This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2008-2009 (archived)
Module PSYC50430: Research Design and Method
Department: Psychology
PSYC50430: Research Design and Method
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 4 | 30 | Available in 2008/2009 | Durham |
Tied To
Pre-requisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To provide training in a range of methodological approaches and techniques of data collection used in psychology.
- To provide hands-on experience of quantitative and qualitative methods.
- To provide training in methods and data collection particularly relevant to the field of developmental psychology.
- To introduce students to issues in professional practice and the opportunity to develop transferable skills.
Content
- Research Design and Method in Psychology: Validity and reliability
- Sampling
- Randomised experiments
- Single-case designs
- Longitudinal designs
- Psychometrics
- Scaling
- Qualitative methods in psychology
- Method selection
- Methods and Applications in child Psychology
- Problems of experimental design and method in child clinical research; Selecting and using qualitative methods in child research; Analysing child conversation and discourse (CHILDES); Clinical interview method and data analysis; analysing observational data (Observer-Pro).
- Applications (invited speakers): Issues in child clinical psychology; Issues in child forensic psychology; Issues in educational psychology; developmental psychology and policy - sure Start Intervention
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
- Legal and professional issues: data Protection Act, Child Protection Act.
- Communication 1: Writing for publication in psychology.
- Communication 2: Disseminating research findings to psychology and non-psychology audiences.
- Applying for research funding in Psychology.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Objectives will be met by a combination of lectures, seminars and practical sessions.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminars | 15 | 1 per week | 2 | 30 | Yes |
| Practicals | 5 | 2 | 10 | Yes | |
| Preparation & Reading | 260 | ||||
| Other: | 300 | Yes | |||
| Total | 600 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay or Practical Assignment | 50% | Essay or Practical Assignment for each term | 2,500 | 50% | |
| Examination | 50% | Unseen examination - Sectionalised paper. At least one question to be answered in each section (covering each term's work). | 2 hours | 50% |
Formative Assessment
Essay or Practical Assignment (data analysis and report) for each term.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.