Keele Badge

PSY-30122 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 24 April 2024

PSY-30122 - Research Methods in Social and Developmental Psychology for Study Abroad Students
Coordinator: Ching-Yu Huang Tel: +44 1782 7 33330
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733736

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This module aims to advance understanding of survey and qualitative research methods used in Psychology and builds on the content of the first year research methods modules. The module is split into two main components with weekly lectures and lab classes. First, qualitative research methods are covered, including a range of data collection methods (e.g. interview and written accounts) and different approaches to data analysis (e.g. thematic analysis and discourse analysis). The first half of the module will be assessed through a group qualitative lab report. Students then turn their attention to the issue of questionnaire development, including item generation, hands on data collection, and item analysis using SPSS. The second half of the module is assessed through an individual survey lab report. Finally students are required to demonstrate their knowledge of social and developmental psychology with an individual essay.

Aims
This module aims to advance student understanding of qualitative research methods used in social and developmental psychology. It builds on the content of first year methods modules (PSY-10031 and PSY-10036) and the first year social and developmental psychology module (PSY-10033).

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/psy-30122/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

Critically evaluate theory and research in developmental and social psychology: 1
Independently locate, study, and synthesise knowledge from different academic sources within the field of developmental and social psychology: 1
Design appropriate data collection and analysis strategies to answer research questions: 2
Conduct, analyse and evaluate qualitative research and write up a qualitative lab report using APA formatting: 2
To appreciate the ways in which knowledge of social and developmental psychology is advanced through research: 1

Study hours

11 hours of lectures
22 hours of lab sessions
45 hours preparation of short paper
45 hours preparation of individual report
27 hours independent study time

School Rules

This module is only available to Psychology students returning from semester abroad.

Description of Module Assessment

1: Short Paper weighted 50%
Lay summaries
You will complete two (2) summaries plus critiques of assigned papers in a popular outreach format. You will write either 500 words (x2) in a blog/substack, or as a twitter thread. You must summarise core information from the paper, including extracting and interpreting figures, and present them in such a way that they are understandable to a lay audience. Images from the paper, as well appropriate images/gifs are encouraged. If you choose the blog/substack, you will write in that media (i.e., a set of paragraphs), if you choose the tweet-thread, you will write 500 words broken into 10-15 individual tweets. These two items will be submitted as part of a single submission consisting of 1000 words total.

2: Individual Report weighted 50%
Individual Qualitative Report
Students will complete a 2,200 word individual qualitative lab report based on the qualitative theory and practical qualitative methods approaches covered within the module. Students work on a research subject selected at the beginning of the module. The individual qualitative report will include most elements of an empirical paper ¿ method, results, conclusion.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 24 April 2024