Overview
This unit will introduce you to the principles, processes, applications, and issues pertaining to the development and use of psychological assessment. This unit is presented through a number of themes, covering topics such as origins, ethics and uses of psychological testing; testing in adults, children and vulnerable populations; neuropsychological testing and testing for industry and career development. The psychometric basis of psychological assessment and testing is emphasised. You will focus on a variety of common psychological procedures and tests measuring individual differences. Consideration of individual differences and assessment in an Australian context will be a key component of your studies in this unit.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
CA10 & CQ01 – Must complete PSYC11008, PSYC11009, PSYC12014, and PSYC12013 or PSYC12010CF59 – Must have completed PSYC12048 and (PSYC12010 or PSYC12012 or PSYC12013 or PSYC12014 or PSYC12047)CC43 – Minimum of 96 credit points
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Self-reflection, student feedback
The unit textbook is dense and contains an unnecessary level of detail for this level. It also has no relevance to an Australian context.
Text book options are to be reviewed and replaced if a better alternative is found.
Feedback from Self-reflection, student feedback
The online quizzes cover a wide variety of content from the textbook and this assessment format doesn't give the opportunity for students to receive helpful feedback.
The quizzes will be kept because this is a useful way to assess knowledge in an on-going way throughout the term, however the nature of the quiz will continue to be reviewed and improved.
- Articulate the purposes and principles of psychological assessment and testing
- Identify and articulate the knowledge of test construction processes and basic statistics to develop and validate a test of a psychological construct
- Apply knowledge of psychometric principles to evaluate the reliability, validity and other relevant features of psychological assessment processes and tests
- Locate and use professional standards, ethical codes and sources of information relevant to developers and users of psychological assessments and tests.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Presentation - 20% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Presentation - 20% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Psychological Testing: History, Principles and Applications
7th Edition (2015)
Authors: R.J. Gregory
Pearson
Essex , England
ISBN: 12: 978-1-292-05880-1
Binding: Paperback
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
7th Edition (2019)
Authors: American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
Washinton Washinton , DC , USA
ISBN: 9781433832161
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
If you prefer to study with a paper copy, they are available at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code). eBooks are available at the publisher's website.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
c.dittman@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Psychological Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 1: Implementation and Attributes of Psychological Testing
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Origins of Psychological Testing
Chapter
Chapter 2: Origins of Psychological Testing
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Norms and Reliability
Chapter
Chapter 3: Norms and Reliability
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 opens Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Validity, Test Construction and Test Biases
Chapter
Chapter 4: Validity and Test Construction
Chapter 6 - Topic 6B: The Question of Test Bias (pp 238-248)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 1 released Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Intelligence Testing
Chapter
Chapter 5: Intelligence and Achievement: Theories and Tests (pp. 154-201)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 closes Monday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Aptitude and Achievement Testing and Learning Disabilities
Chapter
Chapter 6 - Topic 6A: Group Tests of Ability and Related Concepts (pp. 210-224)
Chapter 5: Intelligence and Achievement: Theories and Tests (pp. 202-209)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 opens Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Clinical Psychology Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 8 - Topic 8B: Self-Report and Behavioural Assessment of Psychopathology (pp. 347-359)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 1 due Monday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Neuropsychology Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 10: Neuropsychological Testing
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 closes Monday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Long Answer Questions Part 2 released Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Assessment of Children and Adolescents
Chapter
Chapter 7: Assessing Special Populations
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 opens Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 8 - Topic 8A: Theories of Personality and Projective Techniques
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Occupational and Career Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 11: Industrial, Occupational and Career Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 closes Monday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Quiz 4 opens Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Chapter
No Reading This Week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 2 due Tuesday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Quiz 4 closes Friday at 5:00PM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This assessment task requires the completion of 4 online quizzes, conducted via the PSYC13020 Moodle site.
Each quiz contains 20 multiple-choice questions. You will have 60 minutes (1 hour) to complete the quiz. Only one attempt per quiz is permitted. Details of content and due dates for each quiz is detailed below:
- Quiz 1 assesses weeks 1 to 3. It opens Friday 31st July at 9:00AM [AEST] and closes Monday 10th August at 9:00AM [AEST].
- Quiz 2 assesses weeks 4 to 6. It opens Friday 28th August at 9:00AM [AEST] and closes Monday 7th September at 9:00AM [AEST].
- Quiz 3 assesses weeks 7 to 9. It opens Friday 18th September at 9:00AM [AEST] and closes Monday 28th September at 9:00AM [AEST].
- Quiz 4 assesses weeks 10 and 11. It opens Friday 2nd October at 9:00AM [AEST] and closes Friday 9th October at 9:00AM [AEST].
3
Other
Quiz 1 closes Monday 10th August at 9:00AM [AEST; Week 5]. Quiz 2 closes Monday 7th September at 9:00AM [AEST; Week 8]. Quiz 3 closes Monday 28th September at 9:00AM [AEST; Week 11]. Quiz 4 closes Friday 9th October at 9:00AM [AEST; Week 12].
Students will be able to view their grade for each quiz upon completion. Correct responses to each quiz will be released as soon as possible after the quiz has closed.
For each quiz, one (1) mark will be awarded for each quiz question answered correctly. There will be no negative marking penalty for incorrect answers.
Each quiz is marked out of 20 and weighted at 10% of the final unit grade.
- Identify and articulate the knowledge of test construction processes and basic statistics to develop and validate a test of a psychological construct
- Apply knowledge of psychometric principles to evaluate the reliability, validity and other relevant features of psychological assessment processes and tests
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
This assessment task requires to you to provide responses to 4 questions each requiring a 'long-answer' written response. Each question will be marked out of 10 and will be worth 10% of your final grade. At two points during the term, you will be provided with a list of possible questions and asked to write a response to 2 questions from the list. The questions will be released on Moodle, and you are to submit your response in a word document on Moodle. Further information will be provided in class. Please see below for release dates and due dates for these questions:
- Week 4: Long Answer Questions Part 1 released Friday 7th August at 9:00AM [AEST]
- Week 7: Long Answer Questions Part 1 due Monday 31st August at 9:00AM [AEST]
- Week 8: Long Answer Questions Part 2 released Friday 11th September at 9:00AM [AEST]
- Week 12: Long Answer Questions Part 2 due Tuesday 6th October at 9:00AM [AEST]
Important points about this assessment:
- Write the response to each question in a word document. Make sure your submission is clearly labelled with your name and student number.
- Please start each question on a new page.
- There is no minimum or maximum word count for each response. However, as a rough guide, you might aim for between 500-600 words for each response.
- Having said that, the focus should be on answering each question fully, but concisely, rather than the number of words. You will be marked based on content coverage, not word count.
- This task is not an essay, so your responses do not need to be written in an essay format (i.e., there is no need for introductory and concluding paragraphs). Instead, jump right in and start writing your response.
- Write your answers clearly, making sure you use properly structured paragraphs and clear, concise and grammatical sentences.
- You will generally be able to respond to these questions using the content covered in lectures and the associated content in the textbook. There may be some additional or outside research required.
- Some questions will require you to refer to only one topic, while others will require you to integrate content across the topic areas covered in the unit.
Long Answer Questions Part 1 due Monday 31st August at 9:00AM [AEST; Week 7]. Long Answer Questions Part 2 due Tuesday 6th October at 9:00AM [AEST; Week 12].
Grades will be available 2 to 3 weeks after the due date for each set of questions.
| 9 to 10 marks | 7 to 8 marks | 5 to 6 marks | 3 to 4 marks | 1 to 2 marks | 0 marks |
| A comprehensive and well-written response in which 90-100% of possible answer points are included. | A good response in which 70-80% of possible answer points are included. | An adequate response in which 50-60% of possible answer points are included. | A limited response in which 30-40% of possible answer points are included. | A very poor response in which 10-20% of possible answer points are included. | No response or irrelevant response. |
- Articulate the purposes and principles of psychological assessment and testing
- Identify and articulate the knowledge of test construction processes and basic statistics to develop and validate a test of a psychological construct
- Apply knowledge of psychometric principles to evaluate the reliability, validity and other relevant features of psychological assessment processes and tests
- Locate and use professional standards, ethical codes and sources of information relevant to developers and users of psychological assessments and tests.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
3 Presentation
An important final step in completing a psychological assessment is to feedback the assessment results to the client, patient or employee you have been working with. In this assessment task, you are required to share and integrate a series of assessment findings with a client in a simulated role play. You will be presented with a case study comprising results from a number of assessments. Your job will be to interpret these results, integrate them into a summary, and present this to a person using language and a communication style that is warm, professional and appropriate to the individual who has been assessed.
A skills checklist will be provided in class that will give you clear steps to follow in feeding back assessment findings. You will be provided with example case studies and opportunities to practice the role plays during class time.
You will need to video record this role play (ensuring the audio and video is of an acceptable quality) and submit it via Moodle.
Exam Week Monday (19 Oct 2020) 9:00 am AEST
The role play will be marked out of 20 and will be worth 20% of your final grade. Your mark will be based on:
- Adherence to skills checklist (15 marks)
- Communication and interpersonal skills (5 marks)
- Articulate the purposes and principles of psychological assessment and testing
- Locate and use professional standards, ethical codes and sources of information relevant to developers and users of psychological assessments and tests.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
