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
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 - 2021
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 Student feedback via 'Have Your Say' survey and on discussion forums.
Students requested that the topics/questions for the Long-Answer Questions (Written Assessment) be released earlier so that they could better plan their assessment priorities across the term.
Release the topics/questions for the Long-Answer Questions (Written Assessment) earlier in the term.
Feedback from Student feedback via 'Have Your Say' survey and in class.
Students requested that information and resources for the Long-Answer Questions (Written Assessment) and Oral Presentation be provided earlier in the term in a way that is more readily accessible (i.e. rather than clarifying information provided on the Moodle forum, which can be difficult to navigate).
Develop an information pack for the Written Assessment and Oral Presentation that expands on the current information, includes examples from past students and a video explainer of the task and its expectations. Provide this information as early as possible in the term directly within the Assessment tile in Moodle.
Feedback from Student feedback and personal observations.
Several students had difficulty with the technological requirements of the Oral Presentation (e.g., using video-recording technology, condensing video files for uploading to Moodle).
Within the Oral Presentation information pack, include clear step-by-step instructions and advice on how to record their presentation within Zoom and how to use Camtasia (or similar) to condense the file to upload into Moodle.
Feedback from Student feedback via email, in class and in the 'Have Your Say' survey.
Students indicated that they enjoyed the applied focus and learning opportunities provided by the Oral Presentation task, which involved a role play. However, several students indicated that they found it difficult to find a person to conduct the role play with.
Continue to offer the oral presentation as an assessment task but use Moodle (or other suitable technology) to allow students to form small groups early in the term. This will enable students to work together to practice the task and develop their final submission.
- 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 - 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 | |
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | ||||||||||
2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
3 - Presentation - 20% |
Textbooks
Psychological testing and assessment
3rd Edition (2017)
Authors: David Shum, John O'Gorman, Peter Creed, Brett Myors
Oxford University Press
Melbourne Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
ISBN: 9780190305208
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
Both paper and eBook versions can be purchased at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code).
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 Testing and Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 1 (pp. 14-19)
Chapter 2 (pp. 22-26)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Origins, Ethics and Best Practice
Chapter
Chapter 1 (pp. 3-13)
Chapter 2 (pp. 27-45)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 1 released Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Quiz 1 opens Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Norms and Reliability
Chapter
Chapter 3: Test Scores and Norms
Chapter 4: Reliability
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Validity and Test Construction
Chapter
Chapter 5: Validity
Chapter 6: Test Construction
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Intelligence Testing
Chapter
Chapter 7: Intelligence
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Educational Testing and Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 13: Educational Testing and Assessment (pp. 294-304)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 1 due Monday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Quiz 1 closes Friday at 5:00PM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Clinical Psychology Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 9: Clinical and Mental Health Testing and Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 2 released Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Quiz 2 opens Friday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Neuropsychology Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 11: Neuropsychological Testing and Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment of Children and Adolescents
Chapter
Chapter 13: Educational Testing and Assessment (pp. 306-315)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 8: Personality
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Occupational Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 10: Organisational Testing and Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
No Reading
Events and Submissions/Topic
Long Answer Questions Part 2 due Tuesday at 9:00AM [AEST]
Quiz 2 closes Friday at 5:00PM [AEST]
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Oral Presentation video due Friday at 5:00PM [AEST]
Oral Presentation - Feeding Back Assessment Findings Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (11 Oct 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This assessment task requires the completion of 2 online quizzes, conducted via the PSYC13020 Moodle site.
Each quiz contains 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 120 minutes (2 hours) to complete each quiz. Only one attempt per quiz is permitted. Please see below details of content and due dates for each quiz:
- Quiz 1 assesses weeks 1 to 5. It opens Friday 23rd July at 9:00AM [AEST] and closes Friday 27th August at 5:00PM [AEST].
- Quiz 2 assesses weeks 6 to 11. It opens Friday 3rd September at 9:00AM [AEST] and closes Friday 8th October at 5:00PM [AEST].
Quiz 1 closes Week 6, Friday 27th August at 5:00PM [AEST]. Quiz 2 closes Week 12, Friday 8th October at 5:00PM [AEST].
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 40 and weighted at 20% 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
You have been commissioned by Central Queensland University Press to assist in the development of a new textbook titled, Psychological Testing and Assessment: A User-Friendly and Practical Resource for Undergraduate University Students. At two points during the term, you will be provided with a list of possible textbook sections and asked to write a response to two (2) topics from the list. That is, over the course of the term, you will be required to submit a total of four (4) sections for the 'new' textbook. Your goal will be to provide an informative textbook section for students that describes difficult concepts and processes in psychology in a way that is easy to understand, practical and user-friendly. That is, you need to think about how you can describe difficult testing and assessment concepts in a way that is engaging and understandable for a student.
The topics will be released on Moodle, and you are to submit your response in a word document on Moodle. Please see below for release dates and due dates for these topics:
- Week 2: Long Answer Questions Part 1 released Friday 23rd July at 9:00AM [AEST]
- Week 6: Long Answer Questions Part 1 due Monday 23rd August at 9:00AM [AEST]
- Week 7: Long Answer Questions Part 2 released Friday 3rd September at 9:00AM [AEST]
- Week 12: Long Answer Questions Part 2 due Tuesday 5th October at 9:00AM [AEST]
Important points about this assessment:
- Each response will be marked out of 10 and will be worth 10% of your final grade.
- There is no set word count for each question, but please aim for approximately 500-600 words per response.
- You should be able to write your response based on the lecture content and the associated sections in the textbook.
- You may, however, engage in some limited additional or outside research to enhance your response with examples or relevant research.
- You should use academic language that is accessible and understandable to a non-expert audience.
- Your references should be provided in APA 7th format.
Long Answer Questions Part 1 due Week 6, Monday 23rd August at 9:00AM [AEST]. Long Answer Questions Part 2 due Week 12, Tuesday 5th October at 9:00AM [AEST].
Marks and feedback will be available 2 to 3 weeks after the due date for each set of questions.
A marking rubric will be available on Moodle.
Briefly, marks for each question will be allocated based on:
- Content coverage and clarity of explanation: 6 marks
- Incorporation of elements to engage reader and enhance learning: 2 marks
- Quality of written communication skills: 2 marks
- 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.
To assist you with this process, you will be allocated into small groups at the start of the term. You will be provided with example case studies and a skills checklist that will give you clear steps to follow in feeding back assessment findings. Using the skills checklist and example case studies, you can work in your small group to practice the process of feeding back assessment findings via role plays. You can also practice the role play for the case study allocated for the assessment. You will then need to video record the final role play for the assessment, with one of your group members acting as the 'client', and submit this via Moodle (ensuring the audio and video is of an acceptable quality).
Review/Exam Week Monday (11 Oct 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Marks and feedback will be available 2 weeks after the due date.
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.