Module overview
In this module, students will be provided with foundational training that will provide them with the knowledge and skills to become a psychology researcher. This includes a range of data collection and analytic approaches, as well as writing up the results of experiments.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Write up the results of experiments in reports in APA format using appropriate methods (e.g., including tables and graphs).
- Understand the foundational concepts of research methods and statistics needed for psychology research.
- Formulate experimental designs and research questions.
- Conduct and interpret results from foundational statistical techniques and analyses.
Syllabus
Summary of topics covered:
-Formulating experimental questions
-Different approaches to conducting research
-Descriptive statistics and plotting/presenting data in graphs and tables
-Statistical tests (e.g., z-test, one-sample t-test, non-parametric tests such as Mann-Whitney U, within- and between-participants t-tests, one-factor ANOVAs, bivariate correlations)
-Writing up the results of experiments in reports and papers
-Presenting the results of research in APA format
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
To encourage students to embrace the start of their time in becoming a psychology researcher, the module will provide a range of different activities to get them started. This will involve standard lectures and workshops, both of which will take in person. It will also involve weekly online meetings across years 1 and 2 as students work on a set of large-scale research projects together collaboratively. Students will also be given the opportunity to engage in data collection in laboratories in the School of Psychology.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Completion of assessment task | 80 |
| Teaching | 48 |
| Independent Study | 172 |
| Total study time | 300 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Field, A.. Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics.
Howitt, D & Cramer, D.. Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Formative Assessment Workshops will involve students practicing their research and statistical skills and getting feedback and support in doing so. Students will be supported in writing a practice laboratory report for an experiment that they have conducted. Summative Assessment An exam at the end of Semester 1 will test students’ skills in writing up the results of research and conducting statistical analyses. Students will write two reports in semester 2 based on the results of experiment(s) that they have conducted.Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Exam | 50% |
| A lab report | 27.5% |
| Psychology Participant Pool Research Participation | 2.5% |
| A lab report | 20% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| A lab report | 50% |
| Exam | 50% |