HPS327 - Research Methods Capstone
Unit details
| Year: | 2022 unit information |
|---|---|
| Important Update: | Unit delivery will be in line with the most current COVIDSafe health guidelines. We continue to tailor learning experiences for each unit to achieve the best possible mix of online and on-campus activities that successfully blend our approaches to learning, working and research. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates. Last updated: 4 March 2022 |
| Enrolment modes: | Not offered in 2022 |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Mathew Ling |
| Prerequisite: | HPS201 or HPS301 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 x 2 hour class (online) per week |
| Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | 1 x 2 hour class (online) per week |
Content
The purpose of this capstone unit is to consolidate students’ research methods skills developed in Years 1 to 3 of their course. This unit will use key learnings in the areas of understanding the science-practitioner model, literature searching and critical review, study design, measurement, sampling, and data analysis to devise, execute, and write up a research project. Students will choose to investigate one research problem, which they will choose from a series of trimester-long projects. They will be supervised by teaching staff in the conduct of these minor projects. The projects are designed to comply with low risk projects, and will have pre-approval from ethics. Despite being low risk, the projects will still enable students to collect some data through distribution of surveys and/or observational design. Because of the time constraints of a trimester-long unit, data collection will be undertaken in a two week period during the trimester to allow time for data analysis and write up. As a consequence, the project in this unit is considerably smaller, and has more constraints, than the fourth year project students in Honours undertake.
Upon completion of this unit, students will have gained insights into how the theoretical content covered in their undergraduate studies translates into practical research problems, through the design and implementation of a real research project. This, in turn, will make students ready for fourth year study in psychology, in which students are required to conceptualize, design, and carry out their own study independently. And, for those students, who exit at the end of undergraduate studies, they will have developed skills necessary to effectively run a project from conception to write-up.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Conceptualise a research question, and choose the appropriate design (sampling, choice of measures, and analysis) to address this research question effectively. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Work collaboratively with a group of colleagues (students) to devise a project and successfully implement data collection and analysis, dividing work among group members. | GLO7: Teamwork |
| ULO3 | Critically evaluate existing literature (sourced through databases) in order to identify key gaps in the research area, and ascertain appropriate future research directions. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO4 | Communicate through oral presentation and written report the rationale, method, results, and implications of their research project . | GLO2: Communication |
Assessment
| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Research report | 3000 words | 60% |
|
| Assessment 2: Group oral presentation | 20 minutes | 40% |
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The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
There is no prescribed text. Unit materials are provided via the unit site. This includes unit topic readings and references to further information.
Unit Fee Information
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