LPSYC6251 Research Review in Psychology Course Descriptor

Course Overview

Students will be guided to choose a research topic of their interest and then will carry out an overview of the relevant published literature; this review will constitute the background for their final experimental research project (the 30 credit course); it will also allow the students to identify gaps in the literature which will inform how they will carry out their research project

Students will learn essential transferable research skills: effective database search, writing skills, analytical skills, critical thinking skills. In particular they will draft, revise, and edit their piece of writing using feedback from peers and their supervisor.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

Subject Specific Skills

Transferable and Employability Skills

Teaching and Learning

This course has a dedicated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) page with a syllabus and range of additional resources (e.g. readings, question prompts, tasks, assignment briefs, discussion boards) to orientate and engage students in their studies.

The scheduled teaching and learning activities for this course are:

Directed study

4-12 scheduled hours, the exact number varying according to the balance of 1:1s, 2:1s, or small groups. The plan will be confirmed by the start of the course, taking into account student numbers and the proposed topics, readings, and specific tasks.

Faculty hold regular ‘office hours’, which are opportunities for students to drop in or sign up to explore ideas, raise questions, or seek targeted guidance or feedback, individually or in small groups.

Students are to attend and participate in all the scheduled teaching and learning activities for this course and to manage their directed learning and independent study.

Indicative total learning hours for this course: 150

Assessment

Both formative and summative assessment are used as part of this course, with purely formative opportunities typically embedded within office hours, interactive teaching sessions, and/or the VLE. Summative grades are typically provided through the VLE.

Summative Assessments

Further information about the assessments can be found in the Course Syllabus.

Feedback

Students will receive formative and summative feedback in a variety of ways, written (e.g. marked up on assignments, through email or the VLE) or oral (e.g. as part of interactive teaching sessions or in office hours).

Indicative Reading

Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is used as part of the approval/modification process only.

• The Literature Review: A Step by Step Guide for Students by D. Ridley, 2008 (SAGE study skills series)
• The Psychologist’s Companion, Sternberg & Sternberg, 2016, Cambridge University Press

Indicative Topics

These will be chosen with faculty guidance to align with the topic of the student’s intended Final Project.