Overview

This unit prepares students to develop, design, and undertake an empirical research project. Students will learn advanced library skills and write a substantial critical literature review that justifies their individual research questions/hypotheses. They will also gain an understanding of the ethical issues involved in conducting human research and steps necessary to obtain ethical approval. Students will produce a research methods proposal, prepare ethics applications, and monitor project progress.

Requisites

Prerequisites
PSY40009 Honours Thesis A

Rules

Pre-requisite
300 Credit Points and Admission into BH-PSY Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Standard Entry
OR
Admission into BH-PSYSC Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours)
OR
Admission into BH-PSY1 Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Graduate Entry

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
01-March-2027
30-May-2027
Last self-enrolment date
14-March-2027
Census date
30-March-2027
Last withdraw without fail date
20-April-2027
Results released date
06-July-2027

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
 

  1. Analyse and evaluate approaches, techniques, and requirements for psychological research
  2. Apply appropriate principles, techniques, and technologies to the conduct of psychological research
  3. Communicate research concepts, processes, and findings
  4. Work independently and collaboratively to plan and conduct research activities
  5. Produce a major literature review

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Activity Type Activity Total Hours Number of Weeks Venue Type and Activity Detail
Live Online Class 14 7 weeks

 
On-campus Lecture 6 3 weeks

 
Specified Activities Supervisor Meetings 12 12 weeks Research project supervision
Unspecified Activities Various 60 12 weeks Weekly readings, posting questions, reading, discussion board posts
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning 208 12 weeks Independent study, assignment preparation, revision
Total Hours: 300  

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Project Proposal Individual  10-20%  1,2,3,4
Online Quiz Individual  10-20%  1,2,4
Literature Review Individual  60-80%  1,2,3,4,5 

Content

  • Designing and critiquing empirical research studies
  • Development of research questions and hypotheses
  • Locating and accessing research literature and other information sources
  • Approaches and techniques for reviewing research literature
  • Data collection and access considerations
  • Ethical issues for research involving human participants
  • Graduate Attribute 2 (Communication 2 - Communicating using different media)
  • Graduate Attribute 5 (Digital Literacies 1 - Information literacy)
  • Graduate Attribute 6 (Digital Literacies 2 - Technical literacy)

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.