PE7025 - Psychological Data Analysis

The module is delivered entirely online via our electronic learning platform (elp). You will interact with a range of materials on the module site. The module home page provides you with quick access to detailed information about the module in an interactive, easily accessible format. Here you will acquire basic knowledge about syllabus topics, critically apply this new knowledge in group work and discussions, and gain hands-on experience in data analysis. You will be provided with regular exercises to do on your own time to further develop your understanding and skills. Independent reading on the module topics is highly recommended. Online discussion groups encourage all students to form an interactive learning community.

You will be an autonomous, self-motivated learner within a supportive distance learning environment. You will be introduced to the module by the module tutor in an introductory video. The online module sessions and interactive tasks form the cornerstone for supporting you during your study. Academic support is available from the teaching team and each session includes a link to enable you to email a question directly to the tutor from within the session. Responses will be fed back either directly or via the module discussion board. In advance of each assessment a video presentation is uploaded to support you in your preparation for this session. This is followed by an online live question and answer session prior to submission of your assessed work. Focused academic support coupled with timely formative and summative feedback should enable you to meet your full academic potential within this module

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MKU1: By the end of the module you will understand fundamental concepts and principles in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MIPSA1: By the end of the module you will be able to independently read advanced literature on quantitative and qualitative methods to further your own understanding.
• MIPSA2: By the end of the module you will be able to appropriately apply the techniques for data analysis outlined in the syllabus, report their results in an adequate way, and use these results to critically evaluate your own research and that of others

You will be regularly provided with exercises to do on your own. As these come with worked solutions, you can use these exercises for formative assessment.

The first assessment is a qualitative assignment. This contributes 40% towards your module mark. The assignment assesses the analysis and reporting of qualitative data. You will be given a transcript to analyse and draw appropriate conclusions, which will be written in a structured report of 2,000 words (MKU1, MIPSA2).

With your mark, you will receive detailed written feedback about the strengths and ways to improve your paper.

The second assessment is quantitative assignment. This contributes 60% towards your module mark. The assignment addresses fundamental concepts and principles in statistics. You will begiven data to analyse and draw appropriate conclusion, which will be written in a structured report of 2,000 words.

With your mark, you will receive detailed written feedback about the strengths and ways to improve your solutions.

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Psychology is an empirical science, i.e. it uses actual data to shape and test ideas about behaviour and the mind. Relevant data typically derive from measurements and are then in the form of numbers; sometimes our data are verbal instead, e.g. when we interview someone. In either case, it is not trivial to make a connection between our data and the ideas that inspired our research. In this module you will learn how to do that. These skills are crucial in order to develop your own research and to fully understand and evaluate the research of others. As this module is mostly about statistics, many students approach it with trepidation. However, students enjoy this module (typically against their expectations) because they get to know exciting ideas and insights, and the hands-on training provides them with a range of data-analysis skills that are important in research and beyond.