Introduction to Research Methods
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
Rules
Pre-requisite
Admission into GD-PSYD Graduate Diploma of Psychology
OR
GC-PSYS Graduate Certificate of Psychology
08-June-2025
08-February-2026
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Explain 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 the strengths and weaknesses of these designs for different research problems
- Critique a range of research designs and methods and be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each method
- Develop appropriate research designs and select research methods to address hypothetical and real world problems
Teaching methods
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 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1 | Individual | 15% | 3,4,5 |
| Examination | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Research Project | Individual | 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.