Research in Practice - PSY6140 (15 sp)
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the practical application of research methodology, through working with a concrete research project in collaboration with other students and a project supervisor.
Dette emnet undervises på engelsk, og beskrives derfor på engelsk.
Admission regulations
This course is a form of internship where students can apply to become research assistants in relevant research projects run by university college researchers. The number of available positions will vary from semester to semester. Admission is based on an overall assessment. Students must submit a written application that explains why they believe they are good candidates for the research assistant position. They may also be called in for an interview.
As a student in this course, you will work on a research project – from formulating concrete research questions and/or hypotheses, to analyzing data and writing a research report – in collaboration with both other students and a project supervisor. You will get hands-on experience with key elements of the research process, including doing background research on a specific topic within the field of psychology, making methodological decisions, analyzing data, holding presentations, and writing a report.
The theme and contents of the research project may vary from semester to semester but will be related to a field within psychology.
This course is open to international students and will therefore be held in English.
After completing this course, students are expected to have acquired the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
- An understanding of how researchers create new research questions from existing theory and empirical data
- Knowledge of how to develop testable hypotheses
- Knowledge of how to decide on a research design in line with a research question
- Knowledge of how to choose appropriate data collection methods
- Knowledge of how to analyze data from psychological research
- Knowledge of how to report and communicate research findings
Skills
- Specific skills related to data collection in psychological research
- Specific skills related to data analysis in psychological research
- The ability to present and report research findings following standard practices in psychological research
- The ability to communicate research results in an intuitive and effective manner
General competencies
- Has developed a holistic and practical understanding of the research process
- Has developed written and oral skills related to communication of research
- Has developed collaboration and co-operation skills in a collective project
Coursework
Approved coursework requirements are a prerequisite for taking the exam. All resources are permitted, provided the text is the result of the candidate’s independent work, both individually and in the group. The use of artificial intelligence must comply with the college’s current guidelines. Coursework for this course includes:
- Passing grade on a brief written assignment related to the project
- Approved work requirements related to data collection and/or data analysis
- Passing grade on presentation of research results
Exam
Written essay at the start of the semester, 3000 words (+/- 10 %) in specified format and APA style referencing. The examination content is designed to assess the learning outcomes. The examination will be graded as pass/fail.
If students fail the exam, an entirely new test will be given in next exam.