Overview
Research Project in Psychology A is the first of two units which will introduce you to the process of undertaking research in the Psychology discipline. Over the two units, you will independently undertake a scholarly investigation, under the supervision of a qualified supervisor within the Psychology discipline. The purpose of the Research Project A unit is to provide you with the experience of proposing and planning an independent research project. The research question examined will be developed in consultation with your supervisor and will have either theoretical or applied significance in the Psychology discipline. In Research Project A you will complete a research project proposal and an ethics application for that proposed project. Successful completion of this unit requires that Psychology Research Project A and Psychology Research Project B are undertaken in the same calendar year.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Academic Course = CC42 Prior or concurrent completion of PSYC14047 and PSYC14050
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).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Optional Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
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 Unsolicited requests and feedback from students via moodle, email and phone calls
More detailed copies of high-standard thesis proposals and completed thesis within the honours program to be available on the moodle/unit site.
Look to source appropriate examples, and obtain relevant permissions to provide examples of proposal and completes theses of previous honours students on the moodle site.
- Develop a research proposal for a psychology based research project.
- Complete a CQUniversity Human Research ethics application (or an Animal Research ethics application where appropriate) for a psychology based research project.
The purpose of the two Term (1 & 2) long Research Project (A & B) is to provide the student in their fourth year of Psychology with training in developing, conducting, and communicating research across theoretical and applied domains. This requires students to undertake an investigation of a research question in Psychology and to report the investigation in written scholarly form. The research question will be of significance to an area of Psychology covered by the Faculty's Psychology course and the investigation and subsequent dissertation will be carried out under the principal supervision of a member of the Psychology staff. The research question to be investigated may have either theoretical or applied significance.
The Thesis is an individual research project where the expectation is that students, with advice from their supervisors, will be responsible for and participate in, all steps of the investigation and reporting.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 0% | ||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |
| 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 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 0% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- SPSS for Data Analysis
- Word Processing Software (Microsoft Word)
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.
a.reynolds@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Term 1 Commences
Chapter
Suggested reading:
O'Leary Chapters 1 & 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Literature search and topic refinement, Begin planning research project, Connect with Supervisor
Module/Topic
Chapter
Suggested reading:
O'Leary Chapters 3 & 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Begin first draft of the proposal; develop the research question/s. Finalise research question/s & hypotheses; select and design research tools (questionnaires, etc.)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Suggested reading:
O'Leary Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Continue first draft of the proposal; develop the research question/s. Finalise research question/s & hypotheses; select and design research tools (questionnaires, etc.). Start Ethics Application
Module/Topic
CENSUS DATE: 1 August 2017
Chapter
Suggested reading:
O'Leary Chapters 6 & 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Continue draft and refinement of approach and methodology, write ethics application
Module/Topic
Residential Schools in Brisbane
Chapter
Suggested readings:
O'Leary Chapters 8 & 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Begin to organise data collection, Discuss literature review and project conceptualisation with supervisor. Prepare ethics application for submission. Submit first draft of proposal to thesis supervisor for feedback.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
15 August 2017: High Risk Ethics Application Target Submission Date
Low Risk Ethics Applications (Submission to ethics secretary)
Simulated Ethics Applications (Submission via Moodle)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Develop and refine the research design; methodology, & analyses; write up ethics application; prepare ethics application for submission; Prepare proposal for submission.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Develop and refine the research design; methodology, & analyses; write up ethics application; prepare ethics application for submission; Prepare proposal for submission
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Final ethics opportunities
12 September 2017: High Risk Ethics Application Target Submission Date
Low Risk Ethics Applications (Submission to ethics secretary)
Simulated Ethics Applications (Submission via Moodle)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Proposal Feedback from Supervisor and Independent Assessor
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Refine Literature Review based on proposal feedback, Begin drafting Intro & Method Section of Empirical Report
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Refine Literature Review, Begin drafting Intro & Method Section of Empirical Report
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Refine Literature review based on proposal feedback. Develop and refine Introduction and Method Section for Empirical report.
1 Written Assessment
The Research Proposal
During the first term of the project year students are required to submit a research project proposal. The submission of the research proposal is compulsory and is required to be submitted and passed by the Supervisor in order for enrolment to continue in Research Project B in the following term. While marks are not allocated for the proposal, students are expected to submit a well-written workable proposal in order to continue. In addition to the Supervisor, all proposals will be assessed by an independent assessor who will provide feedback and recommendations regarding the project. In an instance where a Supervisor cannot support the continuation of the project into the following term, the recommendation of the Independent Assessor may be referred to. If the Supervisor and the Independent Assessor both recommend the student discontinue, the student will be notified that the proposal has failed to be supported and he or she cannot enrol in Research Project B that year. The student will be automatically withdrawn without academic penalty from Part A and automatically dropped from Part B. In the event that the Supervisor and the Independent Assessor do not agree, the Honours Program Coordinator, or nominee, will assess the proposal.
The research project proposal MUST be submitted via Moodle by 5pm Friday 8th September, 2017.
Research Proposal Submission Requirements
The proposal should be submitted following discussions with, and a single draft being reviewed by, the Supervisor. It should include a brief overview of the topic/area of research and the support from the areas of psychology that the research is based upon and intends to examine. It should also include detailed sections regarding the approach and/or methodology to be used, the hypotheses that are to be assessed by the project, and the analysis that is proposed to assess these hypotheses.
The submitted Research Project Proposal should be no more than 12 (twelve) A4 pages, including a title page and a reference list. The proposal MUST be submitted in APA format, double spaced, and in 12 point Times New Roman font and the text of the proposal (from introduction to proposed data analysis, including any tables) should NOT exceed 3000 words. Both the page limit and word count limit MUST be adhered to. Proposals in excess of 12 A4 pages, or not meeting the formatting requirements, will not be accepted. Students who do not adhere to these requirements may be required to resubmit, may be withdrawn from the program, or may incur a penalty towards their final thesis grade.
Week 8 Friday (8 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Monday (25 Sept 2017)
Supervisors may only provide feedback on ONE complete draft and/or sections comprising the proposal prior to it being submitted. Supervisors MUST be given at least one week to review and provide feedback on proposal drafts.
Students will be given feedback on their submitted proposal by the supervisor, and the proposal will be given an indication by the supervisor of:
- 1. Pass;
- 2. Resubmit with changes; or
- 3. Discontinue.
In addition to assessment by the supervisor, all Research Project Proposals will be examined by an Independent Assessor appointed by the Research Project Coordinator. The independent assessor will make recommendations regarding the research project and highlight considerations/concerns about the project. These considerations may be theoretical, methodological, components of data collection or regarding proposed data analysis. The independent assessor will also make a recommendation of Pass, Resubmit or Discontinue. Students and supervisors do not need to incorporate the considerations/feedback raised by the independent assessor, but should make these decisions in consultation with each other. The independent assessor will remain anonymous through this process.
A student who receives a grade of "RESUBMIT" will be required to lodge their resubmission within 2 weeks of receiving feedback. A student who fails to resubmit will not be permitted to continue their Research Project.
If a student receives a Discontinue, he/she cannot continue in the course for that year and may re-enrol the following year.
- Develop a research proposal for a psychology based research project.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Practical Assessment
The Ethics Application
All students enrolled in the Research Project MUST complete an ethics application that is either submitted to the relevant ethics committee for approval, or a simulated application that is submitted to their Supervisor and the Research Project Coordinator.
Students should decide, in consultation with their supervisor, whether their proposed project falls under the Low Risk Application procedures, or if a High Risk ethics application is required. A high risk application necessitates the completion of the National Ethics Application Form (NEAF) – links can be found on the Research Project Moodle site.
Applications to the Human Research Ethics Committee
CQUniversity’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) procedures require the Supervisor to be named as Chief Investigator and the student as Associate Investigator, however, the student is expected to take responsibility for the completion and submission of the application. All applications MUST be approved by the Supervisor prior to submission. All submitted applications MUST be signed by the Supervisor. Students should consult with supervisors early in the year regarding timeframes for feedback on drafts of ethics applications.
Low Risk Ethics Applications are submitted directly to the CQUniversity HREC (ethics@cqu.edu.au) and can be submitted at any time after the beginning of Term One. Students should receive a decision within 3 weeks of submission. All Low Risk Applications are to be submitted by Week 9 at the latest.
High Risk Ethics Applications for a project must be submitted directly to the CQUniversity HREC (ethics@cqu.edu.au) two weeks prior to the scheduled Human Research Ethics Committee meeting. It is recommended that students aim for submission on either 15th August 2017 (to be considered at the HREC meeting in August) or 12th September 2017 (to be considered at the HREC meeting in September). High Risk applications MUST be accompanied by the approval of the Research Project Coordinator (Dr Amy Reynolds).
The HREC meetings occur every month, and students are permitted to submit to ethics meetings outside of these times, additional due dates and meeting dates outside of these times can be found on the Psychology Honours Moodle site.
As HREC operates outside and independently of the Psychology Program, enquiries regarding the status of an application should be directed to the Ethics Secretary rather than the Research Project Coordinator or the Honours Program Coordinator.
Simulated Ethics Applications
Where students are undertaking a group project, or are working within an existing project that already has ethics approval, these students may not be required to obtain individual ethics approvals from the ethics committee for the completion of their Research Project. In these cases students MUST complete a simulated application for their component of the project in consultation with their supervisor. The simulated application MUST be submitted via Moodle by Friday of Week 9 (15th September, 2017). The simulated application is expected to be completed to the same standard as if the student was submitting to the ethics committee.
Applications to the Animal Research Ethics Committee
Students who require ethics approval for animal based research should consult directly with their supervisor and the Research Project Coordinator in the first instance.
Week 10 Friday (22 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017)
Students are not formally assessed on this task, however, ALL Psychology Honours students must complete an Ethics Application in order to successfully complete the requirements for Research Project A.
- Complete a CQUniversity Human Research ethics application (or an Animal Research ethics application where appropriate) for a psychology based research project.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- 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?
