PS954-7-AU-CO:
Research Methods in Psychology
2023/24
Psychology
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
31 October 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MSC C80012 Psychology,
MPHDC80K48 Psychology,
PHD C80K48 Psychology
This module will teach the background necessary to design, implement and report basic psychology research in order to test hypotheses and answer questions about human mind and behaviour.
Students will learn about a variety of techniques for studying behaviour within psychology. Students will learn how to find, read and evaluate scientific research reports and to write their own.
The aims of this module are:
- To introduce students to the foundations necessary to commence their journey towards becoming independent researchers.
- To be able to plan, implement and report research that takes account of and develops past findings in the literature.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced competence in writing an introduction section that identifies relevant past research, describes the research to be conducted and explains how this builds on past research to answer a specific research question.
- Provide a comprehensive summary of a research methodology, and show a critical understanding of ethical issues in research.
- Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of how to write up statistical findings from research.
- Critically evaluate novel research findings in light of past research.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of how to appropriately cite and reference scientific sources.
Lectures will cover an introduction to the various methods of psychology research, methods of measurement of human behaviour and experimental design, along with research ethics and the need to reproducibility. Subsequent to these, laboratory classes laboratory classes will give guidance on literature search and synthesis, hypothesis development, writing a technical report using APA style and an opportunity to collect data.
This module will be delivered via:
- Five 2-hour lectures in the first few weeks where the basics of psychology research will be described.
- Laboratory classes.
Laboratory classes will take students step-by-step through the process of formulating a hypothesis that answers a research question, collecting data and reporting findings in an appropriately formatted report.
Laboratory classes will be run relatively informally with additional PG support so that students have opportunities to ask questions.
There will also be Moodle Q&A and at least one drop-in support session (more if demand is recognised).
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Lab Report |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Miroslav Sirota, email: msirota@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Miroslav Sirota
Email: msirota@essex.ac.uk
No
No
Yes
Dr John Patrick Rae
Roehampton University
Reader in Psychology
Available via Moodle
Of 20 hours, 18 (90%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
2 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Psychology
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