Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2013-2014 (archived)

Module PSYS2091: RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA ANALYSIS

Department: Psychology (Applied Psychology) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

PSYS2091: RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA ANALYSIS

Type Open Level 2 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2013/14 Module Cap None. Location Queen's Campus Stockton

Prerequisites

  • 100 credits from Applied Psychology/Psychology (Applied) Level 1 modules including Introduction to Statistics (PSYS1041)

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To develop students' knowledge of experimental design to cover situations involving several different variables and different levels and to teach them how to use appropriate statistical analyses

Content

  • Design and Measurement Issues: Independent and dependent variables
  • Between subjects and within subjects designs
  • Floor and ceiling effects, Scales of measurement, Transformations
  • Designs with more than one independent variable
  • Analysis of variance: Logic of analysis of variance
  • Independent Groups
  • Repeated Measures
  • Experiments of mixed design
  • Higher order designs
  • Multiple Regression

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Knowledge and understanding of statistics for psychology including:
  • - ability to select between independent and repeated measure designs
  • - understanding of interactions, be able to design studies employing Analysis of Variance and perform the various types of analysis required
  • - appreciation of applications of multiple regression and be able to analyse data using this technique
  • - understanding of what factor analysis is meant to do and some understanding of the terminology associated with such methods
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Ability to formulate research questions and hypotheses
Key Skills:
  • Competent in written communication skills
  • Competent 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

  • Lectures will introduce and explain a range of statistical methods and procedures and examples will give students the opportunity to practice using these techniques with support
  • The summative assessment of the module comprises both a practical assignment which tests students' ability to apply statistical knowledge appropriately to the analysis of data and an examination which allows their understanding of the statistical principles underlying such analyses to be assessed
  • Students will be taught how to use the SPSS computer package to manipulate data and undertake statistical analyses in lectures and examples classes
  • Students' skill in using this package for data manipulation, analysis and presentation will be assessed via the summative practical assignment

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Total 200
Lectures / Practicals 22 1 per week 2 hour 44
Preparation and Reading 156

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
two-hour examination 100%
Component: Assignment Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
assignment 100%

Formative Assessment:

Two SPSS assignments


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University