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Module

PSY3097 : Empirical Project

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Gareth Richards
  • Lecturer: Dr Barbara-Anne Robertson
  • Owning School: Psychology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 15
Semester 2 Credit Value: 15
ECTS Credits: 15.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

To enable students to design and carry out an empirical study in any area of psychology; test theoretically motivated hypotheses; collect and analyse data and present a written report on this research.

Outline Of Syllabus

This is an empirical project in which the student designs and carries out an empirical study in any area of psychology. The project tests theoretically motivated hypotheses, and to test these hypotheses, the student collects and analyses data. The student then presents a written report on this research.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials12:002:00Non-synchronous online - introduction lecture
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops92:0018:00PIP sessions - to support project design&data analysis led by staff with various types of expertise
Guided Independent StudyProject work1270:00270:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDissertation/project related supervision101:0010:00Supervision offered present in person - supervisor /student discretion to use blended approach
Total300:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Independent supervised research provides the opportunity for initiative and development of problem solving abilities. A structured framework of tutorial group meetings with project supervisors enables students to receive training and guidance at all the major stages of their project including background, aims, methods, analysis and writing up. Students are provided with the opportunity to attend research design and data analysis sessions to support their projects and expand on the provision offered by their supervisors.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Dissertation2M100Standard Dissertation length is up to 5000 words.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

FURTHER NOTES RE: WORD LIMITS - For some Qualitative Studies, Multi-study and Mixed methods projects, supervisors may request and justify a higher word limit up to 8000. Any such request should be made by the supervisor directly to the module leader.

Supervisors will provide formative verbal feedback throughout the supervision process. Submission of a partial draft of the project provides students with an opportunity to get written feedback on the introduction, methods and results sections of their projects.

LEARNING AGREEMENT, PROPOSAL, ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISK ASSESSMENT FOR EMPIRICAL PROJECT:
Students will complete this assignment in conjunction with their empirical projects. They cannot start their project work before their supervisor confirms that this component has reached a satisfactory standard. Some may complete this earlier where data collection for project commences over the summer.

DISSERTATION: All learning and skill outcomes are formally assessed through a dissertation in the form of an empirical research report.

If the module is failed, Stage 3 students may only be offered a resit if an honours degree is not awarded on the first occasion. Failed assessments will be the same format during the August resit period.

Reading Lists

Timetable