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structure of the
course
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research issues in
psychology
quantitative method and
statistics
psychology of child
development
psychology of learning and
classroom processes
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on special education
developmental cognitive
neuropsychology
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MD 699 Research issues in
psychology
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Title:
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Research
Issues in Psychology
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Credit
Rating:
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20
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Level:
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MD699
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Delivery:
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Semester
1
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Tutor/s:
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Neil
Humphrey and other members of ESI RTG
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Aims:
this unit has been designed
as a core unit for the M Ed in educational psychology and as such it aims to
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Inform
students about theory and practice of psychological measurement
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Give
students experience in the collection and analysis of qualitative data
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Inform
students about the ethics of research with human subjects
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Give
students experience of conducting small scale surveys and other
non-experimental methods of data collection
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Learning
Outcomes:
On
completion of this unit successful students will be able to:
Transferable
skills:
The following
transferable skills will be addressed:
| Critical
evaluation |
| The
use of IT in psychology in database searches, data analysis, and
presentation |
| Group
work |
| Independent
study
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| Time
management
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Content:
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Problem definition and hypothesis formulation. |
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Independent and dependent variables: their
identification and selection. |
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The role of random sampling in psychological research:
external validity. |
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Quasi-experimental studies of pre-existing groups: the
question of causality |
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The particular strengths and weaknesses of ‘single-subject’ designs and case studies. |
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Observational approaches. |
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Survey research: sampling and the problem of
non-response; descriptive vs explanatory surveys; questionnaire designs
including closed and open-ended questions; attitude scale construction;
different question methods e.g. postal, telephone, face-to-face. |
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Methods of controlling for participant expectations and
experimenter effects. |
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Inter-rater reliability |
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Critical evaluation of the methods employed to collect
data in psychological research |
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The theory of psychological measurement:
standardisation; reliability and the standard error of measurement;
validity. |
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The collection of qualitative data: observation,
participant observation, techniques for the collection of verbal protocols |
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The analysis of qualitative data: content analysis,
discourse analysis, grounded theory and protocol analysis. |
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The ethics of research with humans.
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Teaching
and learning methods:
The
course will be an eclectic mix of lectures, seminars, and experiential work.
Students will spend some time in the University library exploring electronic
sources of information and databases. They will also work in groups and
independently to collect and analyze qualitative data.
Learning hours:
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Activity
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Hours
allocated
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Eg
Staff/student contact
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30
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Private
study
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100
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Directed
reading
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60
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Tutorials
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10
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Total hours
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200
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Assessment
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Assessment activity
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Length
required
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Weighting
within unit
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Critical evaluation of qualitative research methods
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2000
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50%
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An outline proposal for the masters dissertation
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2000
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50%
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Core
texts
Cohen L, Manion L and Morrison, K (2000) Research Methods
in Education 5th edition. Routledge-Falmer: London ISBN 0 415 19541 1
Miles J (2001) Research Methods : Success in your
psychology degree Crucial: Exeter ISBN 1 90337 151
Shaunessy J, Zechmeister, E, Zechmeister, J (2000)
Research Methods in Psychology McGraw-Hill: London ISBN 0 07 122530 7
Silverman, D (2000) Doing qualitative research: a practical
handbook. Sage: London ISBN 0 7619 5823 1
Willig, C. (2001) Introducing Qualitative Research
in Psychology, Buckingham, OU Press, 0 335 20535 6.
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