PYM0EP: Empirical Project

Module code: PYM0EP

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

Credits: 60

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Rebecca Cheung, email: rebecca.cheung@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: No

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The purpose of this module is to expose students to empirical research in psychology. By designing, undertaking and reporting their own research project, students will develop a range of research and transferable skills. Students will also be introduced to some of the key activities for research in psychology or language science, and will receive teaching in generic and transferable research skills. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate an ability to perform a relevant search of the literature using bibliographic resources. 
2. Develop a comprehensive written plan for a project, with a clear statement of a research question(s) to be addressed. 
3. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the theoretical issues addressed in the dissertation. 
4. Generate a clear research question with accompanying rationale to be addressed by a study  
5. Accurately describe and justify the methods used in the study. 
6. Analyse data accurately and appropriately, and report this analysis. 
7. Show understanding of conclusions based on the work undertaken, discussing the strengths and limitations of their research in the contexts of existing research and within the constraints specific to their own project. 
8. Present work in progress as a scientific poster. 

Module content

Students undertake a supervised project of at least 5 months’ duration, culminating in the submission of a dissertation of 8,000-12,000 words. The project should make an original, interesting, and empirical contribution to our understanding of psychology. The module is comprised of seminars to help students achieve the learning outcomes, such as effective poster design and presentation, and scientific writing. Students will be allocated to a project supervisor, who will provide supervision throughout the duration of the project, guiding the student on the undertaking and completion of an empirical research project. The proposal of a project and presentation of a scientific poster will scaffold the project, providing the opportunity to devise a research question/s, plan the procedure in order to answer the question/s, as well as the associated analyses, and to present work in progress. These will also provide opportunities for formal feedback from the supervisor on dissertation content. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching and learning will include a mixture of seminars on relevant skills for the project, and direct supervision by a supervisor. 

Study hours

At least 6 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 50% 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.

Formative assessment will be provided by supervisor/marker feedback on the project proposal and poster presentation. Students will also have the opportunity to submit a draft dissertation (minus Discussion) of their proposal to their supervisor for feedback, prior to final submission. 

Reassessment

Additional costs