIA MATTERS; David Reimcr 30

iv
Contents

Completing Ethics Training 31


History of Ethics 32
The Nuremberg Code of 1947 32
The Declaration of Helsinki 33
The National Institutes of Health 33
Tuskegee Syphilis Study 34
History of Ethical Issues in Psychology 35
MEDIA MATTERS: The Highest Order of Hypocrisy 39
The Belmont Report 40
APA Guidelines 41
The Institutional Review Board 41
Organization of the IRB 41
The Committee 41
Staff Members 42
Collaborative Research 42
Mission Creep 43
IRB Reform 44
Defining Research 44
Ethical Considerations for Research with Nonhuman Animals 46
Why Use Animals in Research? 47
What Animals Are Used in Research? 47
How Are Animals Protected? 48

Negotiating the Institutional Review Board Process 51


INSJDE RESEARCH: Kathleen Murphy, IRB Manager, Northwestern University 51
Type of IRB Review 54
Steps in the IRB Process 54
Step 1: Complete Ethics Training 54
Step 2: Prepare Proposal 55
Abstract 56
Protocol 56
Identification of Participants 57
Informed Consent 57
MEDIA MATTERS: When Informed Consent Can Mean Life or Death 59
Step 3: Submit Proposal for Review 60
Ways to Speed the Approval Process 60
Keeping Proper Records 61
Ethical Challenges in Research 62
Contents

Participant Coercion 62
Special Populations 63
Prisoners 63
Children 63
Nonhuman Animals 64
Participant Risk 64
AS5£HM£ Depression 64
Replication ofMilgram's Obedience Study and the Stanford Prison
Experiment 65
Conflict of Interest 66
Deception 66
Illegal Activities 67
Internet Research 68

CHAPTER 4 Starting Your Research 71


INSIDE RESEARCH: Daniel Simons, Department of Psychology,
University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign 71
Choose a Research Topic 74
Hit the Books 74
Search for Research Articles 75
The Art of Reading Research Articles 76
Abstract 77
Introduction/ Literature Review 77
Method 77
Results 77
Discussion 78
References 7S
Take a Variety of Psychology Classes 78
Get Involved in an Ongoing Research Project 79
MEDIA MATTERS: Much Attention Paid to Inattentional Blindness 80
Let Theory Guide Your Research 82
Theory Operates on Different Levels 82
The Role of Theory in Forming Research Questions 84
Theory May Shape Hypotheses 85
Theory and Methodology Reinforce One Another 85
Interplay between Theory and Analysis Strategy 87
Theory Can Lead to the Problem of Confirmation Bias 89
Avoid Common Problems in Starting Your Research 90
Contents

CHAPTER 5 Focusing Your Question and Choosing a Design 93


INSIDE RESEARCH: Diane C. Gooding, Department of Psychology,
University of Wisconsin-Madison 93
Define Your Goal 97
Define the Research Question 97
Recognize Background Assumptions 98
Form Testable Hypotheses 98
Ensure your Hypothesis Is Falsifiable 99
MEDIA MATTERS: Baby Geniuses 100
Identify Variables 102
Choose a Research Methodology 103
Quantitative Research Approaches 104
Experimental Methods I OS
Nonexperimental Methods 107
Qualitative Research Approaches 108
The Role of Theory 109
Description versus Interpretation 110
Realism versus Relativism 110
The Role of Politics 111
Advantages of Multiple Approaches and Methods 111
Reliability and Validity 112
Raising Children's Intelligence: What Works? 114

CHAPTER 6 Developing Your Research Protocol 119


INSIDE RESEARCH: Amy Bohnert, Department of Clinical and
Developmental Psychology, Loyola University Chicago 119
Obtain Your Sample 122
Populations versus Samples 122
Representative Samples 123
Do I Need a Representative Sample? 123
The College Sophomore * Problem”? 125
Labeling Populations 125
MEDIA MATTERS * WEIRD Science 126
Random Samples 128
Problems with Random Sampling 129
Alternatives to Random Sampling 129
MEDIA MATTERS: Nate Silver and the 2012 Election 130
Contents

Nonprobability Samples 130


Online Samples 131
Paying Participants 132
Choose Your Measures 132
Scales of Measurement 133
Nominal Scale 134
Ordinal Scale 135
Interval Scale 135
Ratio Scale 135
Select Your Scale 136
Reliability and Validity 136
Conduct a Power Analysis 137
Prospective versus Retrospective Power Analysis 137
Why Is Power Often Underemphasized? 138
Why Does Power Matter? 139
Formulate an Analysis Plan 139
The Art of Juggling Choices 141
Participant Recruitment Issues 141
Time Constraints 141
Money Constraints 142
Equipment Constraints 142
Make the Best Choices 142

Survey and Interview Approaches 145


INSIDE RESEARCH: John Schulenberg, Department of Psychology,
University of Michigan 145
The Pervasiveness of Surveys 148
MEDIA MATTERS: *Ihe Profligate Tooth Fairy 149
Surveys versus Interviews 151
The Pros and Cons of Surveys 152
Advantages of Surveys 152
Efficient and Economical 152
Large Sample Sizes 153
Allure of A nonymity 153
Flexibility 153
Disadvantages of Surveys 154
Selection Bias 154
Participa tion B iases 155
Non response Bias 155
Contents

-
Self selection Bias ISS
Motivated Respondent Bias ISS
Experimenter Bias ISS
Fatigue Effects and Attrition 156
Social Desirability Bias 1 S 6
Potential Threats to Validity and Possible Solutions 157
Respondents Who Do Not Understand Questions 1S7
Respondents Who Answered Fraudulently 157
Respondents with an Agenda 1 S 8
Careless Respondents 158
The Pros and Cons of Interviews 159
Advantages of Interviews 160
Rich Data 160
Confirmation of Participant Understanding 160
Detecting Careless Interview Responding 160
Disadvantages of Interviews 161
Inefficient Use of Time and Resources 161
Interviewer Effects 161
Response Bias 162
Standardization 162
The Value of Collecting Data on Socioeconomic Status 162
Using an Existing Survey versus Creating a New One 163
Steps to Building Your Own Questionnaire 165
Question Wording 165
Simplicity Is Goodf 165
Write Questions at the Appropriate Reading Level 166
Avoid Double-barreled Questions 166
Avoid Loaded Questions 167
Be Positive! 167
Response Types 168
-
Open-ended versus Closed ended Responses 168
Likert Scales and Response Format 169
Evaluating Your Survey 171
Obtain Feedback 171
Conduct Pilot Testing 171
Assess Instrument Reliability 172
Test - retest Reliability 172
Parallel-forms Reliability 172
Internal Consistency 172
Use Factor Analysis for Advanced Scale Construction 173
Contents

CHAPTER 8 Experimental Designs 177


INSIDE RESEARCH: Travil Seymour, Department of Psychology,
University of California, Santa Cruz 177
The Uniqueness of Experimental Methodology 180
Experimental Control 180
Determination of Causality 181
Internal versus External Validity 182
Key Constructs of Experimental Methods 183
Independent and Dependent Variables 183
Experimental and Control Groups 183
Placebo Effect 184
Random Assignment 185
MEDiA MATTERS: The "Sugar Pill " Knee Surgery 186
Types of Experimental Designs 187
8etween'subjects Designs 187
Advantages of Between-subjects Designs 187
-
Disadvantages of Between subjects Designs 188
Within-subjects Designs 188
-
Advantages of Within subjects Designs 189
Disadvantages of Within- subjects Designs 190
Matched - group Designs 191
Advantages of Matched -group Designs 192
Disadvantages of Matched -group Designs 193
Confounding Factors and Extraneous Variables 193
Participant Characteristics 194
The Hawthorne Effect 194
Demand Characteristics 195
Other Confounds 195
Strategies for Dealing with Confounds 196
Hold Potential Confounding Variables Constant 196
Vary Test Items and Tasks 196
-
Use Blind and Double blind Designs 196
Statistically Control for Variables That Cannot Be Experimentally Controlled 197
Use Randomization and Counterbalancing 197
Ceiling and Floor Effects 198
What Steele and Aronson Found 200
Ethical Considerations in Experimental Design 200
Placebo /Control Group and Denial of Treatment 201
Confederates and Deceit 202
Contents

CHAPTER 9 Variations on Experimental Designs 205


INSIDE RESEARCH: Steven Asher, Department of Psychology, Duke University 205
Single - case Experimental Designs 208
Advantages of Single - case Experimental Designs 211
Disadvantages of Single - case Experimental Designs 212
Quasi- experimental Designs 213
Advantages of Quasi - experimental Designs 214
Disadvantages of Quasi -experimental Designs 215
Factorial Designs 215
Basic Factorial Designs: The 2 x 2 216
MEDIA MATTERS: Almighty Avatars 217
Experimental Independent Variables versus Participant Variables 218
Main Effects and Interactions 219
An Example of a Between - subjects Factorial Design 221
-
An Example of a Within subjects Factorial Design 221
Aw Example of a Mixed Factorial Design 222
Higher-order Factorial Designs 223

CHAPTER 10 Observation, Case Studies, Archival Research,


and Meta-analysis 227
INSIDE RESEARCH: Dan McAdams, Department of Psychology,
Northwestern University 227
Observational Methods 230
Naturalistic Observation 230
Advantages of Naturalistic Observation 231
Disadvantages of Naturalistic Observation 232
Example of Naturalistic Observation: Parent and Child Sportsmanship Behavior 233
MEDIA MATTERS: Aw American Family 234
Example of Naturalistic Observation: Child Care Quality 235
Example of Naturalistic Observation: Scale Errors 236
Structured Observation 238
Advantages of Structured Observation 238
Disadvantages of Structured Observation 238
Example of Structured Observation: Scale Errors 239
Video Recording 239
Coding of Observational Data 240
Case Studies 241
Drawing Insight from the Exceptional Drawing of Nadia 241
The Memorable Case of H .M. 242
Contents

Advantages of Case Studies 243


Disadvantages of Case Studies 243
Archival Research 244
Advantages of Archival Research 245
Disadvantages of Archival Research 245
Meta -analysis 245
Advantages of Meta-analysis 248
Disadvantages of Meta - analysis 249

CHAPTER 1 Neuroscience Methods 253


INSIDE RESEARCH * Marie T. Banich , Department of Psychology
and Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder 253
The Importance of Understanding Neuroscience 256
Neuroimaging Techniques 258
Electroencephalography 258
Magnetic Resonance Imaging 264
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging 267
Diffusion -weighted Imaging 269
MEDIA MATTERS: Helping the Blind to S«e 271
Near-infrared Spectroscopy 272
Ethical Issues in Neuropsychology 273
Safety Concerns 274
Finding Incidental Brain Abnormalities 275
Bias in Participant Selection 275
Using Neuroscience in Conjunction with Other Methods 276

Research over Age and Time 279


INSIDE RESEARCH: Erika Hoff, Department of Psychology,
Florida Atlantic University 279
Defining Developmental Terms 282
Designs to Study Change over Age and Time 283
Cross- sectional Designs 283
MEDIA MATTERS: An Aging and Able Workforce 284
Adva ntages of Cross-sectional Designs 285
Disadvantages of Cross-sectional Designs 285
Longitudinal Research Designs 286
Advantages of Longitudinal Designs 288
Disadvantages of Longitudinal Designs 289
Contents

Cross- sequential Designs 291


Advantages of Cross- sequential Designs 292
Disadvantages of Cross-sequential Designs 293
Microgenetic Designs 293
Advantages of Microgenetic Methods 294
Disadvantages of Microgenetic Methods 294
Additional Challenges to Consider in Developmental Designs 294
Determining the Underlying Cause of Changes 295
Finding Equivalent Measures 295
Determining the Appropriate Sampling Interval 296
Summary of Research Investigating Change over Time 297

CHAPTER 13 Analyzing Your Data I: An Overview 301


INSIOE RESEARCH: Lawrence Hubert, Professor Emeritus of Psychology,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 301
The Steps of Data Analysis 304
Checking and Cleaning Data 304
Computing Descriptive Statistics 305
Creating Visual Displays for Univariate Descriptive Statistics 306
Stem - and - leaf Plots 308
Histograms 308
Box -and - whisker Plot 308
Computing Bivariate Descriptive Statistics and Creating Visual Displays 309
Scatterplots 311
Contingency Tables 312
Computing Effect Sizes 313
Raw Effects 313
Standardized Effects 313
-
Correlation like Effects 314
Confidence Intervals 315
Inferential Statistics and Null Hypothesis Significance Testing 315
Example 1: Assessing the Fairness of a Coin 316
Example 2: Comparison of Two Means 318
Ike Normal Distribution 319
Sampling Distributions 319
Standard Error 321
Central Limit Theorem 321
Criticisms of NHST 322
Misuse of p as an Indicator of Importance 323
Contents

Arbitrary Nature of Reject/Fail-to -Reject Decisions 324


Misinterpretation of the p Value 324
A Culture of Low - Power Studies 325
Going beyond NHST: Effect Size and Confidence Intervals 326
MEDIA MATTERS: Publication Bias and a Possible Solution 327
Focus on Effect Size 328
Use Confidence Intervals 328

Analyzing Your Data II: Specific Approaches 333


INSIDE RESEARCH: Ying (‘Alison ’) Cheng, Department of Psychology,
University of Notre Dame 333
General Approach to Data Analysis 336
MEDIA MATTERS: The Power of the p Value 337
Comparing Means 340
One -Sample t Test 340
Independent-Samples t Test 342
Matched -Pairs t Test 344
Comparisons of More Than Two Means: ANOVA 346
Independent-Groups One-Way ANOVA ( Between Subjects) 346
Multiple Comparisons 348
Repeated- Measures One - Way ANOVA ( Within Subjects) 349
Two -Way ANOVA 351
Interactions 353
Multiple Comparisons 354
Comparing Counts/Frequencies 354
2 X 2 Tables 355
X 2 Test of Independence for R X C Contingency Tables 356
Tests of Association: Correlation and Regression 357
Pearsons r 357
Linear Regression 358
Tests on Ordinal Data 360
Assumption Violations 361
Random Sampling and Independence of Observations 361
Nonnormal Distributions 362
Outliers 362
Skewed Distributions 362
Unequal Variances 364
Unequal Cell Sizes in Factorial ANOVA Designs 364
Lack of Sphericity with Repeated Measures 364
Contents

Robust Statistical Methods 365


Bayesian Data Analysis 366
Advantages of Bayesian Approaches 367
Disadvantages of Bayesian Approaches 368

CHAPTER 15 Writing Up Your Results 373


INSIDE RESEARCH: Stella Christie, Department of Psychology,
Swarthmore College 373
Determining Your Audience 376
Elements of Good Scientific Writing 377
Clear 377
Concise 377
Compelling 378
Be Interesting 37S
Use Logical, Evidence based Reasoning 378
-
Start and End Strong 379
Use Active Voice 379
Write Multiple Drafts and Proofread 379
Overall Manuscript Flow and Organization 379
Hourglass Organization 380
The Right Level of Detail 380
Basic Sections of a Quantitative Research Paper 381
Title Page 381
Abstract 382
Introduction 384
Methods and Procedures 386
Participants 386
Materials 388
Procedures 389
Results 390
Discussion 393
References 394
Figures and Tables 394
MEDIA MATTERS: When Research Is Misrepresented 395
Common Issues to Consider 396
0
Avoid Using the Word °Prove 396
Do Not Anthropomorphize 396
Round to the Nearest Decimal that Captures the Accuracy of the
Measurement Tool 396
Contents

Report Data in a Meaningful Manner 396


Be Careful How You Report Your Statistics 397
Provide Enough Detail about the Statistical Test Used to Examine the Data 397
Keep the Statistics Simple 397
Discuss Hypotheses and Limitations 397

Variations from a Single - experiment Paper 398


Multiple - experiment Papers 398
Qualitative Research Reports 398

Publishing Your Research 401


INSIOE RESEARCH: Haxel Rose Markus, Department of Psychology,
Stanford University 401
The Paper Is Done! Now What ? 404
Presenting Research at Conferences 404
Types of Conferences 405
Choosing the Right Conference 406
Audience 406
Status 406
Size 406
Location 407
Presentation Formats 407
Poster Presentations 407
Oral Presentations 408
Symposia 409
Podium Talks 409
Data Blitzes 409
Choosing the Right Presentation Format 409
Writing Up Research for Publication 410
The APA -Style Manuscript 410
Types of Journals 411
MED4A MATTERS: Q_& A with Economist Science Writer Matt Kaplan 412
Choosing the Proper Home for Your Research 413
The Review Process 415
Paper Submission 415
Editorial Review 415
Soliciting Reviewer Feedback 416
Receiving Reviewer Feedback 416
Contents £29B
Revising 417
The Imperfect Review Process 417
Publication 418
MEDIA MATTERS: The Rise in Retractions 419

Appendix 423

Glossary 424

References 437

Credits 455

Author Index 457

Subject Index 462


Preface
Research Methods: From Theory to Practice is designed primarily for students who want to or
will be expected to conduct research or for those who want to understand research as it
occurs from the “ inside." As its name suggests, this text guides students through the entire

research process from learning about the wide range of current methods, to the first step
of developing a research question , and through the final stage of writing up and publishing
results.
Our first goal for this book is to provide new researchers with the knowledge and
skills they need to begin ethical, creative research. Although this book focuses primar -
ily on psychological research, its content is relevant for anyone interested in doing re -
search in the social and behavioral sciences. Our second and closely related goal for this
book is to help students become not only producers of research, but also educated con -
sumers of the research they encounter daily in online news sources, blogs, social media,
and printed newspapers and magazines. These reports often provide brief snippets from
actual research, but with an unstated marketing bias. We believe that every educated
adult in our society should know when to trust these accounts and how to evaluate
them.
Given the large number of research methods books on the market, someone could rea -
sonably ask why another book on this topic is necessary. Because two of us have taught re-
search methods and helped redesign the research methods classes at Northwestern
University and the University of Wisconsin, we feel there is a need for a novel approach to
this course. In our experience, we have found that the majority of current research methods
texts are not written with the notion that students will conduct their own research projects,
nor do they provide beginning students with much guidance about becoming involved in
research .
By contrast, Research Methods: From Theory to Practice delves into the practical chal -
lenges that face new researchers. For example, although most current textbooks include
information on ethics, we devote an entire chapter to describing how to negotiate an insti-
tutional review board, much of it drawn from our personal experience working on and with
such boards. Our final chapter gives detailed information on presenting research at confer -
-
ences and how to find the right publication outlet for research, a topic we think will be par
ticularly valuable as more and more undergraduates work toward these goals.
We also include two chapters on statistics. This may seem odd given that most col -
leges and universities require a separate statistics course prior to a research methods
course . However, we have seen that many students taking research methods need at least

XVIII
Preface

.
a refresher, if not a more comprehensive review, of statistical material Additionally, a
number of colleges and universities are moving toward an integrated sequence of sta -
tistics and research methods courses, an approach we feel is quite productive . These
statistics chapters provide up - to- date information about current controversies regard-
ing the continued use of null hypothesis testing with a view to what the future might
hold for data analysis, while also providing students with a requisite understanding of
the traditional model. We also present material on research over time (or developmen -
tal approaches) , neuroscience, qualitative research, case study approaches, single -
subject experimental designs, and meta- analysis. Although wTe acknowledge that
few undergraduates will use these methods in their undergraduate careers, we feel that
this information will make them better critical consumers of research w’herever they
encounter it.

FEATURES
Research Methods: From Theory to Practice contains a number of distinct features. Each
chapter begins with an Inside Research section drawn from interviews of leading psy-
chological researchers wThose work exemplifies the content of that chapter. Their shared
experiences about their research studies, struggles, and career choices help demystify
and personalize the research process and capture some of its inherent excitement for stu-
dents. We have also interspersed researcher quotes that provide insights into particular
issues throughout the textbook. An Abstract presents an overview of what will be cov -
ered in the chapter. A Flow Chart depicts the organization of the research process and
important choice points. The flow chart in Chapter 1 provides an overview of the entire
research process, emphasizing iterative aspects of research. Flow charts in subsequent
chapters zoom in on sections of the initial flowchart relevant to the material covered in
the chapter. Each chapter includes at least one Media Matters section that analyzes and
evaluates how a particular research study or general topic relevant to the chapter is por-
trayed in the mass media. Practical Tips boxes highlight central concepts introduced in
each chapter and a Chapter Summary recaps the key issues. Two pedagogical elements
conclude each chapter. The first is Up for Discussion, which offers a series of thought
questions meant to push the reader beyond the text to consider wider applications of the
material. The second is a list of Key Terms defined in the Marginal Glossary within
each chapter. Although many terms are specific to research methods and analysis, others
come from diverse areas of psychology to broaden students’ understanding of the field.
Our Accompanying Instructor’s Manual not only presents standard material such as
chapter outlines, slides, and exam questions, but also includes details and examples
regarding how to conduct data analysis in SPSS and R. These analyses are based on the
examples provided in the chapters.
Preface

ORGANIZATION
Whereas many instructors like to assign chapters in a textbook in the order in which
they appear, our own experience has taught us that this can he difficult in a research
methods class, especially one that requires students to conduct mini- research projects .
In a sense, to be a skilled researcher and critical consumer of research , you need to know
-
all of the material covered in this book to start with This is clearly not practical or pos-
sible. For this reason, we have designed chapters to stand alone as references for a par-
ticular method or issue, so that they might be used in an order that best Fits an instructor.
We have also placed a chapter on ethics early in the book and presented material on
ethics throughout the text to reflect our belief that ethical concerns should be consid -
ered throughout the research process. In our own research methods courses, we include
in almost every class a brief discussion of ethical issues relevant to a particular method
or gleaned from a recent press account.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A book like this takes some time and a lot of help! We are particularly thankful for Jane
Potter at Oxford University Press for convincing us that we should write this book. We
are grateful to Lisa Sussman at Oxford University Press for her careful editing of the text
and for guiding us through the entire process. We also thank the many reviewers and
students who read drafts of chapters, as well as the many students who have taken our
research methods classes. Your thoughts and comments have undoubtedly made this a
better book! We thank the following reviewers:

Michael D. Anes, Wittenberg University Elizabeth Cooper, University of


Suzette Astley, Cornell College Tennessee, Knoxville
Jodie Baird, Swarthmore College Katherine Corker, Kenyon College
-
Levi R . Baker Russell , Randolph R. Cornelius, Vassar College
University of Tennessee Amanda ElBassiouny, Spring Hill College
Cole Barton, Davidson College Catherine Forested, The College
Timothy Bickmore, of William & Mary
Northeastern University Judith G. Foy, Loyola Marymount
Caitlin Brez, Indiana State University University
Kimberly A . Carter, California State Ronald S. Friedman, University at Albany,
University, Sacramento State University of New York
Janessa Carvalho, Bridgewater State Kathleen Gcher, State University of New
University York, New Paltz
Herbert L. Colston, University of Frank M. Groom , Ball State University
Wisconsin-Parkside David Haaga, American University
William Indick, Dowling College Melissa Scircle, Millikin University
Mark A. Jackson, Transylvania University Elizabeth Sheehan , Georgia State
Kulwinder Kaur-Walker, Elizabeth City University
State University Angela Sikorski, Texas A& M University
Victoria Kazmerski, Pennsylvania State Texarkana
University, Erie Meghan Sinton, College of William and
Marina Klimenko, University of Florida Mary
Nate Kornell, Williams College Mark Stellmack, University of Minnesota
Rebecca LaFountain, Pennsylvania State Janet Trammell, Pepperdine University
University, Harrisburg Andrew Triplett, Loyola University
Huijun Li, Florida A& M University Chicago
Stella G. Lopez, University of Texas at San Laura Butkovsky Turner, Roger Williams
Antonio University
William McKibbin, University Barbara J. Vail, Rocky Mountain College
of Michigan, Flint Luis A. Vega, California State University,
Lindsay Mchrkam, University of Florida Bakersfield
Kathryn Oleson, Reed College John L. Wallace, Ball State University
Bonnie Perdue, Agnes Scott College Mark Whiting, Radford University
Bill Peterson , Smith College Ryan M. Yoder, Indiana Univcrsity-
Thomas Redick , Purdue University Purdue University, Fort Wayne
Monica Riordan, Chatham University

Finally, we thank all of our families. Ben thanks Amy for her endless patience with the
length and scope of this project and her invaluable help in designing several of the figures in
the chapter on experimental methods. He also thanks his daughters, F.mma and Sophie, for
their love and for providing the motivation to push through this project. Karl thanks Sarah
for listening to many crazy research ideas and helping to turn them into more practical
ones, as well as providing support on a daily basis. Karl also thanks his daughters, Emily
and Julia, for their love and support. Lisa thanks Daniel for his constant encouragement,
-
invaluable IT support, and take out dinners and Madeline, Emma, and Owen for making
everything worthwhile. Kevin thanks Carol, Lauren, and Megan for their love, encourage -
ment, and support.
X
1
Why You Should Care about
Research Methods

Introduction Methods for Evaluating Claims


The Extraordinary Coffee Bean
Trust the Experts

to Research
Read and Evaluate Past Research
Search for Convergence
How to Evaluate the Quality
of Reported Research

Methods
How Cognitive Biases and Heuristics
l Affect Your Judgment
Conducting Your Own Research
to Evaluate Claims

Distinction oetween Science


and Pseudoscience
irisiDE RESEARCH: MARTHA ARTERBERRY The Goals of Science
The Scientific Method
Distinction between Applied
and Basic Research
The Research Process
and Organization of This Book

Professor and Department Chair,


Department of Psychology, Colby
College

As an undergraduate at Pomona College I discovered I liked to


do research, especially the idea of asking questions and finding
the answers. I was taking a statistics course, and I really enjoyed
.
using data to test hypotheses (My students think l'n crazy when
I tell them this.)
At the same time, I was fascinated by the study of art history. In
my art history classes, I thought a lot about how an artist rep-
resents the world in a painting or an idea in a three-dimensional
sculpture. Also, I used to spend summers making pots. I lovec
ceramics, especially making bowls and goblets, and thinking
about the motor actions that allowed me to create these

1
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS

three -dimensional shapes, sometimes upside- down on a potter's wheel, and


thinking about how others eventually will perceive them.
It all came together for me when I took a seminar on perception, as a visiting
student at Swarthmore College, from Philip Kellman. He had a "baby lab," and I
remember being intrigued. I had no idea there was even an area of research called
infant perception. I askeo, " What is a baby lab and can I work there?" He let me
volunteer and that was the first time I die hands-on psychological research. I loved
it, and I still love it.
My research in the baby lab made me realize that perceptual psychologists, like
artists, also think a lot about how to represent the world. Human perceivers may not
be creating something on a canvas, but they're trying to make sense of the informa -
tion. It was through art that I got interested in perception, and the question of how it
all starts go:me to babies. The intersection of all these different areas is a great
example of the power of a liberal arts education.
An overarching theme in my research asks the question: What information
enables us to perceive the world and how does the ability to use this information
develop? My initial work focused on infants' perception of depth and three -
aimensional object shape. More recently, I am interested in what information infants
use to group objects together, a process called categorizat on. Working with young
participants who don't talk adds another layer of complexity to my research. Infant
perception researchers use creative methods that allow us to infer what a baby
might perceive or know. It is like cracking a code! It is another challenge to the
research process, but one that makes it even more fun to do.

Martha Arterberry has combined her interests in areas as diverse as statistics, art
history, and infant development to study how human beings come to perceive the
world. She uses a varioty of research methods, such as observing children's behav -
ior, electroencephalograms, and an eye tracker to quantify eye movements. Her
work is at the forefront of an explosion in research on the development of
perception.
Research Focus: Perception and cognition in infants, children, and adults
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
This flowchart provides an overview of
the research process, emphasizing the
iterative aspects of research . Flow -
Complete ethics training charts in subsequent chapters zoom in
on sections of this flowchart relevant

*
Formulate a research
to the covered material.

question

Generate testable
Hypotheses

Choose a research
method

*
Develop a research

A protocol

*
Complete IRB proposal

*
Obtain IRB
approval

N *
Collect pilot data

*
Collect actual data

*
Analyze data

*
Write up study

*
Publish or present study
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS

Chapter Abstract
In this chapter, we discuss the importance of research methods and their relevance not only
to the scientific process but also to daily life. We explore various approaches to evaluating the
constant, ubiquitous stream of reports of research findings in the media and advertising, as
well as results published in scholarly journals. We present examples of fraudulent and uneth -
-
ical researchers to help instill a healthy skepticism of all research findings. Finally, we intro
duce the fundamentaldistinction between science and pseudoscience and present a flowchart
depicting the research process that will guide the organization of subsequent chapters.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT RESEARCH


METHODS
There are two main reasons why you should know something about research methods.
First, such knowledge helps you better understand research findings reported in the
— —
media whether digital, broadcast, or print and advertisements. How can you tell
whether the claims made are justifiable and believable ? In the past few years alone, compa
nies and researchers have claimed that listening to Mozart boosts ICi, wearing magnetic
bracelets reduces pain and motion sickness and promotes better balance, drinking coffee
and red wine promotes health, drinking pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol and boosts
heart health , and drinking diet soda may increase women’s risk for depression. Are any of
these claims true ? How would you find out ?
Second , understanding research methods can aid in many of your everyday decisions. In
terms of both physical and psychological well-being, a deeper knowledge of methods can
-
help you make good health care decisions. In terms of being a consumer, this knowledge
can help you evaluate advertising claims made about a new car, television, or computer so
that you can make the best possible choice.
Another good reason to know about research is so that you can conduct your own re -
search. Doing research can be a fun, creative, and rewarding experience, but becoming a
skilled researcher requires a certain amount of knowledge. Our hope is that by reading this
book, you will acquire the knowledge to be a better consumer of research and to conduct
your own research project.

METHODS FOR EVALUATING CLAIMS


One way to evaluate research claims made by researchers, reporters, or health care-related
wrebsites is to simply accept them at face value because they are based on the opinions of
Methods for Evaluating Claims

experts. After all, if some expert did not support the claim, it would not appear in the news
or on the Web, right ?
Do you blindly trust experts cited in a newspaper or online ? How do you know who you
can trust ? Many reports do not even mention a specific expert, so how can you determine
whether the report and reporting provide an accurate description of trustworthy results?
A second approach for evaluating claims is to read and evaluate the actual research. But
often you will find competing accounts that are difficult to interpret without extensive
knowledge of a particular field of study. How, then, do you evaluate the claims found in
different sources and come to your own conclusion ? This evaluation process becomes easier
as you gain experience and learn to judge the quality of the research and conclusions.
A third method for evaluating claims is to search for similar results, or converging
evidence, about claims made in news releases (in print or online) and original research.
( onvergiug ev idence refers to results from multiple research investigations that provide Converging
evidence Results
similar findings. But when you begin to search for converging results, you may be con - from multiple research
fronted with a diverse set of facts and opinions that can be difficult to sort out. investigations that
Finally, you could conduct your own research project to lest the claims, but many indi- provide similar
viduals do not have the knowledge or resources to conduct such tests. We will delve into findings.
this approach over the course of this book; much of the book is targeted to help you design
and conduct your own research project.

The Extraordinary Coffee Bean


As an introduction to evaluating particular claims that appear in the media, we present two
reports about coffee and consider how you might evaluate their veracity. We examine issues
of expertise, reading, and evaluating past research; the importance of finding convergent
evidence; and particular aspects to look for in a report of a research finding.
For many years, reports about the health benefits of caffeine have circulated in the media.
A New York Times article highlighted in Figure 1.1 suggests that caffeine consumers have a
lower death rate than individuals who abstain from caffeine. Should we trust Jane Brody
and her reporting? How can we know whether the research she reported really supports the
claim that is being made ?
There are multiple ways to evaluate the report . First, you could try to find out wrho
conducted the original research . Was it a trained, objective researcher or someone hired
by Starbucks or some other coffee supplier ? The blurb in Figure 1.1 does not contain this
information, but if you look at the original press report ( Brody, 2012), you will find that
Dr. Neal Freedman and his colleagues conducted the study. Dr. Freedman is listed as an
epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute, and the research was published in 7he
.
New England Journal of Medicine He seems like a trained researcher, so perhaps we
should accept the findings. But skepticism is a good trait wThen reading newspapers or
websites, and wTe will explore in the next section why trusting the experts may or may not
be a good thing.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS

Having Your Coffee and Enjoying It Too


. .
By JANE E.BRODY [NY TIMES June 25 2012]
A disclaimer: I do not own stock In
Starbucks nor, to my knowledge, in
any other company that sells coffee or
its accoutrement. I last wrote about
America's most popular beverage four
years ago, and the latest and largest
study to date supports that earlier
assessment of coffee s health effects.
Although the new research, which
involved more than 400 ,000 people in
a 14- year observational study, still
cannot prove cause and effect, the
findings are consistent with other recent large studies. The findings were widely reported, but
here’s the bottom line : When smoking and many other factors known to influence health and
longevity were taken Into account coffee drinkers in the study were found to be living somewhat
longer than abstainers. Further , the more coffee consumed each day —up to a point, at least—
the greater the benefit to longevity. The observed benefit of coffee drinking was not enormous—
a death rate among coffee drinkers that was 10 percent to 15 percent lower than among
FIGURE 1.1* The abstainers. But the findings are certainly reassuring, and given how many Americans drink
benefits of coffee. coffee, the numbers of lives affected may be quite large .

Second, you could dig for converging evidence from other websites or news outlets. Do
multiple sites provide converging evidence ? Unfortunately, not all of them will cover the

same aspects of a story. The press release Green Coffee Diet Free Offer: Ute Magic Weight
Loss Cure for Every Body Type (shown in Figure 1.2) discusses how Dr. Oz (from the popular
Dr. Oz television show) suggests that taking green coffee bean supplements can lead to
“magic weight loss’’ ( Weight Loss Pills Network, 2016). Is Dr. Oz an expert on caffeine or
weight loss? Is he even a real doctor? How should we evaluate these two reports, and should
we drink coffee or take green coffee bean supplements, or both ?
Third, you could use knowledge of research methods to help you evaluate the claims. We
will go into this approach in more detail shortly. Here, we describe potential approaches
you can use as you encounter research claims reported in the media.

Trust the Experts


Trusting the experts is a common strategy. After all, the New York Times and other newspa-
pers would not report inaccurate or wrong information, would they ? One piece of informa -
tion to help you determine accuracy is whether the news report is based on an original
Secondary source .
research study, an interview with the lead researcher, or some secondary source Even if the
An article or reference report lists the journal that published the research, you still cannot be sure it is based on the
in which the author
describes research that -
original data. Many scientific journals (or periodicals with scientific sounding names) pub-
has previously been lish secondary reports of research, meaning they are not the original source. The problem
published. with using secondary sources is exemplified by the old game of “telephone,"’ where one
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Narrative of

travels and discoveries in Northern and

Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and


1824
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

Title: Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and


Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824

Author: Hugh Clapperton


Dixon Denham
Walter Oudney

Contributor: Robert Brown


J. G. Children
Charles Dietrich Eberhard König
Abraham V. Salamé
N. A. Vigors

Release date: September 29, 2023 [eBook #71754]

Language: English

Original publication: London: John Murray, 1826

Credits: Galo Flordelis (This file was produced from images


generously made available by The Internet Archive and
Yale Univ. Library)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE


OF TRAVELS AND DISCOVERIES IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
AFRICA, IN THE YEARS 1822, 1823, AND 1824 ***
Drawn by Major Denham. Engraved by E. Finden.

ALAMEEN-BEN MOHAMMED EL KANEMY.


SHEIKH OF BORNOU.
Published by John Murray, London. Feb. 1826.
N A R R AT I V E
OF

T R AV E L S A N D D I S C O V E R I E S
IN

NORTHERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA,


IN THE YEARS 1822, 1823, AND 1824,

BY MAJOR DENHAM, CAPTAIN CLAPPERTON, AND THE


LATE DOCTOR OUDNEY,
EXTENDING ACROSS THE
GREAT DESERT TO THE TENTH DEGREE OF NORTHERN LATITUDE, AND FROM
KOUKA IN BORNOU, TO SACKATOO, THE CAPITAL OF THE FELLATAH EMPIRE.
WITH

AN APPENDIX,
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EARL BATHURST, ONE OF
HIS
MAJESTY’S PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES OF STATE, AND DEDICATED BY
PERMISSION TO HIS LORDSHIP,

B Y M A J O R D I X O N D E N H A M,
OF HIS MAJESTY’S 17TH REGIMENT OF FOOT,

AND

C A P TA I N H U G H C L A P P E RTON,
OF THE ROYAL NAVY,

THE SURVIVORS OF THE EXPEDITION.

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET.

MDCCCXXVI.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.
TO

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE EARL BATHURST, K.G.


HIS MAJESTY’S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES,

THIS VOLUME,
CONTAINING

AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR DISCOVERIES

MADE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF HIS LORDSHIP,

IS INSCRIBED,

WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT AND GRATITUDE,

BY HIS OBLIGED AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS,

THE AUTHORS.
P R E FA C E .

By the death of Dr. Oudney, it has fallen to the lot of Captain


Clapperton and myself to render an account to the public of our
expedition into the interior and central parts of Northern Africa. The
sudden departure of my surviving companion, on a second mission,
has necessarily thrown the greater part of the burden on myself. I
believe, however—for I have not seen any of his papers—that
Captain Clapperton, during the lifetime of Dr. Oudney, made but few
remarks himself beyond the construction of the chart of our route,
from daily observations of the latitude, and of lunars for the
longitude, whenever favourable opportunities occurred; but,
subsequently to the death of his travelling companion, which
happened at an early stage of their journey into Soudan, a journal of
his proceedings and remarks appears to have been regularly kept;
and this, together with other documents connected with that journey,
were left at his departure in the hands of Mr. Barrow, with a request
that he would see them through the press.
It may naturally enough be asked, Why something more than a
short excursion to the westward of Mourzuk, and a few notes, do not
appear from the pen of Dr. Oudney in the present volume? I can only
answer the question by the fact, that the only papers placed in my
hands consist of “An Itinerary from Mourzuk to Bornou;” and “An
Excursion to the Westward of Mourzuk;” neither of which have been
deemed fit for publication in extenso, from their imperfect state, and
containing very little beyond what will be found in my own journals. I
have, however, printed in foot notes such parts of them as have
been pointed out to me. Not a paper of his, to my knowledge, has
been lost or destroyed; and I can only account for the unsatisfactory
state in which they have been found, from the circumstance of his ill
health, which became extremely precarious from the moment of our
departure from Mourzuk, where he had caught a cold, which settled
on his lungs, and never left him. On our arrival at Kouka, and
frequently afterwards, he experienced so many attacks of fever, that
there appeared little hope of his surviving to return to England, which
was indeed his own opinion; and when he set out on his last journey
towards Soudan, he was so exhausted, and in a state so unfit for
such an undertaking, that he fell a martyr to his zeal very soon after
his departure, though, had he remained at Kouka, the melancholy
event would not, in all probability, have been prolonged many days.
My own expeditions in various parts of Bornou, in Mandara, and
Loggun, and the two fruitless attempts I made to complete the tour of
the great lake Tchad, will be found to occupy a considerable portion
of the volume; and being made in countries, and among a people
unknown to Europeans,—many of them even by name or report,—it
is hoped that observations, faithfully and circumstantially minuted
down at the time and spot, will not be found tedious or uninteresting
to the reader.
It will, perhaps, be thought by some, that I have been more minute
than necessary in the account of our journey across that tremendous
desert which lies between Mourzuk and Bornou, and which,
generally speaking, is made up of dark frowning hills of naked rock,
or interminable plains, strewed in some places with fragments of
stone and pebbles, in others of one vast level surface of sand, and,
in others again, the same material rising into immense mounds,
altering their form and position according to the strength and
direction of the winds. But, even in the midst of this dreary waste,
towns, villages, wandering tribes, and kafilas, or caravans,
sometimes occur to break the solitude of this dismal belt, which
seems to stretch across Northern Africa, and, on many parts of
which, not a living creature, even an insect, enlivens the scene. Still,
however, the halting places at the wells, and the wadeys or valleys,
afford an endless source of amusement to the traveller, in witnessing
the manners, and listening to the conversation, of the various tribes
of natives, who, by their singing and dancing, their story telling, their
quarrelling and fighting, make him forget, for a time, the ennui and
fatigue of the day’s journey.
As for the rest, I have to trust to its novelty, for its
recommendation to the public, rather than to any powers of writing,
which I pretend not to possess; and it is now a source of great
satisfaction to me that, under all my difficulties, and they were not
few, I was able to adhere to the resolution I set out with, of recording,
at the end of each day, the occurrences, however trifling, that had
taken place.
To Sir Robert Ker Porter, my friend since the days of boyhood, I
am indebted for having perfected several drawings, with his
experienced pencil, from my hasty, but yet faithful sketches, of the
people and scenery of Central Africa. His eye was nearly as familiar
as my own with the picturesque objects they display; and, indeed, all
who are acquainted with the published narrative of his Researches
amongst the Remains of Ancient Persia and Babylonia, might readily
recognise the same hand, in these his spirited delineations of African
costume and character.
DIXON DENHAM.
Albany, London,
Jan. 1st. 1826.
Map of the Travels and
Discoveries made in Northern
& Central Africa, by Dr.
Oudney, Major Denham, &
Captn. Clapperton, R.N. in the
Years 1822, 3, & 4.

J. & C. Walker Sculpt.


(Large-size)

Published as the Act directs Feby. 1826,


by John Murray Albemarle Street London.
CONTENTS.

Page
Introductory Chapter.—From Tripoli to Mourzuk xi
Excursion to the Westward of Mourzuk xliii

MAJOR DENHAM’S NARRATIVE.


Chap. I.—From Mourzuk to Kouka in Bornou 1
Chap. II.—Kouka 67
Chap. III.—Expedition to Mandara 99
Chap. IV.—Excursion to Munga and the Gambarou 149
Chap. V.—Rainy Season at Kouka 181
Chap. VI.—Excursion to Loggun, and Death of Mr. Toole 226
Chap. VII.—Journey to the Eastern Shores of the Lake Tchad 248
Supplemental Chapter on Bornou 314

CAPTAIN CLAPPERTON’S NARRATIVE.


Prefatory notice to the Narrative, by John Barrow
Sect. I.—From Kouka to Murmur, where Dr. Oudney died 1
Sect. II.—From Murmur to Kano 34
Sect. III.—From Kano to Sackatoo, and Residence there 67

APPENDIX.
No. I.—Translation of a Letter from the Sheikh Mohammed El Kanemy 139
No. II.—Translation of a Letter from an African Chieftain 140
No. III.—A Letter from Yousuf, Pasha of Tripoli, to the Sheikh of Bornou 141
No. IV.—A Letter from the Pasha of Tripoli 143
No. V.—A Letter from the Sheikh of Bornou to the Sultan of Kanou 144
No. VI.—A Letter from the Sheikh of Bornou to the Sultan of Hoossa 145
No. VII.—A Letter from the Chieftain Mohammed Gamsoo 146
No. VIII.—A Document relating to the Death of Mungo Park 147
No. IX.—A Letter from the Sheikh of Bornou to Captain Clapperton 148
No. X.—A Document made at the Court of Justice of Bornou 149
No. XI.—Translation of Letters and Documents received from the Sheikh
of Bornou concerning Mr. Tyrwhit’s Death 151
No. XII.—Translation of an Arabic MS. 158
No. XIII.—A Narrative of the first Battle of Kadawee 167
No. XIV.—The Song of Mohammed-Alameen ben Mohammed El Kanemy 171
No. XV.—Translation of an extempore Arab Song 173
No. XVI.—Translation of the Song of the Fezzanneers, on Boo
Khaloom’s Death 174
No. XVII.—Bornou Vocabulary 175
No. XVIII.—Begharmi Vocabulary 179
No. XIX.—Mandara Vocabulary 180
No. XX.—Timbuctoo Vocabulary 181
No. XXI.—Zoology 183
No. XXII.—Botany 208
No. XXIII.—Letter to Major Denham on the Rock Specimens 247
No. XXIV.—Thermometrical Journals 262
L I S T O F P L AT E S .

No. Page
1. Alameen ben Mohammed El Kanemy, Sheikh of
Bornou, Frontispiece

2. Part of the Stony Desert, to face page xvi


3. Castle at Mourzuk, from Mr. Ritchie’s Grave xxi
4. Woman of Sockna xxvii
5. Vignette, Arabs Meeting xlii
6. View of the Bahr Mandia lviii
7. Castle, and Salt Lake at Tegerhy 5
8. Anay Tibboo Country 17
9. Kanemboo Marketwoman,—Unmarried Woman of Soudan 46
10. Body Guard of the Sheikh of Bornou 64
11. Reception of the Mission by the Sultan of Bornou 79
12. Shouaa Women, kingdom of Bornou 94
13. Arrival at Mora, the capital of Mandara 111
14. Mandara Musicians 123
15. Plan of the Pass of Hairy, Mandara mountains 127
16. Attack on Musfeia 133
17. Vignette, Manner of Roasting Fish 148
18. The River Gambarou, or Yeou, near Lada 152
19. Favourite of the Seraglio, accompanying a Military Expedition 163
20. Kanemboo Spearman,—Munga Bowman, in the service of the Sheikh
of Bornou 166
21. Abdel Gassam, a Felatah from Timbuctoo—A Bornouese on a
Journey 177
22. Vignette, Kanemboo Night Watch 180
23. Hut, and Carpenter’s Shop 201
24. Vignette, Plan of Kouka 225
25. Fishing Boats on the River Shary 229
26. River Shary, from the Walls of Kussery 235
27. Vignette, Negresses Pounding Corn 247
28. A Loggun Lady—Funha of Maffatai—Abdelahi of Mandara 259
29. Hager Teous, or the Footstool of Noah 261
30. Sketch of the Lake Tchad 266
31. Lancers of the Sultan of Begharmi 279
32. Manner of Fishing on the River Yeou 284
33. Encampment near Woodie 289
34. Ghirza, south face of Building 305
35. Frieze on do. ib.
36. Town of Sangeia, in Houssa 36
37. Natives of Soudan 54
38. Vignette, Plan of the Town of Kano 56
39. A Reduction of Bello’s Map of Central Africa 109
40. Appendix—Fennecus Cerdo 183
41.
Arms and Armour of Central Africa, brought home by Major Denham,
42.
—Three Plates.
43.
44. General Map of the Routes of the Travellers.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

BY MAJOR DENHAM.

FROM TRIPOLI TO MOURZUK.

Previous to any knowledge I had received of the intentions of


His Majesty’s government to follow up the mission of Mr. Ritchie and
Captain Lyon, I had volunteered my services to Lord Bathurst to
proceed to Timbuctoo, by nearly the same route which Major Laing is
now pursuing. I learnt, in reply, that an expedition had been planned,
and that Doctor Oudney and Lieutenant Clapperton, both of the
navy, were appointed; and with these gentlemen, by the kindness of
Lord Bathurst, I was, at my request, associated. My companions left
London before me; but, as soon as ready, I lost no time in
proceeding in the packet to Malta, where I found that they had left
the island for Tripoli nearly a month before. By the kindness of
Admiral Sir Graham Moore, Sir Manley Power, Sir Richard Plasket,
and Captain Woolley, commissioner of the dock-yard, all my wants
were amply supplied; and judging that the assistance of a shipwright
or carpenter might prove of essential use, and being allowed by my
instructions to engage any one, at a reasonable salary, who might
choose to volunteer to accompany the mission, William Hillman,
shipwright, a man of excellent character, immediately offered his
services, on an agreement that he should receive 120l. a year so
long as he should continue to be employed.
I embarked in the Express schooner, which the admiral lent me for
the purpose, and, on the 18th November, after three days’ sail,
arrived at Tripoli, and found my two companions at the house of Mr.
Consul Warrington, anxiously expecting my arrival. Of this gentleman
it is not too much to say, that by his cheerful and good humoured
disposition, his zeal, perseverance, and extraordinary good
management, we owe, in a great degree, that influence which
England possesses with this government far beyond that of any
other of the Barbary powers. The English name, in fact, is of such
importance in Tripoli, that there is scarcely a point to carry, or a
dispute to settle, in which the bashaw does not request the
interference of the British consul: and to him, indeed, is, in a great
degree, owing the origin and success of the late mission. He stated
broadly to the government at home, that the road from Tripoli to
Bornou was as open as that from London to Edinburgh; which, with a
small allowance for Oriental hyperbole, was found to be true—
witness the journey of my lamented friend Lieutenant Toole, and also
of Mr. Tyrwhitt, the latter laden with valuable presents.
But this is not all: the British flag has a peculiar power of
protection, and the roof of the English consul always affords a
sanctuary to the perpetrator of any crime, not even excepting
murder; and scarcely a day passes that some persecuted Jew or
unhappy slave, to escape the bastinado, does not rush into the
court-yard of the British consulate for protection. A circumstance
occurred in returning from one of our excursions, which shows in
what high estimation the English character is held in Tripoli. A poor
wretch, who, for some trifling offence, was sentenced to five hundred
bastinadoes, having, while on his way to receive the sentence of the
law, contrived to slip from the custody of his guards, fortunately met
with the child and servant of Doctor Dickson, a most respectable and
intelligent English physician practising in Tripoli: the condemned
wretch, with wonderful presence of mind, snatched up the child in his
arms, and halted boldly before his pursuers. The talisman was
sufficiently powerful: the emblem of innocence befriended the guilty,
and the culprit walked on uninterrupted, triumphantly claiming the
protection of the British flag.
But the following proves still more strongly to what extent the
influence of the British flag might be carried.—Since the reduction of
the refractory Arabs to submission, no chief had received such
repeated marks of kindness and attention from the bashaw, as
sheikh Belgassam ben Khalifa, head of the powerful tribe of El Gibel.
At the particular request of the former, sheikh Khalifa had quitted his
tents and flocks, resided in the city, and was high in his prince’s
confidence—fatal pre-eminence in Barbary states!—and had been
presented, but a few months before, with one of the most beautiful
gardens in the Minshea. Returning from the castle after an evening
of music and dancing in the bashaw’s private apartments,
Belgassam kissed the hand that had signed his death-warrant, and
took his leave. At his own door a pistol-shot wounded him in the arm,
and on entering the skiffa, or passage, a second entered his body.
The old sheikh, after his slave had fastened the door, staggered to
his carpet, and then, in the arms of his wife, proclaimed his assassin
to be his own nephew, sheikh Mahmoud Belgassam Wildé
Sowdoweah. The work being, however, but half done, others rushed
in, and seven stabs put an end to his sufferings, notwithstanding the
screams of his wife, who received two wounds herself, in
endeavouring to save her husband. The poor old man was almost
instantly buried, and the three persons who had undertaken the
murder fled to the British consulate for protection. Early the next
morning, however, the consul despatched his dragoman to give the
bashaw notice, “that the murderers of Khalifa would find no
protection under the flag of England.” The bashaw said, “he was
shocked at the murder, and regretted the assassins having taken
refuge in the consulate, as it was a sanctuary he could not violate,
particularly as he understood they meant to resist, and were well
armed.” Our consul replied, “that the bashaw was at liberty to send
any force he pleased, and use any means he thought best, to drag
them from beneath a banner that never was disgraced by giving
protection to assassins.” The minister also came and expressed the
bashaw’s delicacy; and it was evident he did not expect such would
be the conduct of the consul: he was, however, peremptory, and the
bashaw dared not seem to favour such an act of villany. It was
sunset before he decided on taking them away, when about sixteen
of the chosen people of the castle entered the consulate, and the
wretches, although provided with arms, which they had loaded,
tremblingly resigned themselves, and were, in less than an hour,
hanging over the walls of the castle.
On a day appointed we waited on the bashaw. After passing the
court-yard, crowded with guards, and several groups of Arabs in the
passages and ante-rooms playing at cards or dice, we were
introduced to the audience chamber, where the bashaw, sitting
cross-legged on a carpet, supported by his two sons, and attended
by armed negroes, received us kindly, ordered us to be served with
sherbet and coffee, and expressed himself in the most favourable
manner on the subject of our mission, which he promised to forward
in safety into the interior of Africa. He invited us to join him in a
hawking party. The cavalcade, consisting of about three hundred,
altogether presented so novel an appearance, that I shall endeavour
to give some description of our morning’s amusement. The bashaw
was mounted on a milk-white Arabian, superbly caparisoned, with
saddle of crimson velvet richly studded with gold nails, heavy stirrups
of the same, and trappings of embroidered cloth hanging down on
each side nearly to the horse’s fetlock joint; he was preceded by six
chaoushes, or officers, also mounted and richly caparisoned, armed
with long guns, swords, and pistols, and a white silk barracan thrown
loosely and gracefully round their bodies. His highness was
supported on each side by a favourite black slave, whose glittering
vest, light bornouse, and white turban, formed a pleasing contrast to
the costume of the Arabs. We proceeded in a westerly direction; and
on arriving at the desert, parties of six and eight dashed forward,
with the rapidity of lightning, several hundred paces, fired,
immediately halted in a most surprising manner, and with loud cries
rushed back again to the main body, when instantly the same
ceremony was repeated by another party. Their superior skill in the
management of their horses is really beautiful; and the way they
manœuvre their long musket, by repeatedly spinning it over their
heads at full speed, has a most picturesque effect. Near the
bashaw’s person rode Sidy Ali, his third son, although second in
succession, in consequence of the banishment of the eldest; he also
was attended by his particular guard of Arabs, distinguished not only
by their superior and determined appearance, but by their figured
muslin bornouses. Sidy Ali is the bashaw’s favourite son, and is
particularly handsome, although what we should call too fat, and is
said to resemble very much what the bashaw was at his age: he is
allowed great privilege and liberty, which is indeed proved by his
saying, the other day, to his father, “I shall succeed you as bashaw.”

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