Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
The Final Year Project module, which runs over Autumn and Spring Semesters, provides final year students with the opportunity to put into practice the scholarship and research methods skills they have developed over the Psychology Course. Successful completion of a Final Year Project is also a prerequisite for a psychology degree that confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society, which hugely facilitates pursuing a professional career in Psychology. Students should identify a supervisor from Psychology Academic Staff with research knowledge of an area in which they wish to conduct research. In consultation with their supervisor, students design, conduct and write-up a piece of original empirical work. Students also construct and present a poster about their research project in the first semester. The Project Research Report and Poster marks contribute to the module assessment. The academic, logical, numerical, IT, communication and organizational skills developed and practiced on this module are vital for postgraduate study in psychology and are regarded highly by potential employers.
Aims
The aim of this module is to give students the opportunity to carry out and report a sound empirical investigation of a research topic of personal interest to the student.
Talis Aspire Reading ListAny reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/psy-30061/lists
Intended Learning Outcomes
design research complying with BPS ethical requirements, which is required for study approval by the School of Psychology Student Project Ethics Committee: 1select, locate and critically review a pertinent research literature to identify gaps in existing knowledge: 2,3,4,5initiate and design an empirical study that tests the research hypotheses/questions identified: 2,3,4,5develop stimuli/materials pertinent to the research question: 2,3,4,5identify and communicate key aspects of their project to an informed audience using visual and verbal presentation skills: 2,4,5collect data, select and carry out an appropriate form of analysis: 3,5discuss the implications of the results and critically evaluate the quality of the research: 3write up their project research following APA report writing conventions: 3critically review and assess contemporary scientific understanding of a chosen area of psychology from which the student can develop hypotheses or research questions that can be tested empirically within the time available: 2,3,4,5Conduct themselves in a professional manner throughout the duration of their project (for example, record-keeping, contributing in meetings, engaging in planning/discussions, time-keeping etc): 5
300 hours:Supervision - 10 hoursPoster presentation - 1 hourAsynchronous skills workshops - 4 hoursIndependent study (including applying for ethical approval, preparing project poster, private study, data collection and report preparation) 285 hours.
Description of Module Assessment
1: Ethical Approval weighted 0%Approval of the project by the School Research Ethics CommitteeSPEC Assessment of students' Final Year Project research proposals. The School of Psychology SPEC applies the British Psychological Society Guidelines for ethical (human and other animal) research. Research ethics is a topic covered throughout course from the 1st year of study.
2: Assignment weighted 5%Project Poster (poster)This is part 1 of a 2-part assignment.
Students submit A1 size posters describing and explaining their Final Year Psychology Research Projects.
In part 2, students will present the poster. Students must complete both part 1 and part 2 in order to get a grade. Students cannot get a grade for part 1 without completing part 2.
3: Research Report weighted 80%Project Research ReportWord length: 5,000 - 10,000 words depending on the standard for the research area. Quantitative projects are expected to be towards the lower end of the range, while qualitative projects are expected to be towards the upper end of the range.
4: Assignment weighted 5%Project Poster (presentation)This is part 2 of a 2-part assignment.
Students present their previously submitted posters (part 1) describing and explaining their Final Year Psychology Research Projects. These 'informal' presentations are assessed by the students' Research Project supervisors and the allocated 2nd marker of the students' Final Year Psychology Research Reports.
Students must complete both part 1 and part 2 in order to get a grade. Students cannot complete part 2, if they don't complete part 1.
5: Performance weighted 10%Professional SkillsMarks are awarded to each student based on a range of professional skills that the student is able to demonstrate across the project. Skills include: organisation; independence; preparation; problem solving and communication skills. This will be graded using a rubric.