PY1IPR: Introduction to Psychological Research

Module code: PY1IPR

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Eugene McSorley, email: e.mcsorley@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 October 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module provides an introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods, and develops skills necessary for planning, data gathering and dissemination stages of psychology related research. This module is delivered at University of Reading and University of Reading Malaysia. 

This module aims to equip students with the skills required for the scientific study of psychology. Students will recognise the key characteristics of quantitative and qualitative research methods in psychology; examine the methods of conducting and analysing quantitative and qualitative research; develop practical skills in reporting, analysing (i.e. using statistical packages), and evaluating research findings. 

The Module Lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is Shumetha Sidhu (shumetha.sidhu@reading.edu.my).

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Understand the basic concepts in quantitative and qualitative research design and critically assess some of the key characteristics of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. 
2. Identify appropriate methods of data collection and analysis to help answer research questions for qualitative approaches. 
3. Demonstrate an understanding of scientific procedures (i.e. hypothesis testing), data and tests used in experimental psychology and be able to select and provide a rationale for using a statistical test to analyse a particular data set. 
4. Demonstrate skills in planning, writing and presenting research findings (in a clear and coherent manner) and be familiar with the basic process of manipulating and interpreting statistical data using SPSS and Excel. 

Students will participate in research studies being conducted in the School, and thereby enhance their knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodology and enable them to apply their knowledge of research design and procedure to real examples. Workshops and laboratory group work will give students experience of teamwork, numeracy, data handling, computer literacy, critical analysis and problem solving. 

Module content

The module will cover a range of introductory research methods, typically including: 

• Experimental, non-experimental and qualitative research methods in Psychology and their interpretation. 
• Principles of experimental design. 
• Descriptive Statistics. 
• Samples and population distributions. 
• Inferential statistics, such as t-tests and spearman correlation. 
• Use of statistical software (SPSS/Excel) to analyse and present data. 
• Overview of qualitative methods. 
• Introduction to qualitative analysis approaches. 
• Group work that exemplifies the design and analysis techniques that have been taught in lectures. 
• Participation in research studies. 
• Introduce basic research management skills including an overview of project planning and an understanding and consideration of ethics and ethical issues across aspects of their research practice. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

1. Lectures will employ a variety of teaching methods appropriate to the material and the learning outcomes. 
2. Laboratory group work to critically evaluate and conduct qualitative and quantitative research, and analyse research data. Student will develop their research report writing skills in groups. 
3. Workshop sessions involve guided practical exercises in groups to familiarise students with technical content of the lectures and learn the use of the statistical package SPSS (includes problem solving learning approach). 
4. Participation in research studies, selected from those available, followed by debriefing, and answering questions on each. 
5. Research methods support drop-in sessions where students can receive help with any topics relating to research methods they have found difficult in lectures or laboratory classes. 

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 43 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

As a group, students will have the opportunity to prepare group reports (one quantitative and one qualitative research) which will enable students to align their report writing skills to the marking criteria.

Weekly continuous assessment questions will enable students to prepare for both summative research reports and the final multiple-choice exam.

Exercises in lectures and workshops enable students to prepare for both summative research reports and the final multiple-choice exam.

Reassessment

Additional costs