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

Introductory

Former School/College

Former School of Health and Human Sciences

Unit aim

Introduces the basic research methods used in Psychology. Students participate in the complete cycle of the experimental process from hypothesis formulation to experiment design and participation, to the submission of a written report describing the process. It is a practical complement to the 'Introduction to Psychology I' unit.

Unit content

Introduction of a laboratory report
Methods and results of a laboratory report
Discussion and references of a laboratory report
Abstract and title of a laboratory report

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 conduct an effective and targeted literature search
2 formulate evidence-based research hypotheses
3 design and conduct a basic scientific experiment to test an hypothesis
4 understand the basic concept of experimental control
5 conduct basic data analyses and generate clear graphical representations of data
6 reject or accept hypotheses based on empirical results
7 write a coherent research/laboratory report.

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

  1. conduct an effective and targeted literature search
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  2. formulate evidence-based research hypotheses
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. design and conduct a basic scientific experiment to test an hypothesis
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  4. understand the basic concept of experimental control
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. conduct basic data analyses and generate clear graphical representations of data
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  6. reject or accept hypotheses based on empirical results
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  7. write a coherent research/laboratory report.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:

Prescribed texts

  • Copies are available in the University Library: O’Shea, RP & McKenzie, W, 2010, Writing for psychology, 6th edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne, Vic. ISBN: 9780170214681.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.