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2021/22 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC2522 Research Skills 3

15 creditsClass Size: 290

Module manager: Dr Gina Koutsopoulou
Email: G.Z.Koutsopoulou@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2021/22

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of all pass for progression modules in Level 1 of: BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology, or BSs Psychology with Education

Co-requisites

PSYC2523Research Skills 4

This module is mutually exclusive with

PSYC3422Intercalated Programme: Research Skills 3

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This is a course on more advanced research methods and statistics, through a series of lectures running in parallel with two linked laboratory-based practicals.

Objectives

Lectures will develop the research skills of students including: literature searching, report writing, analysis of variance designs (ANOVA) interactions and mixed design ANOVAS, 3-way interactions and ANCOVA; and qualitative research including interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPS) and interview-based research.
The two practicals are designed to develop students' skills in identifying research questions, designing and conducting psychological investigations, analysing data, and writing reports. The practicals will cover two key areas: experimental psychology and qualitative methods. These will build on the practicals and skills developed at Level 1 (Research Skills 1 & 2) and, in conjunction with Research Skills 4 prepare students for their final year project.

From this module students will develop a critical understanding of:
1) theoretical, ethical, and practical issues concerned in the design and conduct of psychology experiments.
2) the application of selected statistical methods for the analysis of experimental data in psychology.
3) approaches to the study of human behaviour, and cognition, including qualitative methods.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should:
1) Have developed their research skills relating to the generation of hypotheses and the development of research designs.
2) Have developed skills in the conduct of psychology experiments in a range of research contexts.
3) Be able to identify and apply appropriate core statistical techniques for the analysis of psychological data.
4) Have further developed their skills in critical evaluation and report writing.
5) Have developed skills required for the major project they will complete in their final year.

Skills outcomes
Literature searches, report writing, understanding of experimental design and analyses along with the critical view brought by quantitative and qualitative research.


Syllabus

This module has two related components: 1) The two practicals; 2) a series of 10 lectures on research methods & statistics
Each practical, taken by all students at Level 2, will be completed over a five week period - with students required to submit a report of their work in the sixth week for assessment.
The lectures will cover: research report writing, performing literature searches in psychology, ethics in psychological research, two-way and three-way ANOVA and interactions, mixed ANOVA and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), introduction to qualitative research, interview-based research, phenomenological analyses (IPA), and values and vulnerabilities in qualitative research.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture101.0010.00
Practical210.0020.00
Private study hours120.00
Total Contact hours30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)150.00

Private study

Essential reading for statistics lectures: 10 x 2.5 hours
Statistics and research methods revision: 10 x 2.5 hours
Independent small group practical work: 3 x 10 hours
Report writing for practicals: 2 x 20 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Progress during each practical will be monitored by the staff who will be meeting with the students in both large and smaller groups (appropriate to each practical design). More generally, the spread of assessment points across the two semesters will facilitate monitoring of student progress and intervention if necessary. As students must pass all components of the module, a failure of any of the practicals would lead to an alternative assignment being given, and the student's personal tutor would also be notified - so that future progress could be monitored. Personal tutors will have the opportunity to discuss Semester 1 performance in their individual meetings with tutees at the beginning of Semester 2. Key will be feedback provided in written form on each of the practical reports: such feedback is both on the script itself and on new forms which break down each section of the report for detailed grade-specific feedback. The alternative assignments will be a piece of written work requiring the students to demonstrate the same skills as were required for the failed practical.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Practical ReportPractical report 135.00
Practical ReportPractical report 235.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)70.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated


Exams
Exam typeExam duration% of formal assessment
Online Time-Limited assessment1 hr 00 mins30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)30.00

As the two main assessments (practical reports and examination) relate to distinct components of the module students will be required to pass both elements.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 30/06/2021 15:21:45

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