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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Psychology Research Project BPY
Module Code PSYC400 (ITS) / PSY1044 (Banner)
Faculty Science & Health School Psychology
Module Co-ordinatorÁine Travers
Module TeachersStyliani Vlachou
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 20
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
None
Resubmission of ethics assessment, ethics proposal and written report, repetition of presentation (for a pass in the case of the proposal and a maximum of 40% in the case of the written report).
Description

Module Aims: To enable students to design, carry out and report a psychology research project under the supervision of a member of academic staff.

Learning Outcomes

1. Design and plan a research project and manage the time involved to complete the project, and related report, within given time constraints.
2. Source, read and critically evaluate the primary literature on the chosen topic.
3. Demonstrate the ability to work independently and also to recognise the need for, and seek, appropriate academic supervision.
4. Identify, justify and use an appropriate methodology in addressing the identified research problem.
5. Consider ethical issues that might affect the study and design a methodology that addresses ethical requirements.
6. Execute research in the laboratory or field.
7. Accurately record, interpret and report relevant data in a manner that addresses the research question.
8. Critically analyse, interpret and draw conclusions from the research findings.
9. Demonstrate awareness of one's communication abilities, including areas for development.
10. Communicate effectively in written or other non-oral formats, adapting to the audience profile as required (following the accepted conventions of psychology)
11. Communicate effectively in oral formats, adapting to audience profile as required.
12. Demonstrate appropriate listening skills to enhance communication.
13. Demonstrate the effective use of digital technology for communication.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture16Lecturer-delivered Clinics
Lecture12Supervision
Independent Study472Independent research project and thesis write-up, ethics preparation and oral presentation preparation
Total Workload: 500

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Final Year Project (FYP) Indicative Content
The student will be assigned to an academic supervisor and will research a directed or chosen project. Following initial training and supervision, the student will formulate a research design and prepare a detailed proposal for submission to the Undergraduate Psychology Ethics Committee (UPEC). This piece of work is graded on a pass/fail basis. Once ethical approval is granted, research will begin under the guidance of the supervisor. On completion of the project, the student will present their results at a seminar series to an audience of peers and academic staff. The student will also submit a typed report of the research for examination. In addition to one-to-one supervision with his/her supervisor and a series of problem-solving clinics that mirror the stages of the research process, there may be lectures on the following indicative topics: • Preparing a research proposal • Negotiating Ethics Committees • Common pitfalls • Self-management • Maximising supervision • Writing-up your research project • APA style • Disseminating research findings

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Report(s)Develop a research proposal outlining area of study, project rationale, aims, significance and methods.10%n/a
Report(s)A substantial written report (i.e., dissertation). This must be formally structured following the conventions of the discipline.80%n/a
PresentationPresentation of results at a seminar series to an audience of peers and academic staff. To include information about recording and interpretation.10%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • American Psychological Association: 2020, Publication manual of the American Psychological Association : the official guide to APA style, 7th Edition, APA,
  • Bell, J.: 2010, Doing your research project: a guide for first time researchers in education, health and social science, 5th, Open University Press, Maidenhead,
  • Braun, V. & Clarke, V.: 2022, Thematic analysis: a practical guide, SAGE,
  • Brinkmann, S. & Kvale, S.: 2018, Doing interviews, 2nd Edition, SAGE,
  • Davies, M.B. & Hughes, N.: 2014, Doing a successful research project: Using qualitative or quantitative methods., 2nd, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK, 978-113730642
  • Denscombe, M.: 2014, The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill,
  • Field, A.: 2018, Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics, 5th Edition, SAGE,
  • Orna, L, Stevens, G.: 2009, Managing information for research, 2nd, Open University Press, Buckingham, UK,
  • Pallant, J.: 2020, SPSS survival manual : a step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS, 5th, McGraw-Hill Education (UK),
  • The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI): 2019, PSI Code of Professional Ethics, 4th Edition, The Psychological Society of Ireland, Ireland,
  • Wood, C.P., Giles, D. & Percy, C.: 2012, Your psychology project handbook, 2nd, Prentice Hall, 978-0273759805
  • White, P.: 2009, Developing research questions, Palgrave, 978-1403998156
  • Brace, N., Kemp, R. & Snelgar, R.: 2003, SPSS for psychologists, 2nd, Psychology Press, 978-0805847741
  • Denzin, N.K. & Lincoln, Y.S.: 2002, The qualitative inquiry reader, SAGE, 978-0761924920
  • Denzin, N.K. & Yvonna S.L.: 2011, The SAGE handbook of qualitative research, 4th, SAGE, 978-1412974172
  • Evans, J.: 2007, Your psychology project, SAGE Publications Limited, 978-1412922326
  • Gravetter, F.J. & Wallnau, L.B.: 2012, Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, International ed of 9th revised ed, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 978-1111839550
  • Hair, J. F, Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L.: 2013, Multivariate data analysis., 7th, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 978-1292021904
  • Kazdin, A.E.: 2010, Single-case research designs: Methods for clinical and applied settings, 2nd, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 978019534188
  • Nolan, S. & Heinzen, T.: 2019, Essentials of statistics for the behavioral sciences, 4th, Worth, 9781319248741
  • Harris, P.: 2008, Designing And Reporting Experiments In Psychology, 3rd, McGraw-Hill Education (UK), 978-0335221783
  • Tabachnick, B.G. & Fidell, L.S.: 2019, Using multivariate statistics, 7th Edition, Pearson, 978-0205890811
  • Willig, C.: 2012, Qualitative analysis and interpretation in psychology, Open University Press, London, 978-033524141
  • Willig, C. & Stainton-Rogers, W.: 2017, The SAGE handbook of qualitative research in psychology, 2nd Edition, SAGE Publications Limited,
  • Zar, J.H.: 2014, Biostatistical analysis, 5th Edition, Pearson,
Other Resources

None

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