Course Outline
PSY200 Research Methods in Psychology A
Course Coordinator:Kay Pozzebon (kpozzebo@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Psychology
2026Semester 1
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
This course introduces students to research methodologies used in psychological research. You will be introduced to a range of experimental, quasi-experimental and naturalistic research methods, including their strengths and weaknesses. Implications for the selection of data analysis techniques will be explored. You will gain an understanding of ethical standards and procedures that apply when conducting research with humans and animals.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – Online learning materials | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorial - in computer lab | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Course Topics
Research methods and ethics.
What level is this course?
200 Level (Developing)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Psychology Accreditation Council | |
| 1 | Understand and distinguish between a variety of research methods used in psychological research. | Knowledgeable |
1.1.12, 1.3, 1.6 |
| 2 | Understand the ethical principles and practices employed in psychological research. | Ethical |
1.4
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| 3 | Understand the concepts of levels of measurement, sampling, and reliability and validity including how they apply to psychological research. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
1.1.12
|
| 4 | Demonstrate clear and concise written communication. | Empowered |
1.3
|
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Australian Psychology Accreditation Council | |
| 1.1.12 | Graduates will be able to comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach, including research methods and statistics |
| 1.3 | Graduates will be able to analyse and critique theory and research in the discipline of psychology and communicate these in written and oral formats. |
| 1.4 | Graduates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of appropriate values and ethics in psychology. |
| 1.6 | Graduates will be able to demonstrate self-directed pursuit of scholarly inquiry in psychology. |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
PSY100 and PSY101
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
Formative feedback on your academic progress will be available early in the semester. Questions will be provided online in Weeks 2 and 3 with formative feedback given once submitted.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Written Piece | Individual | 30% | 1000 words |
Week 6 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2 | Report | Individual | 45% | 1000 words |
Week 13 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 25% | 1 hour |
Exam Period | Exam Venue |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Ethics Assignment | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | The details of this essay will be provided online by Week 1. |
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| Product: | Written Piece | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Individual, written assignment, 1000 words. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | |||||||||||||
| All - Assessment Task 2:Introduction of a Psychology Research Report | |||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The details of this assessment will be provided online by Week 1. |
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| Product: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Individual, written introduction of a research report, 1000 words. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | |||||||||||||||||||
| All - Assessment Task 3:Final Examination | |||||||
| Goal: | The final examination will contain questions that cover material selected from all 13 weeks of the curriculum. |
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| Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | ||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||
| Format: | Centrally scheduled final examination, 1 hour duration during exam period. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | |||||||
Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
| Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
| Required | Burton, Goodwin, Goodwin, Jose, et al | 0 | Psychology Research Methods | n/a | n/a |
Specific requirements
Nil
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct.Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
- In person:
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- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au