This course will provide the knowledge and skills required to undertake research and utilize scientific literature in professional practice settings.

You will learn about research methods, statistical analyses and relevant software as well as ethical frameworks relevant to the conduct of psychological research.

You will also learn to synthesize and interpret scientific literature relating to professional practice.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of major research methods, ethics and statistical analyses used in professional psychology.
2. Analyse and interpret data relevant to applied research.
3. Systematically and critically review and interpret a body of psychological research literature.
4. Demonstrate effective and efficient communication skills in a variety of media.

Research-Led Teaching

To be a science-practitioner, psychologists need to be able to evaluate research, to consume and communicate academic literature, and to analyse a range of data to inform their practice. We will focus on class interaction, shiny online interactive apps, and hands-on experience with JASP statistical software. Importantly, we will see stats as a tool for understanding and learning out the world. Course assessment develops students' critical understanding and communication of research with the goal of increasing the confidence professional psychologists have with statistics and epistemology.

This course will integrate research heavily throughout all aspects of the course. Students will analyse results real-world data from current ANU and international studies, and will be exposed to the latest statistical techniques and approaches.

Field Trips

NA

Additional Course Costs

NA

Examination Material or equipment

There will be no permitted materials for examinations.

Required Resources

Textbooks (The two cannot replace each other!):

·   Tabachnick, B.G. & Fidell, L.S. (2013) Using Multivariate Statistics, 6th Edition.

·    (Free) Goss-Sampson, M. (2019). Statistical analysis in JASP: A guide for students.

 

Supplementary references (optional):

·   Howell, D.C. (2007) Statistical Methods for Psychology, 6th Edition. PWS-Kent.

 

Reading Bricks/PDF files:

·   Lecture notes and workshop materials will be available on Wattle as PDF files.

·   Other required readings will also be available on Wattle as pdf files.

 

Software:

Lectures will contain information on both JASP and SPSS. JASP will be the main software for lab/workshops during the second half of the semester; Download and install JASP via the website: https://jasp-stats.org/download/. If you have trouble to install JASP, you can download the pre-installed version (for PCs) which is also available on the website. If you have trouble to either get it work via installation, or uncompressed file, you can also access the software over browser (see the website’s instruction). The website also has useful guides on how to start and use JASP, all are free. You may also choose to use SPSS if you wish to. All workshop materials will have additional information on how to use SPSS for specific analysis. Note that, only JASP will be taught and used in the workshops.

Recommended Resources

Students are strongly advised to purchase the following resources as part of their ongoing journey to being professional psychologists.

1. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th eds, 2019)
2. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (5th eds). American Psychiatric Pub.

Recommended student system requirements 

ANU courses commonly use a number of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, for lectures and other instruction
• two-way video conferencing for interactive learning
• email and other messaging tools for communication
• interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities
• print and photo/scan for handwritten work
• home-based assessment.

To fully participate in ANU learning, students need:

• A computer or laptop. Mobile devices may work well but in some situations a computer/laptop may be more appropriate.
• Webcam
• Speakers and a microphone (e.g. headset)
• Reliable, stable internet connection. Broadband recommended. If using a mobile network or wi-fi then check performance is adequate.
• Suitable location with minimal interruptions and adequate privacy for classes and assessments.
• Printing, and photo/scanning equipment

For more information please see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/systems/recommended-student-system-requirements

 

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

•  Verbal feedback on strengths and areas for improvement based on discussions and activities undertaken during class time.

•  Written feedback on strengths and areas for improvement, and an overall grade, for each written assessment piece.

•  A mark for each section of the exam and an overall grade.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Referencing Requirements

Psychology uses the referencing style endorsed by the American Psychological Association:

American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: Author

JASP Markdown assignments will be completed using the JASP markdown functionality.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Review and Q&A session 1: Regression and ANOVA review. Data Cleaning	Students must complete online modules 1 and 2 before this review and Q & A session
2	Review and Q&A session 2: Power, CI, ANOVA Designs	Students must complete online modules 3 and 4 before this review and Q & A session
3	Review and Q&A session 3: Sequential regression and Mediation	Students must complete online modules 5 and 6 before this review and Q & A session
4	Review and Q&A session 4: Moderation and ANCOVA	Students must complete online modules 7 and 8 before this review and Q & A session
5	Review and Q&A session 5: Logistic regression, EFA/PCA	Students must complete online modules 9 and 10 before this review and Q & A session
6	Review and Q&A session 6: Psychometrics and Review
7	Workshop 1: Introductory of JASP & Descriptive analysis	Exam week. Exact time will be discussed in the course lectures.
8	Workshop 2: Cleaning and screening
9	Workshop 3: ANOVA & effect sizes & moderation
10	Workshop 4: Regression/Mediation
11	Workshop 5 : ANCOVA (recap moderation) + Logistic regression	Verbal and written review report assignment (10% each) will be part of this weeks content (completed in class)
12	Workshop 6 : EFA/PCA/Reliability

Tutorial Registration

Not applicable

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Workshop task 1	10 %	20/05/2021	03/06/2021	1,4
Workshop task 2	10 %	20/05/2021	20/05/2021	1,4
Written Report Assignment	50 %	10/06/2021	24/06/2021	2, 4, 5
Examination	30 %	19/04/2021	05/03/2021	1, 2, 3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students will be expected to attend all workshops in line with the standards of a professional training program. Workshops are not recorded and absences without appropriate documentation will result in missing course content. Please contact the course convenor in advance if unable to attend specific workshops.

Study groups: At the beginning of the semester, you will be randomly assigned into a study group of 5 or 6 peer students. You need to communicate with your group at least once per week to study and support each other. You will also submit your group questions regarding the course and modules every week by Wednesday (link is available on the course site). More information regarding study groups and submitting questions to the Q & A sessions will be covered in week 1.

Examination(s)

Students will be marked in accordance with detailed criteria and/or a rubric for each assessment task. 

A mid-semester exam is included in this course. Students will be provided with detailed information about this, and other assessment tasks in the course, through the course site.

Assessment Task 1

Workshop task 1

Topic: The purpose of this assignment is for students to develop and apply their capacity to provide clean and reproducible analyses of data using JASP software. There will be two tasks to practice different modalities of communicating scientific findings.

The first task will allow students to produce a markdown file in JASP that clearly reflects their analysis of the data. This task will emphasise open and reproducible communication of the analyses and findings.

Value: 10%

Submitted pieces:

• One data analysis markdown based on the workshop's content (no preparation required)

More detailed information on assessment requirements and marking will be made available on the course site and through discussions in workshops.

Due date: 2021-05-20 during class time

Return date: approximately 2 weeks after submission.

Assessment Task 2

Workshop task 2

Topic: The purpose of this assignment is for students to develop and apply their capacity to provide clean and reproducible analyses of data using JASP software. There will be two tasks to practice different modalities of communicating scientific findings.

This task will require students to give a brief review of a results section in an academic paper as one would at a conference, journal study group, to professional associates, or to clients.  

Value: 10%

Submitted pieces:

Communication of the workshops research findings to another workshop group. (10 minutes)

More detailed information on assessment requirements and marking will be made available on the course site and through discussions in workshops.

Due date: 2021-05-20 during class time (no preparation required)

Return date: Feedback will be given during class time

Assessment Task 3

Written Report Assignment

Topic:

Science-practitioners inform their practice by reviewing the quality and importance of the research base. This allows for informed decision making. This assignment allows students to develop these skills through analysing data. The report will include multivariate statistical analysis.

Submitted piece:

• An analytical report in JASP.

More information on the report and marking rubric will be provided in course Lectures

Value: 50%

Due Date: 10 June 2021 at 4:00pm

Return date: approximately 2 weeks after submission.

Assessment Task 4

Examination

The assessment is designed to determine students: 

1)   Knowledge and understanding of the primary approaches to statistics and methodology, including science epistemology, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, the role of epistemology and meta-analysis, and current issues in open science and reproducibility.

2)   This examination will also focus heavily on students' capacity to select appropriate statistical approaches and interpret JASP output.

3) This exam will cover all content in the first half of the course (Online Modules and Review/Q&A sessions)

Please note that students will not be permitted any materials in the examination except for writing materials (for example, a pen, pencil, eraser). Students will be required to bring their student identification to the examination.

Value: 30%

Due: Thursday 19 April

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

The two in class assessment pieces (Assessment tasks 1 and 2) and the exam (Assessment task 4) will not permit late assessments.

• Late submission not permitted. No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

For the take home assignment (Assessment task 3), late submissions are permitted.

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Assignments will be returned electronically through the course wattle site approximately two weeks after the due date.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Grading in the Master of Professional Psychology program reflects achievement of competencies as appropriate to developmental level. As such, students will be provided with grades indicating that competency has been met Course Requirement Satisfied (CRS) or not met (Fail).

Failure to submit an assignment of a high standard which meets requirements for a passing grade (50%) will result in a student receiving feedback on the area/s requiring remediation and one opportunity for resubmission of the assignment to address these issues. This opportunity is provided only in circumstances where a genuine attempt to address the assignment requirements was determined to be made in the first submission. If the resubmission satisfactorily addresses the issues identified, a grade of CRS will be awarded for the task. The need to re-submit the same assignment twice due to inadequate performance will result in overall failure of the assessment piece, and thus the course, which will need to be repeated in a future offering.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students