Psychology, Research method and Essay, continuation course, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Entry requirements

• Psychology, basic course 30 ECTS credits with at least 21 ECTS credits passed
  or
  equivalent

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should, at a basic level, be able to:

• in collaboration with others, plan, carry out and, orally and in writing, present an empirical study within one of the subareas of psychology
• in collaboration with others, collect, qualitatively and quantitatively process, and compile data
• read, evaluate, critically reflect and discuss own and others' studies
• account for and use the research-ethical principles of psychological research
• identify information needs, use relevant search tools and critically review search results concerning psychology

Course content

Research Methods, 7.5 HE credits (Metod)

In the module covers:

• ethical considerations in research,
• scholarly methods and various types of data collection techniques, such as questionnaires, observations and interviews,
• measuring, levels of measurement, reliability and validity,
• descriptive statistics, standard score, correlation and prediction,
• inference statistics, hypothesis testing, populations and random samples
• sampling distribution, z-test, independent and dependent tests and explained variation,
• non-parametric statistics, chi-square test,
• research roles in qualitative research,
• qualitative analyses of scholarly, popular and more experience-based literature
• basic qualitative analytical methods with support from hermeneutics, phenomenology, narrative theory and critical theory

Essay, 7.5 HE credits (Uppsats)

In this module, the students should apply and further the knowledge and skills they developed in earlier module by planning, carrying out and reporting an empirical work. Within the framework of that work, forms for scientific reporting are also covered.

Teaching and working methods

The working methods in the course consist of lectures, seminars, laboratory sessions/experiments, exercises and written assignments. Supervision is provided as support for the thesis work. In addition to this, the student should study independently, individually and/or in groups, and work with thesis work in groups.

Examination

The course is examined through:
Examination, compulsory seminars, compulsory exercises and written assignments. An essay is written in groups and presented and defended in an open seminar. The students should, in groups, publicly discuss another essay.

The essay grade is based on a balance of the quality of the essay and the quality of the thesis defence and review, where the essay carries the most weight.

If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

About teaching and examination language

The teaching language is presented in the Overview tab for each course. The examination language relates to the teaching language as follows: 

• If teaching language is “Swedish”, the course as a whole could be given in Swedish, or partly, or as a whole, in English. Examination language is Swedish, but parts of the examination can be in English.
• If teaching language is “English”, the course as a whole is taught in English. Examination language is English.
• If teaching language is “Swedish/English”, the course as a whole will be taught in English if students without prior knowledge of the Swedish language participate. Examination language is Swedish or English depending on teaching language.

Department