Overview
Psychology Research Project B is the second of two units designed to 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 B unit is to provide you the opportunity to conduct the project proposed in Psychology Research Project A (PSYC14051). Throughout this unit you will conduct the investigation proposed in Term 1 and develop an independent scholarly report based on this investigation. Your final thesis submission will comprise an empirical journal style paper report based on the findings of your specific research project. Successful completion of this unit requires that Psychology Research Project A and Psychology Research Project B are undertaken in two consecutive University terms (e.g. Term 1 and Term 2, or Term 2 and Term 3).
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Students must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) Course (CC42). Prerequisite: PSYC14051 Psychology Research Project A
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 3 - 2024
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 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 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, students.
More support for students doing qualitative studies.
A qualitative working party will be established to better support students doing qualitative theses. This will involve drop in sessions dedicated to qualitative work. We also aim to increase the number of external examiners with qualitative expertise.
Feedback from Students, and noted from unit coordinators.
The thesis templates to align more closely with the APA publication manual.
The thesis templates will be updated to align with the latest version of the APA publication manual.
- Design and execute a research project incorporating the key research steps, including the formulation of research question/s, the analysis of data to test the research question/s, and the interpretation of the findings
- Prepare a research project report that includes research question/s, empirical literature review, data analysis, reporting of results and discussion.
The purpose of the two-term long Psychology Research Project (A & B) is to provide you with training in developing, conducting, and communicating research across theoretical and applied domains. This requires you 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 theoretical or applied significance to an area of psychology and the investigation and subsequent dissertation will be carried out under the principal supervision of a member of the psychology staff.
The thesis is an individual research project where the expectation is that you, with advice from your supervisor(s), will be responsible for, and participate in, all steps of the investigation and reporting.
Successful completion of this unit requires that Psychology Research Project A and Psychology Research Project B are undertaken in two consecutive University terms (e.g. Term 1 and Term 2, or Term 2 and Term 3).
Learning outcomes fulfill the level 2 pre-professional core competencies required by the updated Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) guidelines, specifically 2.5: Investigate a substantive individual research question relevant to the discipline of psychology. The unit also meets the study criteria as specified by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) 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 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 100% | ||
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 - 100% | ||||||||||
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 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
g.rigney@cqu.edu.au
t.mcadie@cqu.edu.au
m.sprajcer@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Collect and manage data.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Collect and manage data.
Refine Introduction and Methods sections.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Collect and manage data.
Refine Introduction and Methods sections.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Complete data collection and begin analyses.
Finalise Introduction and Method sections.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Data analyses.
Draft Results section.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Refine Results section.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Draft Discussion Section.
Format in-text citations and references.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Vacation! Look after yourself and take some time away from the thesis.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Vacation! Look after yourself and take some time away from the thesis.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Refine Discussion section.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Aim to submit full thesis draft to Supervisor for feedback (allow 2 weeks for review).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Finalise Appendices. Ensure thesis formatting is accurate and consistent.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Review feedback from Supervisor and revise thesis based on the feedback.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Thesis due NEXT week, Monday, 10 February at 9:00am (QLD time, AEST).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Final ethics report and working dataset due Monday, 24 February at 9:00am (QLD time, AEST).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Thesis submission includes:
1. Thesis in pdf format
2. Appendices (if any) in pdf format (preferably included within the same file as thesis)
You are expected to submit your thesis in an Empirical Report format. A thesis submitted in this format is required to contain a report in the form of a scientific journal style paper. This likely will be a more detailed (and refined) version of what you began in your proposal, although you are not constrained by anything written in your proposal. So there is a level of ‘re-write and paraphrasing’ of your own work throughout the year.
Total word count of the submitted thesis should be between 6,000 and 10,000 words. The word count includes all headings, tables and figures, and in-text citations. The word count excludes all pre-pages (i.e. Title Pages, Acknowledgements) as well as the Abstract, References and Appendices.
A reference list must be provided at the conclusion of the report.
Page numbering should begin from the title page of your thesis. Page numbering for the reference lists and for the appendices should follow from the text.
The reference list and the appendices should start on a new page.
You need to include adequate details within the Methods or Results section to demonstrate that you have carried out data screening and assumption testing.
All thesis submissions should be word-processed in double-spaced 12 point Times New Roman (or equivalent APA approved font), with 2.5cm margins.
The thesis will be required to be submitted electronically in pdf format.
The thesis should follow the style guidelines set out in the Publication Manual (7th edition) of the American Psychological Association.
Any tables, figures, and other illustrations outside of the Appendices should be of photo-ready standard and should be inserted in an appropriate place in the text – generally, tables and figures should be introduced and described before they appear.
Tables and figures should be appropriately titled and labelled according to APA Style and normally be designed so that they fit on a single A4 page.
Appendices presenting the output from data analysis programs do not need to be in APA format (i.e. this can be copied and pasted from the output into the Appendices).
Late submissions will attract a 5% penalty per day late applied to the final thesis grade.
Exam Week Monday (10 Feb 2025) 9:00 am AEST
Please submit as PDF on Moodle
Results will be released once marking and moderation of all on-time thesis submissions have been completed (usually about 4-5 weeks following the due date).
Each honours thesis is examined by two examiners (one internal and one external examiner). The Unit Coordinators and/or the Head of Course will appoint two appropriately qualified individuals to examine the thesis. In accordance with APAC guidelines and University and School policies, the student’s Supervisors may not act as an examiner of the thesis.
The completed thesis is the only graded assessment task for Psychology Research Project A and B and is graded according to the University's system of grading as set out below:
High Distinction 85 -100 %
Distinction 75 - 84 %
Credit 65 - 74 %
Pass 50 - 64 %
Fail 0 - 49 %
Examiners will provide both a letter grade and a percentage mark using the University system of grading. When the examination procedure is completed, copies of the examiners' reports will be emailed to the student and primary supervisor. These should be received within 2-4 days of thesis grades being released. An electronic copy of the thesis will be retained by the School.
As with any examination/assessment process where there is more than one marker appointed, moderation of marking by the thesis coordinator will occur to determine the final grade. If the examiners' proposed grades are more than 10 points apart, the thesis coordinators will appoint a third examiner and the grade will be the average of the two closest examiner scores. When finalised, student grades will be released on the Unit’s Moodle site.
Students will connect with their supervisors to discuss feedback and the overall examination of their thesis. Should there be concerns, complaints and appeals as a results of this process, students are encouraged to review University Policies to guide them.
- Design and execute a research project incorporating the key research steps, including the formulation of research question/s, the analysis of data to test the research question/s, and the interpretation of the findings
- Prepare a research project report that includes research question/s, empirical literature review, data analysis, reporting of results and discussion.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
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?
