Harris M Cooper, Chair & Professor

Research Summary:
My research interests follow two paths. The first concerns research synthesis. I study how research syntheses can best be carried out and how their results can be communicated to general audiences as well as scholars. My students and I have published research syntheses in varied fields, including personality and social psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, education policy, marketing, and developmental medicine and child neurology. Second, I am interested in the application of social and developmental psychology to educational policy issues. Our recent research includes syntheses on the effects of (a) homework,(b) the length of the school day and year and (c) full-day kindergarten on academic performance. We are currently working on syntheses of research on the effectiveness of academic tutoring. Finally, after serving as editor of the Psychological Bulletin from 2003 through mid-2009, I have begun work as the Editor-in-Chief for the American Psychological Association's Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology. I also serve as the Chief Editorial Advisor for the APA journals program.

I teach both graduate and undergraduate research methods classes.

Specialties:

Social Psychology
Developmental Psychology

Representative Publications:   (More Publications)   (search)

1. H.M. Cooper (2010). Research Synthesis & Meta-Analysis: A Step-by-Step Approach.. Sage.
2. Cooper, H., Hedges, L.V. & Valentine, J.C. (Eds.) (2009). The Handbook of Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis. 2nd Edition. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
3. H.M. Cooper & Patall, E.A. (2009). The relative benefits of meta-analysis using individual participant data and aggregate data. Psychological Method, 14, 165-176.
4. with Journal Article Reporting Standards Working Group (2008). Reporting Standards for Research in Psychology: Why Do We Need Them? What Might They Be?. American Psychologist.
5. Cooper, H., Robinson, J.C. & Patall, E.A. (2006). Does homework improve academic achievement?: A synthesis of research, 1987-2004. Review of Educational Research, 76, 1-62.

Typical Courses Taught::

• Psyc 369, Research synthesis

• Psy 101, Res meth psycholog sci Synopsis

• Psy 318, Research design

Current Ph.D. Students   (Former Students)

• Alison Koenka  
• Amy Dent  

Postdocs Mentored

• Saiying Wu-Steenbergen (2010)