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 in CC43, CF59, CL51, CL55, CC13, CA10 or CG93, or admission to CC10.
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 - 2023
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 SUTE feedback
Students were challenged by the written assessment task and requested further information regarding expectations for this task.
Review resources for the written assessment task to ensure clarity and consistency in instructions across written and video resources. Allocate more time in the live sessions to discuss the task and provide opportunities for questions.
Feedback from SUTE feedback
Students enjoyed the interactive live sessions and the lecturers' use of real-world examples and applications to illustrate content.
Continue to offer live sessions that allow for interactivity and discussion, and that provide opportunities for students to draw real-world connections with the content presented in the pre-recorded lectures.
- 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.
This unit addresses Foundational Competencies as specified by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and specifically aligns to:
1.1 Comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach, including the following topics:
(i) the history and philosophy underpinning the science of psychology and the social, cultural, historical and professional influences on the practice of psychology
(ii) individual differences in capacity, behaviour and personality
(iii) psychological health and well-being
(iv) psychological disorders and evidence-based interventions
(vi) cognition, language and perception
(xi) culturally appropriate psychological assessment and measurement
(xii) research methods and statistics.
1.2 Apply knowledge and skills of psychology in a manner that is reflexive, culturally appropriate and sensitive to the diversity of individuals.
1.3 Analyse and critique theory and research in the discipline of psychology and communicate these in written and oral formats.
1.4 Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate values and ethics in psychology.
1.5 Demonstrate interpersonal skills and teamwork.
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 | ||||
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
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
n.thampy@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
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
Clinical Psychology Assessment
Preparing for your Oral Presentation (Sharing Assessment Findings)
Chapter
Chapter 9: Clinical and Mental Health Testing and Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 Opens Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Written Assessment Part 1 Due: Vacation Week Monday (14 Aug 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Intelligence Testing
Chapter
Chapter 7: Intelligence
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 Due: Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Written Assessment Part 2 released
Module/Topic
Neuropsychology Testing and 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
Educational Testing and Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 13: Educational Testing and Assessment (pp. 294-304)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Personality Testing
Chapter
Chapter 8: Personality
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Occupational Testing and Assessment
Chapter
Chapter 10: Organisational Testing and Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 Opens Week 11 Friday (29 Sept 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Oral Presentation - Sharing Assessment Findings Due: Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
No Reading
Events and Submissions/Topic
Written Assessment Part 2 Due: Week 12 Tuesday (3 Oct 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 Due: Week 13 Monday (9 Oct 2023) 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 90 minutes (1.5 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 11th August at 5:00pm [AEST] and closes Monday 21st August at 9:00am [AEST].
- Quiz 2 assesses weeks 6 to 11. It opens Friday 29th September at 5:00pm [AEST] and closes Monday 9th October at 9:00am [AEST].
2
Quiz 1 closes Week 6, Monday 21st August at 9:00am [AEST]. Quiz 2 closes Week 13, Monday 9th October at 9:00am.
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
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.
There are two parts to this assessment. You will be provided with a list of textbook topics on Moodle at two time points during the term (see below for release dates and due dates). Your task is to choose two (2) topics at each point and compose textbook sections (not entire chapters) which describe challenging psychological concepts in a way that is easy to understand, practical, engaging and user-friendly. Thus, you will be required to submit a total of four (4) sections for the 'new' textbook.
Submit your response in a word or PDF document on Moodle.
Release dates and due dates:
- Week 1: Release of topics for Written Assessment Part 1
- Vacation Week: Due date for Written Assessment Part 1: Monday 14th August at 9:00am [AEST]
- Week 6: Release of topics for Written Assessment Part 2
- Week 12: Due date for Written Assessment Part 2: Tuesday 3rd October at 9:00am [AEST]
Important points about this assessment:
- You will need to respond to four topics; 2 topics for Part 1 and 2 topics for Part 2.
- Each part will be marked out of 10 and will be worth 10% of your final grade.
- Aim for approximately 600 words per response.
- Write about the topics primarily based on lecture content and the textbook.
- However, you may use limited additional research.
- Use academic language that is accessible and understandable to a non-expert audience.
- Your references should be provided in APA 7th format.
Written Assessment Part 1 due Vacation Week, Monday 14th August at 9:00am [AEST]. Written Assessment Part 2 due Week 12, Tuesday 3rd 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 detailed marking rubric is available on Moodle.
Briefly, marks for each question will be allocated based on:
- Content coverage and clarity of explanation: 60%
- Incorporation of elements to engage reader and enhance learning: 20%
- Quality of written communication skills: 20%
- 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.
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 during Week 4 of 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). The role play should be between 6 to 8 minutes.
Note that Zoom is usually the most efficient and compact recording method. Because of the limited allowable file size in Moodle (100mb), please use CQUniversity's ECHO360 system to upload your video by following these instructions: https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=3340315&forceview=1
Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Review/Exam Week Friday (13 Oct 2023)
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.
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?
