UWA Handbook 2023

Unit Overview

Description

The overall purpose of the unit is to develop a demonstrable understanding of intermediate quantitative methods. Material and demonstrations are provided to help students acquire the competence to identify, evaluate and generate various research designs, specify relevant statistical analyses to test particular hypotheses, interpret the statistical results, and write key statements that capture the obtained effects. A substantial amount of the unit is devoted to the description of the principles associated with between-subjects and within-subjects designs which include more than one independent variable. Correspondingly, several statistical techniques are introduced to test hypotheses relevant to the test of the difference between three or more means. The distinction between main effects and interactions is covered within the ANOVA framework. Additionally, a significant amount of the unit is devoted to the description of the general linear model as reflected in the context of bivariate regression and multiple regression. A small percentage of the unit is devoted to non-parametric statistical techniques. Finally, issues relevant to ethics in research, the importance of effect size, and the conditions that facilitate causal inferences are also covered. Emphasis is placed on an applied understanding of quantitative methods as implemented in statistical software (e.g. jamovi).

Credit

6 points

Offering

Availability	Location	Mode
Not available in 2023	Online	Online Restricted
Not available in 2023	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 3 elective

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) gain a detailed knowledge of various designs and analyses that accommodate more than one independent variable; (2) identify which designs and statistical analyses are appropriate to test particular hypotheses; and (3) interpret and report the results of statistical analyses.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) weekly quizzes; (2) lab-related assessment; and (3) examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Nicholas Badcock

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Successful completion of

three Unit(s) PSYC1101 Psychology: Mind and Brain
and Unit(s) PSYC1102 Psychology: Behaviour in Context
and Unit(s) PSYC2203 Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Psychology

Advisable prior study

Students are responsible for ensuring that they understand the basic concepts of statistics.
It is recommended that students refresh their knowledge by reviewing the material they learned in PSYC2203, prior to the commencement of the course.

Contact hours

lectures: 2 x 1 hour per week (for 12 weeks)
labs: 1 x 2 hours per week (for 5 weeks) + 1 x 1 hours per week (for 4 weeks)

Note

Enrolled students can access unit material via LMS (Learning Management System).

Students are exposed to topics in psychology units that may cause some discomfort or distress in certain individuals (e.g. depression, suicide, trauma, eating disorders). They are required to demonstrate skills across a variety of different formats and contexts (e.g. written assessments, participation in practical work, contribution to group discussions, oral presentations, examinations), and so it is important to carefully consider whether they are able to cope with the demands of studying psychology and whether there is anything that would impact upon their ability to complete the requirements of the unit. Refer to individual unit outlines for more detailed unit information.