PL4D119 - Dissertation in Psychology 01 Sep 2019 - 31 Aug 2023 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: PL4D119
Module Title: Dissertation in Psychology
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Psychology and Therapeutic Studies
Faculty Sub Group: Psychology
Module Leader: Biao Zeng
Module Team: Nicola Kazamia
First Intended Intake: SEP 2017 Final Year of Intake: 2022
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 40 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100497 - psychology
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 01 Sep 2019
Valid To 31 Aug 2023

Module Aims

To develop skills and knowledge necessary to carry out and report on a substantial desktop project in Psychology

Content Summary

Online lecture and workshop sessions will be provided as a refresher on research methods, research design, ethical and professional issues in conducting and reporting research. Students will then produce a research proposal for ethical consideration and will work independently to execute, analyse and report on a substantial piece of work. Students will be entitled to supervision during this process and this will take place virtually.

The topic of this research will be negotiated with the student’s supervisor and with the module leader and all projects will be subject to practical and ethical constraints.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Project supervision 30
Independent Study 315
Directed Study 40
Formative Assessment - Independent 15
Total Hours Selected 400

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Be able to design, execute, report, critically evaluate and reflect on a substantial piece of independent, original desktop research.
LO2 Apply and reflect on key theoretical perspectives and methods in a specific area of Psychology to a novel desktop project.
LO3 Be able to critically appraise the ethical, practical and professional issues underpinning their research project and the process of supervision.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Self Reflective Assessment (CW) 1 A short written reflection on the process of undertaking desktop research 0 1000 10 No 40
Dissertation Dissertation A dissertation reporting on a desktop project 0 7500 70 No 40
Written Assignment (CW) Research Plan/Proposal/Project/Log (CW) 1 A written outline of the proposed research including ethical issues 0 2000 20 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2 LO3
Self Reflective Assessment (CW) 1
Dissertation
Research Plan/Proposal/Project/Log (CW) 1

Reading List

APA (2009). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Edition). Washington: APA.

Biggham, J. (2018). Succeeding with your Masters dissertation: A step by step handbook. 4th Edition Maidenhead. Open University Press

British Psychological Society (2014). Code of human research ethics. Leicester: The British Psychological Society

Creswell, J.W. (2009) Research Design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. London Sage

Hinton, PR, Brownlow, C, McMurray, I & Cozens, B. SPSS Explained (2004) East Sussex Routledge

Marks, D & Yardley, L. (eds.) (2004) Research methods for Clinical and Health Psychology. London. Sage

Smith, J.A. (ed) (2008) 2nd Edition. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods Sage

NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (2009). Systematic reviews: CRD's guidance for undertaking reviews in health care. (3rd edition). York: CRD, University of York. Available from:

http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/CRDWeb/HomePage.asp

Plus readings as appropriate to student dissertation topic with an emphasis on current peer reviewed journal articles