Overview

This unit provides students with an understanding of different research designs and research methods for psychology and health sciences. Students will gain familiarity with the scientific method, ethical issues in research, measurement, experimental research, survey research, qualitative research and mixed methods research. Students will be given the opportunity to develop professionally relevant knowledge in the selection and evaluation of research designs and methods and how to collect data that will address specific research questions.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
10-March-2025
08-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-March-2025
Census date
04-April-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Define the scientific method and scientific thinking principles
  • Apply knowledge of ethical issues in research
  • Describe the main concepts of measurement and various sampling methods
  • Explain the general concept of an experiment and a quasi-experiment and outline uses of these designs in research
  • Contrast a range of research designs and methods and be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each method
  • Select appropriate research designs and research methods to address hypothetical and real world problems

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture		2.00 12 weeks 24
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Tutorial		1.00 12 weeks 12
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Various		4.00 12 weeks 48
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning		5.50 12 weeks 66
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class		1.00 6 weeks 6
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.00 12 weeks 144
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual 40% 1,2,3,4,5 
Assignment 1Individual 25% 3,4,5 
Assignment 2Individual 35% 2,3,4,5,6 

Content

  • Scientific Method
  • Research Approaches and Data Collection Methods
  • Measurement and Sampling
  • Ethical Issues in Research
  • Experiments and experimental designs
  • Quasi-experiments and non-experiments
  • Survey research
  • Qualitative and Mixed Methods research
  • Analysing and Interpreting Data

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.