Module PSYC1062: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Department: Psychology

PSYC1062: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Tied To

• C800: Psychology
• C802: Psychology (see Undergraduate Handbook 2006-2007 for details)
• CFG0: Natural Sciences
• CV85: Philosophy and Psychology
• LMV0: Combined Honours in Social Sciences
• X1C8: Education Studies - Psychology

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To introduce students to key research methods and statistical techniques used in psychology

Content

• This module introduces students to some of the methods used in conducting, analysing and presenting research in Psychology
• Students undertake a series of lectures and practical classes covering basic research skills:
• design of psychological studies
• data collection
• appropriate summarising, display and analysis of results using a statistical computing package
• and the production of structured critical research reports
• The module will also cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology

Learning Outcomes

• Basic knowledge of some key research methods in psychology
• Basic knowledge of some statistical methods for psychology

• Developing competence in the design and conduct of experiments, including hypothesis testing and data interpretation
• Developing skills in data handling and statistical analysis

• Developing ability to organise and utilise knowledge
• Developing written communication skills
• Developing IT skills in word processing and data presentation

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The lectures and practicals used in this module guide students' acquisition of some key research skills in Psychology, including the ability to organise and utilise knowledge and an understanding of the link between data and theory
• Assessment of these skills is achieved by the weekly formative problems (which aim to help students gauge their knowledge of key facts), the formative and summative practical reports and by the examination
• These latter assessments in addition to providing staff feedback of a student's standard of work, also allow students to hone their organisational, statistical and written abilities, and develop their understanding of theoretical issues
• Competence in the design and conduct of research is facilitated by all the teaching methods used
• Students, working in groups, are encouraged to develop their expertise by carrying out their own studies in later practical classes
• Assessment of this group is by the summative practicals, written up individually, and by the examination
• Training in the use of statistical analyses and statistical packages is provided via lectures and reinforced in the practical classes
• Competence of these skills is assessed by many of the weekly formative problems, the formative and summative practical assignments, where statistical analyses form part of the report, and by the exam, where the ability to apply basic statistical knowledge appropriately is appraised
• Written and oral presentation skills training is provided primarily by the practical classes and by feedback from the formative assignments
• Written communication skills are also assessed in the summative assignments, where students are asked to produce structured critical research reports, and in the written examination
• Word processing skills are encouraged in the lectures and practical classes and supported by the provision of computing resources
• Appropriate feedback on IT skills is provided on all word processed work

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Two formative practical reports. Weekly problems relating to psychological research (e.g. statistical problems, short answer questions relating to experimental design).