PSY5093 - Research Skills for Psychologists: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

This module builds upon and extends the development of quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis from Level 4. Competencies in research methods and analysis are related to the processes of effective study design, ethical working practices, analysis and handling of qualitative data and quantitative data. Students will take part in psychological research that has been designed by themselves and by others. This enables the students to develop a sophisticated appreciation of the value of the discipline outside of the classroom.

Ethical issues in conducting psychological research. The design, control and analysis of experiments with more than one independent variable. Using relevant software to collect data in support of experimental designs. The analysis of quantitative data, including distributions and transformation of data; the use of two-way analysis of variance; post-hoc analyses; linear regression. The use of specialist software (e.g. SPSS, G*Power) to perform and interpret statistical analyses. Issues in qualitative research, including ethical issues. The collection and analysis of qualitative data using a range of approaches (e.g. discourse analysis, grounded theory, IPA, narrative analysis). Presenting the outcomes of research.

The module helps to prepare students with the kinds of skills that are valued by employers and provides students with the requisite skills for investigative work throughout their degree and the skills they need to conduct their independent research project in Level 6.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Lectures
Hours: 30
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Workshops
Hours: 40
Intended Group Size: 50

Guided independent study
Hours: 230

Further details relating to assessment
The quantitative and qualitative research reports will enable students to gain experience of writing up research findings. Both of these will require students to develop fundamental skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods (e.g. designing semi-structured interview schedules, transcription of data, reflexive analysis). Module ethics is in place for the data collection.

Research participation is an essential component of an accredited Psychology degree. The BPS Code of Human Research Ethics states that student participation in psychological research provides them with valuable experience in research methodology and ethical considerations. Therefore, participation in research is considered a prerequisite for conducting their own research. The level of engagement in research participation to achieve a pass for this component will be determined based on the nature and availability of studies on the RPS advertised by Level 6, PGRs and staff each year. Students will be able to choose the studies they participate in. Students who do not engage in research participation to a satisfactory level will be offered an alternative assessment for the resit. The resit assessment will comprise a 20-minute presentation related to research and ethics in psychology. This will be marked as Pass/Fail.

Students will have the opportunity to undertake formative assessment as part of the workshop sessions.

Research Participation (component 003) must be passed in order to pass the module overall, as an essential element of a BPS-accredited programme.

Assessment:

001 Qualitative report; 2,000 words; end of semester 1 50%
002 Quantitative report; 2,000 words; end of semester 2 50%
003 Research participation; app.6-8 hr; end of semester 2 %

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Candice Whitaker
Level - 5
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5YL

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