Unit information: Introduction to Psychological Experiments and Statistics in 2017/18

Unit name	Introduction to Psychological Experiments and Statistics
Unit code	PSYC10002
Credit points	40
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Chris Kent
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Psychological Science
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This unit provides training in the range of theoretical and practical skills used in psychological research. Four experimental studies will be conducted in the broad areas of biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology.

The aims of this unit are to introduce students to basic methodological approaches to psychological research and statistical techniques, through the application of specific methodologies to the study of psychological phenomena.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, a student will be able to:

1. Explain the basic forms of experimental study design and when to apply these.
2. State the practical aspects of conducting research studies that implement these designs within the context of a particular psychological question.
3. Recognise how the implementation of the experimental research designs influence the nature of the psychological investigation under investigation.
4. Conduct an investigation of psychological topics requiring a quantitative approach.
5. Carry out a research study by designing a specific study to address a specific question, conducting a study on that question, analysing the data appropriately, and providing a written communication of the outcome of that process.
6. Describe a range of research experiments in the School of Experimental Psychology.

Teaching Information

Weekly lectures/mandatory laboratory sessions.

Assessment Information

Assessment and Award of Credit:

• 4 x 2000 word written research reports (0%, 30%, 30%, and 40%)
• Completion of 10 hours of experimental participation
• Attendance at labs is required for the award of credit.
• A reasonable attempt of all assessment must be made for the award of credit.

Reading and References

Essential

British Psychological Society (2014). Code of human research ethics. Leicester, UK: British Psychological Society.

Stollery, B. T. (2015). Laboratory handbook: Reporting psychological experiments. Unpublished document, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, UK.

Recommended

American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6^th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Coolican, H. (2014). Research methods and statistics in psychology. (6^th ed.). London: Hodder Education.

Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (4^th ed.). London: Sage.

Harris, P. (2008). Designing and reporting experiments in psychology (3^rd ed.). Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

Additional recommended and further reading will be made available through Blackboard