PSY2105 – Hands-on science in psychology: Evaluating publications and conducting a research project

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The course gives students the opportunity to gather first-hand experience with psychological research. Students will either jointly conduct a group research project or do a research internship.

The course has three goals: (1) familiarize students with all stages of the research process; (2) strengthen research methods and quantitative methods skills; and (3) convey knowledge in the project topics from the fields of cognitive, developmental, or social psychology.

The course uses a project-based approach. Students collect and analyse their own data. The course is based on the idea that methods skills are best trained by conducting research oneself.

If doing a group project, students work in groups of about 12 students on one concrete research questions under the supervision of one researcher. Students choose the topic from a list of offered topics, read and evaluate relevant literature, develop research question and hypotheses, plan a study and develop materials, run the study and collect data, analyse the data, and present and discuss results to their fellow students.

If doing a research internship, students work directly with one researcher on a project that they develop together, and go through the same steps.

Researchers from cognitive, developmental, and social psychology participate in teaching the course. Not all fields may be represented in each semester. After being admitted to the course, students will be informed on what researchers will offer projects and internships, will be asked to rank-order their preference, and then be assigned to a project. (It will not always be possible to follow individual preferences.)

Before the project, a set of four lectures refreshes knowledge on research methods and quantitative methods, introduces open science methods, and orients in how to plan research.

At the conclusion of the course, students from both the group project path and the internship path meet for a final symposium where they present their work in a pecha kucha style presentation and in a poster session..

The initial 4 lectures will be given in English. Group projects may be given in English or Norwegian. Language of assignments, presentation and posters can be chosen by students.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Principles of the research process

Principles of open science in planning, conducting, and reporting psychological research

Statistics of p-values effect sizes, statistical power

Skills

Evaluate evidential value of scientific publications

Plan empirical studies to maximize evidential value

Plan and pre-register analyses

Analyse real data

Use open science platforms

General competence

Group work

Project management

Presentation of a research project

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for?in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

The content of this course builds on introductory courses in developmental, social, and cognitive psychology, and methods, in particular:

For proffesions students:

Teaching

Access to teaching

Initial 4 lectures (1.5 h) with complete group, assignments on canvas

Planned schedule of lecture:

  1. The research project from funding to publication; principles of open science
  2. Evaluating evidential value, statistical concepts: sample size, effect sizes, statistical power
  3. Demonstration of evaluation and reanalysis
  4. How to develop a research project

Teaching in group work path will be given in project groups of max 12 students. Groups meet with their project teacher in seminar, 8 times for 3 h. Attendance is compulsory; students can miss 2 meetings

Approximate outline of the 8 meetings:

  1. Discussion of research field, choosing a topic
  2. Development of hypothesis and study outline
  3. Development of material
  4. Development of material
  5. Preparation to collect data
  6. Analysis of data
  7. Analysis of data
  8. Preparation of presentation

Examination

Assignment 1 consists of a report after the lecture part on a reanalysis of existing data

Second examination consists of a presentation of the internship/project and its results to all other students via pecha kucha presentation and poster.

Language of examination

You may write your report in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a?postponed exam?later in the same semester.

See also our information about?resitting an exam.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Common Student System) Nov. 9, 2024 3:42:35 AM

Facts about this course

Level
Bachelor
Credits
10
Teaching
Autumn
Examination
Autumn
Teaching language
English

Contact

SV-info