Overview
The aim of this unit is to provide basic theoretical, empirical, and practice knowledge necessary to acquire the skills required to conduct and evaluate psychological assessment. Lectures and readings are aimed at conveying the basic assessment process that occurs within psychological contexts, regardless of therapeutic orientation. The general expectations of this unit are to demonstrate theoretical, empirical, and practice-focused knowledge of assessment frameworks and techniques. As a student, you should expect to gain an increased understanding of basic frameworks and specific assessment procedures involved in psychological assessment (and therapy) contexts.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Academic Course = CC42
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 - 2017
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 Unit Coordinator self reflection and students' comments
Resources
Ensure there are no delays with receiving the textbook through the bookshop from the publisher. Any delays in this unit based on the required reading significantly impact on the student timeline.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator self reflection
Resources
Allow students to work on particular areas for assessment, and present back to the cohort. This will allow students to develop a wider knowledge base of the various areas of assessment.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator self reflection
Assignment information provided to the students
Offer the students the assignment at the beginning of the term, with a disclaimer about starting the assessment early. Recommend that students do not commence the assignment until the week the assignment is generally made available. This will allow the students to plan their term, and have specific aspects to focus on during the lecture content as they engage in preparing to commence the assignment.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator self reflection
Staff availability
A full-time staff member is better assigned to this subject.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator self reflection
Engagement
Encourage more engagement on the discussion forums.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator self reflection and students' comments
Assignment Feedback
Ensure that ways to enhance assignment material is provided to the students during feedback in the assignments. Break down the assignment criteria in more detail and provide more of the marking matrix to the students.
- Use effective strategies and decision-making processes in psychological assessment
- Select and integrate psychological assessment processes across a number of themes and paradigms
- Apply the core principles of ethical and professional assessment practice
- Use psychological assessment data and decision-making strategies in case study presentations
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 15% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Examination - 45% | ||||
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) - 15% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Examination - 45% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Conducting Psychological Assessment: A guide for practitioners
(2011)
Authors: Wright, A.J
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Southern Gate Southern Gate , Chicester , UK
ISBN: 9780470536759
Binding: Paperback
Essentials of Assessment Report Writing
Edition: 1st edn (2004)
Authors: E.O Lichtenberger, N, Mather, N.L Kaufman, A. S Kaufman
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Hoboken Hoboken , New Jersey , USA
ISBN: 9780471394877
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.j.burke@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Chapter
Wright (2011) Chapter 1.
See reading list on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Science and pseudoscience in psychological assessment
Chapter
Wright (2011) Chapter 2 and 3
Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., & Lohr, J. M. (2015). Science and Pseudoscience in clinical Psychology Initial Thoughts, Reflections, and Considerations. In S. O. Lilienfeld, S. J. Lynn, & J. M. Lohr (Eds.), Science and pseudoscience in clinical psychology (Second edition ed., pp. 1-16). New York: Guilford Publications.
Available from https://www.guilford.com/excerpts/lilienfeld.pdfEvents and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Methods of psychological assessment
Chapter
Wright (2011) Chapters 3 & 4.
See reading list on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Clinical psychological assessment 1
Chapter
Wright (2011) Chapter 5.
See reading list on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Clinical psychological assessment 2
Chapter
Wright (2011) Chapter 6.
Bow, J. N., & Boxer, P. (2003). Assessing allegations of domestic violence in child custody evaluations. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18, 1394-1410.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz(zes) Due: Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2017) 12:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Sharf, A. J., Rogers, R., Williams, M. M., & Drogin, E. Y. (2017). Evaluating juvenile detainees’ Miranda misconceptions: The discriminant validity of the Juvenile Miranda Quiz. Psychological Assessment, 29(5), 556-567.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Organisational psychological (and more)
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Malingering
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Groth-Marnat, G. (2000). Visions of clinical assessment: Then, now, and a brief history of the future. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(3), 349-365.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Blackboard collaborate Q&A #3
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam to be in the exam weeks; details to be advised
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This online, open-book quiz will provide the opportunity to evaluate your working knowledge of the core areas of psychological assessment. The format of this assessment requires you to demonstrate a comprehension of the process and content of the key principles in this unit.
Task:
The quiz is timed (55 minutes) and will be available online through the moodle unit site for 24 hours only. It is important to note, no make-up quizzes will be available, so please plan ahead and do not leave your attempt to complete the quiz till the last hour.
1
Other
Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2017) 12:00 pm AEST
Students will have 24 hours to complete this test from the date and time indicated. There will be no make-up quizzes.
Monday (28 Aug 2017)
No Assessment Criteria
- Select and integrate psychological assessment processes across a number of themes and paradigms
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Objectives
This written assignment will take the form of an amicus brief (examples available on Moodle), detailing the strengths and weaknesses of a single psychological assessment technique. In brief, you will identify a single psychological assessment technique (or approach) and present a critical assessment of that technique (or approach). An amicus brief differs from an essay. Examples of such briefs and their purpose will be discussed in the scheduled Q&A sessions.
Task
Detailed information for this task will be provided on the unit Moodle site during term. Collaborative support and discussion will be available throughout the term to aid the completion of this learning task.
Week 8 Monday (4 Sept 2017) 11:00 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (29 Sept 2017)
Full assessment criteria will be provided to students during term through unit Moodle site under Written Assessment task.
- Use effective strategies and decision-making processes in psychological assessment
- Select and integrate psychological assessment processes across a number of themes and paradigms
- Apply the core principles of ethical and professional assessment practice
- Use psychological assessment data and decision-making strategies in case study presentations
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
Examination
Dictionary - non-electronic, concise, direct translation only (dictionary must not contain any notes or comments).
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?
