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
Students must be enrolled in CC42 Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours).
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 "Have your say student feedback"
Request to increase the structure of the tutorials by using a clear "agenda".
The plan for each tutorial will be outlined at the beginning of the tutorials for T3 2019 with summary of the key points/ concepts from the tutorial summarised on the Moodle site after the tutorial.
Feedback from "Have your say student feedback"
Request to have unit assessment requirements made clearer with expectations for assessment pieces and exam made clearer.
The plan for each tutorial will be outlined at the commencement of each tutorial - this plan should contain an item that has the aim of explaining how the current content that is being learned will be assessed.
Feedback from "Have your say student feedback"
Request to have live lectures in addition to the pre-recorded lectures.
The teaching team should review addition of live lectures.
- 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.
Learning outcomes fulfil the level 2 pre-professional core competencies required by the updated Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) guidelines. The learning outcomes also meet the study criteria as specified by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and as appropriate for study at level 8 as stated by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
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 - Online Test - 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 - Online Test - 45% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
CONDUCTING PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: A GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERS
(2011)
Authors: Wright, A.J
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Southern Gate Southern Gate , Chicester , United Kingdom
ISBN: 9780470536759
Binding: Paperback
ESSENTIALS OF ASSESSMENT REPORT WRITING
1st Edition (2004)
Authors: E.O Lichtenberger, N, Mather, N.L Kaufman, A. S Kaufman
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Hoboken Hoboken , New Jersey , United States of America
ISBN: 9780471394877
Binding: Paperback
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
7th Edition (2019)
Authors: American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
Washington Washington , 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)
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.
j.baranoff@cqu.edu.au
t.mcadie@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to psychological assessment
Chapter
Textbook - Wright, ch 1
Textbook - Lichtenberger, ch 1
Readings on Moodle (week one)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial -
Interviewing skills and the Mental Status Examination (MSE)
Module/Topic
Test selection and ethical issues in psychological assessment
Chapter
Textbook - Wright, ch 2
Readings on Moodle (week two)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
Module/Topic
Testing and integrating data
Chapter
Textbook - Wright, ch 3 and ch 4
Readings on Moodle (week three)
Events and Submissions/Topic
No Zoom tutorial scheduled
Case conceptualisation exercise on Moodle instead (see Moodle, week three for further details)
Module/Topic
Psychological reports and providing feedback
Chapter
Textbook - Wright, ch 5 and ch 6
Textbook - Lichtenberger
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
Module/Topic
Clinical psychological assessment
Chapter
Textbook - Wright, ch 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial
and Video clip on Moodle
Online QUIZ due: To be completed between 9.00am AEST Friday the 14th August and 5.00pm AEST Saturday the 15th of August.
Online Quiz Due: Week 5 Monday (10 Aug 2020) 12:45 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cognitive assessment
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week six)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial
and video clips on Moodle
Module/Topic
Forensic psychological assessment
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week seven)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
Module/Topic
Organisational psychological assessment
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week eight)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
and activity for it on Moodle
Critical Evaluation Report due: 9am (AEST) on Monday the 7th of September.
Critical Evaluation Report Due: Week 8 Monday (7 Sept 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Response bias and malingering
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week nine)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
and video clips on Moodle
Module/Topic
Risk assessment
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week ten)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
Module/Topic
Professional practice issues
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week eleven)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial
Module/Topic
Past, present and future of psychological assessment
Chapter
Readings on Moodle (week twelve)
Events and Submissions/Topic
No Zoom tutorial scheduled for this week; test preparation materials on Moodle
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Final exam
Online Test Due: Exam Week Monday (19 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
1 Online Quiz(zes)
Objective: This online, open-book, multiple choice 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 comprehension of the process and content of the key principles in this unit.
Task: 50 questions. The quiz is timed (60 minutes) and will be available online through the Moodle unit site for 32 hours only. Single attempt only. Please plan ahead and do not leave your attempt to complete the quiz till the last hour. Please ensure you have reliable internet access during this period.
Other
Week 5 Monday (10 Aug 2020) 12:45 am AEST
The quiz will be open from 09:00hrs (AEST) Friday 14 August until Saturday 17:00hrs (AEST) 15 August
Vacation Week Monday (17 Aug 2020)
Multiple choice quiz
- 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
This written assignment will take the form of a written report, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of a single psychological assessment technique or test. Further details are available on Moodle.
Week 8 Monday (7 Sept 2020) 9:00 am AEST
due 9.00am AEST on Monday the 7th of September
Week 11 Monday (28 Sept 2020)
Download Assessment Two Details PDF from Moodle site for further details and grading matrix
- Use effective strategies and decision-making processes in psychological assessment
- 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
3 Online Test
This test will assess your knowledge of the areas covered throughout the term.
Exam Week Monday (19 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Date to be announced
No Assessment Criteria
- 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.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Cross Cultural 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?
