Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
Nil
Unit rationale, description and aim
Psychology is the discipline devoted to the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes. As such, when training as a psychologist, students are, at the most fundamental level, training as a scientist. This unit introduces students to some of the tools of the scientist's toolbox, including foundational principles of qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The unit will introduce students to the methods for characterising, understanding and extracting information from data and observations. Students will learn about (a) data measurement, collection and organisation, (b) qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and (c) the use of basic inferential statistic tests to answer research questions. The aim of this unit is to develop foundational competencies in qualitative and quantitative data analysis, interpretation and reporting.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Describe and differentiate between qualitative and quantitative research designs and between different qualitative methods | GC1, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
| LO2 | Conduct, interpret and report the results of qualitative analysis | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
| LO3 | Identify the scale of measurement of a variable, and the most appropriate methods for presenting and interpreting data for that variable (both in terms of visual representations and use of descriptive statistics) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10 |
| LO4 | Select and conduct the appropriate statistical test (from among those covered in the unit), to be used for a given research question, and interpret and report the results including measures of effect size and confidence intervals | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10 |
| LO5 | Create and modify data files, generate graphs, and conduct statistical analyses using a statistical software package (e.g., SPSS, jamovi, JASP, R) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC8, GC9, GC10 |
Content
Topics will include:
- Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
- Internal and external validity
- Qualitative methods: Design, data collection, and credibility
- Introduction to thematic analysis, content analysis, grounded theory, ethnography and narrative analysis
- Descriptive statistics including principles and scales of measurement, methods of organising and presenting data
- Measures of central tendency and variability, and the normal distribution
- Overview of probability and sampling distributions
- Introduction to hypothesis testing principles and application of t-tests, confidence intervals, statistical power and effect size
- Correlation
- Non-parametric equivalents to t-tests and correlation
- Chi-square
- A statistical software package (e.g., SPSS, jamovi, JASP, R) will be introduced and will include the following topics: creating and modifying data files; descriptive statistics; graphs; basic inferential statistics including correlation, simple regression and t- tests
- Interpretation and reporting of results using APA guidelines
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Teaching and learning strategies utilised in this unit will support students in meeting the aims and achieving the learning outcomes relevant to this unit as well as to the broader course learning outcomes. This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of knowledge essential to the discipline, and opportunities to practice and apply their learning in situations similar to their future professions. Students are provided with choice and variety in how they learn. Students are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous discussions, interact with peers through these discussion forums, and engage with online modules and readings via the online learning platform. Activities encourage students to bring their own examples to demonstrate understanding and application, and to engage constructively with their peers. Collaboration with peers in the online environment will support students in considering, discussing and debating the content of the unit. These learning and teaching strategies assist students in developing their knowledge and application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of that knowledge of research methods and statistical approaches in psychology. Students will receive regular and timely feedback on their learning, which includes information on their progress.
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to successfully complete this unit, students must complete and submit all of the assessment tasks. In addition to this, students must obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% to pass the unit.
The assessment tasks have been designed to allow students to demonstrate the achievement of the learning outcomes of the unit and develop the associated graduate attributes. There are three components involved in assessment of the unit. First, a qualitative analysis report which requires students to conduct, interpret and report on the results of a qualitative analysis. Second, a data analysis report will include an opportunity to: (a) identify the statistical analysis that is appropriate to answer specific research questions, (b) conduct said analyses using the statistical software package, and (c) report and interpret the results. The final exam allows students to demonstrate their understanding, consolidation and application of the content covered in the unit.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 - Qualitative Analysis Report Students will be required to conduct, interpret and report the results of a qualitative analysis that is appropriate for a specified research question. This task enables students to demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge acquired in this unit. | 30% | LO1, LO2 |
Assessment Task 2 - Data Analysis Assignment Students will be provided with a research question and a set of data. Students will use the data to conduct the statistical analyses appropriate to answer the research question and write a results section in which students report and interpret the statistical information obtained. | 30% | LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Assessment Task 3 - Final Exam Students will demonstrate their understanding of the content covered in the unit, with an emphasis on problem solving. | 40% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
American Psychological Association (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.
Field, A. (2017). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS (5th ed.). Sage.
Gravetter, F., & Wallnau, L. (2016). Statistics for the behavioral sciences (10th ed.). Cengage.
Howitt, D. (2019). Introduction to qualitative research methods in psychology: Putting theory into practice (4th ed.). Pearson.
Nakata, M. (2007). Disciplining the savages, savaging the disciplines. Aboriginal Studies Press.
Navarro, D.J. & Foxcroft, D.R. (2019). Learning statistics with jamovi: A tutorial for psychology students and other beginners (Version 0.70). DOI: 10.24384/hgc3-7p15