The University of Adelaide
Course Outlines

PSYCHOL 6606AOL - Research Project A

Online - Online Teaching 3 - 2023

How do you bring together evidence to answer critical questions in psychology? This course will provide you with the opportunity to investigate a substantive individual research question relevant to the discipline of psychology, using the skills and knowledge you have developed during the program of study.

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  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PSYCHOL 6606AOL
    Course Research Project A
    Coordinating Unit Psychology
    Term Online Teaching 3
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s Online
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 2 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites PSYCHOL 6600OL, PSYCHOL 6601OL, PSYCHOL 6602OL, PSYCHOL 6603OL, PSYCHOL 6604OL and PSYCHOL 6605OL
    Restrictions Available to Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced) (OL) students only
    Assessment Online Assessments and Written Assignments
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Deanne Green

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Investigate a substantive individual research question in psychology.
    2 Critically analyse the literature in a specific field of psychology.
    3 Justify the aims of a substantive individual research question. Concisely discuss the extent to which the aims were developed in accordance with past findings.
    4 Employ ethical research methodologies common within a domain of psychology.
    5 Develop a transparent and reproducible data analysis plan appropriate for answering quantitative or qualitative research questions.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    		 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    		 1, 2, 3, 5

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    		 4

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    		 4
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    This is a fully online offering using MyUni. Students will require access to the internet to access course content and will be provided with curated required and recommended readings and resources. They will use a telecommunications application (Zoom) to engage in online tutorials.
    Recommended Resources
    Detailed reading lists will be provided within course modules; all reading will be accessible online. Assignments will be submitted via Turnitin.
    Students may wish to purchase a copy of the APA 7 Publication Manual, but this is not required.
    Online Learning
    This is a fully online offering. MyUni will be used for all course materials, communication, links to curated resources, online tutorial support and assignments including submissions, feedback and grades.



    Best practice for accelerated online learning at the University of Adelaide will be used, and will include the following elements:

    1) Announcement

    2) Syllabus Outlines

    3) Assessment Overviews

    4) Detailed assessment guidance for each assessment piece

    5) Discussion boards

    6) Turn-it-in

    7) Modules

    8) Group Collaboration Area

    9) Course Readings
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Engagement with course content is facilitated by online videos, interactive online activities, curated readings and resources, and self-directed study supported by weekly online supervision sessions. Each week will have one of either a 90-minute group supervision or a 20-minute individual supervision session. Students will also have contact with their supervisors via Microsoft Teams for project-related queries.

    There are six weekly modules with learning scaffolded across the modules to ensure that students develop deep discipline knowledge as well as the academic literacy, research skills and capacity to apply and communicate their understanding as specified for an AQF8-level offering.

    Students will complete all of the following activities online:
    • Read the material presented in MyUni and work through tasks related to the completion of an individual research project under the guidance of their supervisor.
    • Watch the videos that are in the course to learn about key concepts and expectations for conducting their research projects.
    • Complete the necessary steps for conducting their research project.
    • Participate in individual and interactive group supervision sessions.
    • Complete readings online and use communication tools to interact and expand on content.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements. Please note, this may vary by individual project.

    Hours per week:
    • Supervision sessions: 20 minutes to 1.5 hours (subject to individual or group supervision sessions for that week).
    • Supervision Preparation: 1 hour
    • Assessment Related Tasks: 15 hours
    • Project-related steps and tasks: 6 hours
    • Weekly Reading/Study: 5 hours
    Learning Activities Summary
    1. Establishing Your Project
    • The structure of a research report in psychology.
    • Creating your Gantt chart.
    • Student-supervisor relationships.
    • Confirming your research question.
    • Getting to know the literature.
    • Getting to know your methods.
    2. Writing your project proposal
    • The purpose of a research proposal.
    • The structure of a research proposal.
    • Developing your research proposal.
    • Moving toward your introduction.
    3. Outlining your introduction
    • The purpose of an introduction.
    • Considering introduction structure.
    • Expanding your literature search.
    • Writing your introduction outline.
    4. Writing your introduction
    • Describing the broader topic and context.
    • Discussing key theories, debates, and findings.
    • Highlighting gaps.
    • Presenting the research questions and hypotheses.
    • Writing tips for your introduction.
    • Editing your introduction.
    • Responding to proposal feedback.
    5. Outlining your methods and data analysis plan
    • The purpose of the methods.
    • The structure of the methods.
    • The structure of a quantitative methods write-up.
    • The structure of a qualitative methods write-up.
    • Planning and outlining your methods.
    • The purpose of a data analysis plan.
    • The structure of a data analysis plan.
    • Outlining your data analysis plan: Quantitative.
    • Outlining your data analysis plan: Qualitative.
    6. Writing your methods and data analysis plan
    • Writing your methods: Quantitative.
    • Writing your methods: Qualitative.
    • Writing your data analysis plan: Quantitative.
    • Writing your data analysis plan: Qualitative.
    • Editing your methods and data analysis plan.
    Specific Course Requirements
    N/A
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type % Weighting Hurdle Requirement Course Learning Outcome being assessed
    Assessment 1: Research Proposal Summative

    20

    		 No 1, 2, 3
    Assessment 2: Introduction Summative 40 No 1, 2, 3
    Assessment 3: Methods and Data Analysis Plan Summative 40 No 1, 4, 5
    Assessment Related Requirements
    There are no assessment related requirements for this course.
    Assessment Detail
    Assessment 1: Research Proposal (Weighting: 20%):
    You will be required to write a research project proposal outlining the main issues to be addressed by your project. Your proposal will need to include a brief overview of the theoretical/empirical background to the issue. You will also include a statement of a broad research question/s that the project will address, a description of the design and methods you will use, a discussion of significance and/or innovation of the research project, and a consideration of the feasibility of the project.

    Assessment 2: Introduction (Weighting: 40%):
    Your Introduction should provide the reader with an understanding of your broader topic, the specific theories, debates, and findings that relate to your research question, the research gap that you are addressing, and your specific research question and/or hypotheses.
    In your Introduction you will need to critically analyse the relevant literature while developing a line of argument that makes it clear to the reader why your proposed study matters, and how it fills a gap in your field.

    Assessment 3: Methods and Data Analysis Plan (Weighting: 40%):
    The Methods section will outline your project design and the methodology you will undertake to answer your hypotheses/research question. Your Methods should describe how you conducted your study and gathered your data, in enough detail for a reader to critically evaluate, interpret, and replicate your study.

    While your Methods section will describe what you did for your reader, your Data Analysis Plan is instead used to describe how you will clean and analyse your data. Your Data Analysis Plan should provide a clear series of steps that you can follow to ensure your data analysis is clear, transparent, and appropriate for your data and research design.
    Submission
    All assessment occurs online: e-submission, checking for academic integrity in written assessments, e-marking and uploading of videos and other content for both summative and formative assessment task.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support

    Counselling for Fully Online Postgraduate Students

    Fully online students can access counselling services here:

    Phone: 1800 512 155 (24/7) 

    SMS service: 0439 449 876 (24/7) 

    Email: info@assureprograms.com.au

    Go to the Study Smart Hub to learn more, or speak to your Student Success Advisor (SSA) on 1300 296 648 (Monday to Thursday, 8.30am–5pm ACST/ACDT, Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm ACST/ACDT)

  • Policies & Guidelines

    This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.
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