Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update
The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.
This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.
Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convener
Petra Graham
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
See iLearn for consultation hours.
Convenor
Alissa Beath
Department of Psychology
See iLearn for consultation hours
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides students with an introduction to research design and statistical analysis. In this unit, students will learn about common research methods used in psychology and related disciplines, critically analyse these methods, and be able to conduct their own analyses. Both experimental and non-experimental research methods are covered, as well as a variety of statistical tests, including t-tests, correlation, and chi square analyses. Students will learn data management techniques and appropriate methods to summarise data, including both numeric and graphical summaries. Students will also gain hands-on experience using the statistical software Stata. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
You will be using the software package Stata throughout the unit including for all of the assessments and practical classes. See how to download Stata for in the Delivery and Resources section, below, and in the Required Resources area of the Unit Orientation block in iLearn.
ATTENDANCE and PARTICIPATION: There are weekly set tutorial and practical activities. You should complete these activities in the week that they are set. Your tutor will be available via the discussion forum and email to help with tutorial activities. You should attend one of the weekly zoom practical classes as detailed in iLearn.
ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION: Assignment submission will be online through the iLearn page.
Submit assignments online via the appropriate assignment link on the iLearn page. A personalised cover sheet is not required with online submissions. Read the submission statement carefully before accepting it as there are substantial penalties for making a false declaration.
You may submit as often as required prior to the due date/time. Please note that each submission will completely replace any previous submissions. It is in your interests to make frequent submissions of your partially completed work as insurance against technical or other problems near the submission deadline. You can apply for Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au if there are reasonable grounds for non-submission.
LATE SUBMISSION OF WORK: All assessment tasks must be submitted by the official due date and time. In the case of a late submission for a non-timed assessment (e.g. an assignment), if special consideration has NOT been granted, 20% of the earned mark will be deducted for each 24-hour period (or part thereof) that the submission is late for the first 2 days (including weekends and/or public holidays). For example, if an assignment is submitted 25 hours late, its mark will attract a penalty equal to 40% of the earned mark. After 2 days (including weekends and public holidays) a mark of 0% will be awarded. Timed assessment tasks (e.g. tests, examinations) do not fall under these rules.
WORD LIMIT POLICY: 5% of the possible mark will be deducted per 100 words over the word limit for the assessment task. An additional 99 words beyond the limit can be written without penalty.
FINAL EXAM POLICY: It is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the teaching semester, that is, the final day of the official examination period. The only excuse for not sitting an examination at the designated time is because of documented illness or unavoidable disruption. In these special circumstances, you may apply for special consideration via ask.mq.edu.au.
If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled in the interval between the regular exam period and the start of the next session. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during this supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Research Report part 1 | 15% | No | Week 6 |
Research Report part 2 | 25% | No | Week 11 |
Online quizzes | 20% | No | Weeks 3, 8 and 13 |
Final Examination | 40% | No | University Exam Period |
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 15%
Students will submit the first part of a psychology research report in APA format.
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 25%
Students will submit the remainder of the psychology research report in APA format that they began in Part 1.
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Weeks 3, 8 and 13
Weighting: 20%
Multiple online quizzes spread across the session containing short answer and/or multiple choice questions testing both conceptual understanding and practical application of skills.
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: University Exam Period
Weighting: 40%
Formal examination testing the learning outcomes of the unit.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery:
Lectures will be delivered online via the iLearn site. Tutorial and practical activities are facilitated via the iLearn site and are to be completed weekly, beginning in Week 2.
Resources:
Please see iLearn before purchasing these texts
Technology Used and Required: All unit material is delivered through iLearn. The link may be found at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au. This unit requires use of a laptop or desktop computer so that the statistical package Stata can be installed and used; Stata can be downloaded for free from the university through the following link: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/software/stata. Students can also install the Microsoft Office Suite (containing Excel and Word etc) for free, this may be useful for report writing and data set handling (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/software/microsoft).
See iLearn for details of assessment delivery and timings. Note that this schedule is subject to change if necessary.
Week | Topic | Assessments |
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1 | Introduction | |
2 |
Research design and analysis; Stata demonstration |
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3 | Hypothesis testing | Quiz 1 |
4 | Ethics + Measurement | |
5 | One-sample tests | |
6 | Non-experimental designs | Report part 1 |
7 | Experimental designs | |
Mid-session break | ||
8 | Categorical data analysis | Quiz 2 |
9 | Longitudinal designs | |
10 | Mixed methods | |
11 |
Best practice in Psychological Science |
Report part 2 |
12 | Putting it all together | |
13 | Conclusions | Quiz 3 |
Final examination period |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
For information and administrative processes specific to OUA studies, please see this website: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/faculties/open-universities-australia
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
For information for current OUA students at Macquarie University, see this website: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/oua-student-information
Unit information based on version 2021.05 of the Handbook