Advanced Research Methods In Psychology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

180 hours

Students must be enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Psychology and have completed one of Mind, Brain & Behaviour 1 (PSYC10003 or PSYC80001) or Mind, Brain & Behaviour 2 (PSYC10004 or PSYC80002)

PSYC30013 Research Methods for Human Inquiry

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

In this subject, students will acquire advanced research skills and methods to critically investigate, measure and assess research topics involving human behaviour, interactions, and thought in a variety of contexts. In addition, students will acquire an understanding of fundamental principles in psychologcial assessment of indvidual traits and dispositions, in particular, how to evaluate the reliability and validity of psychological assessments. Emphasis will be placed on how the skills and techniques being taught are tools for gathering evidence relating to real-world problems typically encountered in the behavioural sciences, but not limited to this area, for which meaningful inferences can be generalised beyond the particular sample data available. Topics to be covered may include research design, implementation, and evaluation; techniques for measuring human behaviour, emotions, and interactions; the application of quantitative models to data in order to identify differences and associations, make predictions, and possible assert causation.

On completion of this subject students will demonstrate an advanced ability to

• design and assess methods to investigate complex problems;
• apply quantitative models to data concerning real-world problems;
• understanding research questions and translate them into meaningful and appropriate mothods of investigation;
• understand an extended range of principles for the evaluation of individual and group based psychological assessments;
• evaluate the reliability and validity of common psychological tests and other approached to psychological assessment.

1500 word assignment due early semester (25%)

1500 word assignment due late semester (25%)

Two hour end of semester examination to be held during the specified University examination period (50%)

Each piece of assessment must be completed (hurdle requirement)

Attendance of at least 80% of laboratory classes is a hurdle requirement. In case of failure to meet the hurdle requirement, additional work will be required before a passing grade can be awarded.

No prescribed texts. Detailed lecture notes, problem sets, short answer questions, and multiple choice tests provided for each lecture.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should be able to

• think critically and coherently about complex problems;
• translate aims and objectives for investigating complex problems into measureable questions, hypotheses, findings, and answers;
• evaluate both broad and specific kinds of evidencde to support answers to, and inferences about, complex problems;
• synthesise and present evidnece in meaningful and interpretable ways for others to comprehend;
• critcially recognize and articulate various limitations when investigating complex problems.