Available in 2024
Course code

PSYC1000

Units

10 units

Level

1000 level

Course handbook

Description

Understanding research methodology, data, and how to bring methodology and data together is essential for undertaking research in psychology. This course provides an introduction to understanding the psychology approach to research, experimental design, interpretation of data, research reporting and issues in research ethics. Fortnightly practical classes are designed to support the weekly lecture topics and will provide students with hands-on skills. This course forms part of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited sequence.


Availability2024 Course Timetables

Callaghan

  • Semester 2 - 2024

Ourimbah

  • Semester 2 - 2024

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

1. Apply the key principles of research methods in psychology;

2. Recognise the fundamental considerations of psychological experimental design;

3. Formulate assessable scientific questions within the framework of psychology and design suitable research paradigms to test these questions;

4. Select appropriate experimental designs to suit different research questions;

5. Identify research ethics issues;

6. Create basic psychological experiments using dedicated software;

7. Collect, manipulate and analyse data;

8. Interpret data and create graphical representations of data.


Content

Lectures and practicals will cover broad areas in scientific psychology such as:

- the scientific method and problem identification

- experimental, non-experimental and correlational research

- validity and reliability in experimental research

- experimental design, setting up research experiments, and control techniques

- human and animal research ethics

- hypothesis formation and testing

- data collection and interpretation

- research report reading and writing

 


Assumed knowledge

PSYC1010


Assessment items

In Term Test: Class Tests (Practical)

Written Assignment: Written Assessment


Contact hours

Semester 2 - 2024 - Callaghan

Lecture-1
  • Face to Face On Campus 2 hour(s) per week(s) for 13 week(s) starting in week 1
Practical-1
  • Face to Face On Campus 2 hour(s) per week(s) for 6 week(s)
  • See course outline for practical schedule

Semester 2 - 2024 - Ourimbah

Lecture-1
  • Face to Face On Campus 2 hour(s) per week(s) for 13 week(s) starting in week 1
Practical-1
  • Face to Face On Campus 2 hour(s) per week(s) for 6 week(s)
  • See course outline for practical schedule

Course outline