2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC1036 Research Skills 1

20 creditsClass Size: 290

Module manager: Dr Joe Blount
Email: J.Blount@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology, BSc Psychology with Education programme entry requirements.

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The weekly lectures in statistics (90 minutes) will provide details of theory and practice and will demonstrate how basic statistical tests are calculated by hand and how this relates to the output from computer based statistical analysis packages. Alongside the lectures will be practical sessions that demonstrate experimental design and data visualisation. These sessions also present an opportunity for students to practise calculations of statistical tests using calculators and software. Postgraduate Teaching Assistants will play a key supporting role in delivering these sessions. Practical blocks will be progressive in terms of the data analysis required and the aim is to provide students with the necessary skills to analyse and comment on the results from each practical exercise. Research skills seminars will be held after each practical to act as support for the learning objectives of the practical. These will provide students with an opportunity to ask questions in smaller groups and help equip them with skills to use in report writing.

Objectives

This module aims to provide an overview of the theoretical and practical aspects of research in psychology. The module will also introduce students to statistical techniques and report writing.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students should be able to:

- Evaluate, report and collect and analyse data for a series of introductory psychological investigations
- Use different methods to gather information
- Handle quantitative data appropriately using basic descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, understanding the rationale, calculation and interpretation of a range of basic statistical procedures
- Understand basic issues of experimental design and working with human participants
- Use statistical analysis software to enter and manipulate data and to conduct basic statistical procedures and integrate the output into research reports
- Use the library and other information sources effectively
- Write research reports in Psychology

Skills outcomes
Research skills; critical skills; analytical skills; report-writing skills; statistical analysis software (e.g. R, JASP, Jamovi) knowledge.

Syllabus

This module will introduce students to the core skills of conducting, analysing and reporting psychological investigations. A lecture series in basic statistical techniques will be supported by practical sessions and computer-based learning support sessions in which students will be introduced to statistical analysis software and be shown how to conduct basic descriptive and inferential analyses. The focus of these two streams of instruction will be two simple psychology practicals in which students will be able to conduct investigations and generate data for subsequent analysis and report. Students will be given instruction in the content and structure of psychology reports. By the end of the module students should be confident in the use of t-tests, non-parametric equivalents and the Chi-square statistic for analysing simple experimental designs. Students will also be provided with an introduction to the University library facilities, including bibliographic databases, and shown how these facilities may be used in research.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Library Session	1	2.00	2.00
Technical Training	7	2.00	14.00
Lecture	11	1.50	16.50
Practical	2	2.00	4.00
Seminar	3	1.00	3.00
Independent online learning hours			8.00
Private study hours			152.50
Total Contact hours			39.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

11 x 5 hours reading per lecture (55 hours)
Online formative MCQ exercises: short MCQ in Week 3 (8 hours) and long MCQ in Week 10 (15 hours)
2 x 21 hours preparation per assessed report (42 hours)
32.5 hours revision

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The module structure involves regular monitoring of student progress through two formative MCQ assessments, 2 practical reports submitted as coursework and regular attendance at practical sessions and seminars.
Students are required to pass the examination component of the module with a minimum mark of 40. In addition, students must pass the coursework component of the module with a minimum average mark of 40.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Practical Report	Report 1: max 2000-words	25.00
Practical Report	Report 2: max 2000-words	25.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

The coursework comprises two scientific reports written based on practical sessions delivered in class. These practical sessions take place in weeks 5 and 9. These sessions involve producing a scientific report of a psychology experiment carried out by the students in-class. If the practical report coursework component is failed (i.e. average grade of the two practicals is less than 40%), then an additional practical report must be attempted with a maximum mark of 40.

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

Students are required to pass the examination, and must also pass the practical report coursework component by gaining an average mark of 40 across the two practicals. If you fail any of the above you are required to resit the module. The maximum mark that can be awarded for a resit is 40. You would resit by taking a second attempt, which must be passed, for any component that is failed. However, for the practical report coursework component, only ONE additional practical report must be attempted, which must be of passable standard.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 06/09/2024

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