Course Description
The aim of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and understanding of research and methodology in psychology, with an introduction to statistics and how they interact. Methodology and statistics are introduced here and include design considerations, counterbalancing, sample versus population, descriptive statistics, histograms, summary statistics, and hypothesis testing. You must comply with ethical standards for psychological research. It is essential that you are familiar with the most recent version of the Code of Ethics and Conduct which applies to all psychological research. Please refer to the American Psychological Association (APA) or British Psychological Society (BPS) for guidance.
Course Objectives
The aim of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and understanding of research and methodology in psychology, with an introduction to statistics and how they interact. Methodology and statistics are introduced here and include design considerations, counterbalancing, sample versus population, descriptive statistics, histograms, summary statistics, and hypothesis testing. You must comply with ethical standards for psychological research. It is essential that you are familiar with the most recent version of the Code of Ethics and Conduct which applies to all psychological research. Please refer to the American Psychological Association (APA) or British Psychological Society (BPS) for guidance.
Key Topics
- LO1: Understand the experimental methods applied in psychology.
- LO2: Understand research methods.
- LO3: Understand types of data analysis and evaluation.
- LO4: Be able to carry out research design and review.
Course Outline
| Week | Topics |
|---|
| 1 | Principles of research design: aims, variables, operationalised and directional hypotheses, standardised procedures, pilot studies |
| 2 | Experimental designs, controls, validity and sampling |
| 3 | Research methods: lab, field, natural and quasi experiments |
| 4 | Conducting simple statistical tests: the sign test, calculated and critical values |
| 5 | Types of data and analysis: quantitative and qualitative, primary and secondary |
| 6 | Descriptive statistics: central tendency, dispersion, graphs and distributions |
| 7 | Inferential testing and hypotheses: significance, one- and two-tailed tests, Spearman's rho, chi-squared, Mann–Whitney, Wilcoxon |
| Midterm | Midterm evaluation |
| 9 | Reviewing psychological papers to inform a research design |
| 10 | Applying and justifying a method for a research scenario: population, design, participants, procedure, statistics, ethics |
| 11 | Reporting conventions; reviewing and reflecting on own learning |
| 12 | Applying Research Methods and Investigating Psychology in practice: case studies |
| 13 | Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing |
| 14 | Assignment workshop: drafting, feedback and improvement |
| 15 | Review and coursework completion |
| Final | Final assessment and submission |
Learning Outcomes
- LO1 Understand the experimental methods applied in psychology.
- 1.1 Explain the principles of research design.
- 1.2 Analyse how scientific method, experimental and descriptive research are interlinked.
- LO2 Understand research methods.
- 2.1 Describe research methods used in psychology.
- 2.2 Explain how to conduct simple statistical tests commonly used in psychology.
- LO3 Understand types of data analysis and evaluation.
- 3.1 Describe types of data analysis used in research.
- 3.2 Analyse the interrelationship between statistics and research hypotheses in psychology.
- LO4 Be able to carry out research design and review.
- 4.1 Research psychological papers to inform research design.
- 4.2 Apply and justify choice of method to a research scenario.
- 4.3 Review and reflect on own learning.
