Research Project

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Estimated total time commitment of 340 hours per semester.

Selection into the fourth-year Honours program or Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced).

No corequisites are required for this subject

An accredited psychology major sequence

There are no non allowed subjects

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards of Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit Website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject runs over two semesters (25 credit points per semester). There are no scheduled classes for this subject. Instead students meet regularly with their supervisor and undertake a research project to obtain experience in all aspects of conducting and reporting an empirical research project. The thesis project will be submitted as two documents. The first comprises a draft introduction to the research report submitted as a hurdle requirement for formative feedback from the supervisor at the beginning of Semester 2. The second comprises a 9000 word research report submitted at the end of Semester 2, worth 100% of the marks for the subject.

On completion of this subject students will demonstrate knowledge and skills in:

• conducting a research project;
• understanding the relationship between research design and ethical research practices;
• working with an academic mentor-supervisor to gain direct knowledge of psychology as a research-based discipline;
• formulating and reporting empirical research;
• critically analysing the existing knowledge about a research topic to inform the generation of a productive research question;
• constructing a research plan (e.g. research design, methods of observation) to address a research question;
• executing a research plan adequately to obtain data;
• analysing data to address a research question appropriately; and
• communicating and interpreting the results effectively in written and oral formats.

• Draft introduction to research report for formative assessment (3000 words), due at the beginning of Semester 2 (hurdle)
• Research Report (9000 words), due at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
• Mini-conference oral presentation of research project (15 minutes), delivered mid-Semester 2 (hurdle)

There are no prescribed texts

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th Edition, July 2009

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subjects students will have gained generic knowledge and skills in:

• critical thinking as applied to literature review and research;
• scientific communication and report writing;
• research design and data analysis;
• working effectively with a supervisor and fellow students to plan and execute a project;
• working independently to organise time effectively to meet complex task demands and deadlines.