Availabilities:

Location Domestic International
Coffs Harbour Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1 N/A

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Unit aim

Develops knowledge and skills in methods of observation, measurement and psychometric assessment, including the use of formal psychological tests.

Unit content

Introduction and unit overview
Topic 1: Psychological testing and assessment
Topic 2: Historical, cultural and legal/ethical considerations
Topic 3: Research in Psychological Assessment
Topic 4: Intelligence and its measurement
Topic 5: Tests of intelligence
Topic 6: A brief stats refresher; reliability and validity
Topic 7: Tests and testing
Topic 8: Personality assessment overview and methods
Topic 9: Clinical and counselling assessments
Topic 10: Assessments in the disability sector (functional analysis, adaptive functioning measures, case management, etc...)
Topic 11: Preschool and educational assessment; Paediatric testing and assessment
Topic 12: Neuropsychology

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate knowledge of types and uses of psychological tests
2 demonstrate an understanding of societal and ethical issues surrounding psychological testing including factors that may unfairly bias assessment and some potential solutions
3 understand methods for test construction and scoring
4 understand and apply the statistics used to judge the appropriateness (e.g., culturally, developmentally) and psychometric properties of tests (e.g. explain, analyse and report reliability and validity coefficients)
5 describe a number of common psychological tests of ability, personality and clinical diagnosis
6 understand major issues regarding selection, administration, and scoring of tests, and interpreting and reporting assessment results
7 write a clear, concise description of test and interview results.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate knowledge of types and uses of psychological tests
    • GA4:
  2. demonstrate an understanding of societal and ethical issues surrounding psychological testing including factors that may unfairly bias assessment and some potential solutions
    • GA4:
    • GA7:
  3. understand methods for test construction and scoring
    • GA4:
  4. understand and apply the statistics used to judge the appropriateness (e.g., culturally, developmentally) and psychometric properties of tests (e.g. explain, analyse and report reliability and validity coefficients)
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
    • GA7:
  5. describe a number of common psychological tests of ability, personality and clinical diagnosis
    • GA4:
  6. understand major issues regarding selection, administration, and scoring of tests, and interpreting and reporting assessment results
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA7:
  7. write a clear, concise description of test and interview results.
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed texts

  • Cohen, RJ, Swerdlik, M & Sturman, E, 2013, Psychological Testing and Assessment: An Introduction to Tests and Measurement, 8th edn, McGraw Hill. ISBN: 978-0078035302.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.