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 1 - 2018
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 Compulsory 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)
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
Connect with Supervisor, literature search, topic refinement, planning research project
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Begin first brain storm draft of the proposal; develop the research question/s. Finalise research question/s & hypotheses; select and design research tools (questionnaires, etc.).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL
Module/Topic
Continue draft and refinement of approach and methodology, write ethics application
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Discuss literature review and project with supervisor. Prepare ethics application.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Aim to submit the draft of proposal to thesis supervisor for feedback.
Module/Topic
Develop and refine the research design; methodology, analyses; prepare ethics application, continue refining research proposal for submission.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Research Project Proposal and Student Progress Report Due in Moodle and to your supervisor via email
Research Proposal Due: Week 7 Thursday (26 Apr 2018) 11:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Continue with ethics application
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Supervisor Progress Report Due
Module/Topic
Proposal feedback from your supervisor and independent assessor received and integrated into your thoughts for data collection
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Begin drafting outline for introduction and methods section of your empirical report
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Ethics Submission due in Moodle
(note: students can have submitted their request for approval to the committee earlier if complete, and the supervisor has approved the submission)
Ethics Application Due: Week 12 Monday (28 May 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Refine literature review based on proposal feedback, continue drafting introduction and method section of empirical report
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Proposal re-submission due (if required).
Module/Topic
Refine literature review based on proposal feedback, continue drafting introduction and method section of empirical report
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
The Research Project 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, and approved by the Thesis Co-Ordinator/Honours Course Co-ordinator in order for the student's enrolment to continue in Research Project B (PSYC14052) in the following term. While grades are not allocated for the proposal, students are expected to submit a well-written, workable proposal in order to continue in the course. Proposals are independently assessed, and feedback is provided regarding the project and the quality of the proposal. Students are awarded either a Pass, a Resubmit, or a Discontinue grade by the assigned proposal assessors.
Content Requirements:
In APA formatting double spaced, and in 12 point Times New Roman font.
No more than 2000 words, including tables and be outlined as follows:
· Project title
· Background rationale and theory, research aims and significance 500 words - 750
Please provide a brief description of the relevance of your proposed project to current research, a justification as to why your research should proceed and an explanation of its potential to contribute to existing knowledge/literature. Then, state the research objectives, key research questions, and significance of the project. Where relevant, state the specific hypothesis to be tested.
· Design and Methods (250-400)
Outline chronologically the proposed method/s, including data collection techniques, tasks participants will be asked to complete, estimated time commitment required of them and measures being used
o Do not include appendices, rather makes sure you have outline broad measures and include in text citations for the measures you will be using in your proposed research
· Description of Participants and recruitment methods ( 100- 500)
o if seeking to recruit students/./1st year psychology students, the details for how to do this are on the moodle site
o If recruiting from other disciplines/Schools, contact the Thesis Coordinator, as the student and supervisor must have that Schools Deans permission to recruit students.
· Potential ethical issues that you are aware of/risks (a response of a sentence or 2 to a paragraph relevant to project context: 50 – 200)
· Proposed Data analysis ( 150 – 250)
Describe the main analysis for research being proposed, include a description of the main analysis against/in-line with the proposed hypothesis and/or exploratory nature of the proposed project.
o Students are required to purchase their own data analysis software – SPSS is the primary tool used to quantitate data as grad Pack from the bookstore or other online providers. NIVO is the primary tool used for quantitative data. Check with your supervisors and/or the thesis coordinator for arrangements.
Reference list (not included in word count).
Proposals should be submitted in .PDF format via the Moodle site.
Week 7 Thursday (26 Apr 2018) 11:00 pm AEST
Week 9 Thursday (10 May 2018)
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 and feedback from the supervisor, all Research Project Proposals will be examined by an Independent Assessor appointed by the Thesis Co-ordinator. 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 all of the considerations/feedback raised by an independent assessor, but should make these decisions together upon receipt of feedback. 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, they can not continue in the course for that year, and may re-enrol the following year subject to meeting necessary entry requirements (this would involve a new application).
- 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 Thesis Co-ordinator. Students must decide, in consultation with their supervisor, whether their proposed project falls under the Low Risk Application procedures, or if a High Risk ethics application (HREA) is required.
The ethics application for new project requires completion of a form, with associated instructions, which can be found on the Research Project moodle page.
Week 12 Monday (28 May 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Monday of Week 12 is the LATEST submission point allowed for an ethics application. Please note, students can have submitted their request for approval to the committee earlier if complete, and the supervisor has approved the submission.
Exam Week Monday (11 June 2018)
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?
