Lecture09

Review of Mini-Dissertation and CHIP Learning Log

Author

Dr Gordon Wright

Published

05 December, 2022

Overview

The week ahead

The week ahead (week 9)

  • W9 Personal Tutor session ‘Checking in’
  • Any general concerns or queries
  • Mini-Dissertation Ethics status
  • W10 Cognitive Essay Tutorial
  • Psych Society Pub Quiz on Wednesday 7:30 (SU)
  • Labs - Ethics, Ethics, Ethics

Mischief Update

You are amazing!

or rather

. . .

Mischief Measured: Development and Validation of a Mischief Typology Measure

. . .

Authors: Goldsmiths Psychology, Class of ’24

Reflective Practice

Metacognition

The process of thinking about ones own thinking

. . .

Most usually with reference to ‘learning’

Critical Proposal

. . .

In the most part, the Critical Proposal showed a very high quality of work

. . .

Clear engagement with the critical evaluative process taught last year.

. . .

A modest progression towards the practicalities and process of real research.

. . .

You were required to present a ‘critical reflection’

. . .

Critical Proposal Briefing

The example given

Mini-Dissertation also requires a ‘Reflective Account’

An integral part of the assignment

Worth valuable marks

While we are on the topic

Your ultimate individually written up Mini-Dissertation project MUST conform to the following definitive rules:

2x2 ANOVA design with 2 categorical IVs (each with 2 levels) and a single continuous DV

  • You must obtain ethical approval and prove individual involvement in the process of application
  • You must make a sample size estimation / Power calculation
  • You must collect real data (on- or off-line) and individually contribute to group and cohort data collection efforts
  • Open Data (Clearly labelled .csv file e.g. Excel, with codebook or explanations of variables)
  • Open Materials (All materials relevant to the task in as immediately reproducible a format as possible - stimulus sets, stimulus creation instructions, scripts or code, experiment design information e.g. random allocation techniques)




CHIP Learning Log

Designed to introduce you to:

  • Conceptual and Historical & Integrative issues in Psychology
  • Big picture stuff! Controversies!

Traditional topics are:

  • A history of Paradigms in Psychological Research
  • Psychology as a Science
  • Evolution
  • Consciousness

Surprise* hit last year

Inclusivity – 2 lectures from Dr Tegan Penton

CHIP Assignment(s)

  • Coursework piece designed to allow you to engage reflexively with the ‘big picture’ of your degree

  • Think about how these issues link into psychology as a discipline, and how they relate to your own thoughts about what psychology is or should be

  • Two essays of max 700 words each

  • Marks are awarded for reflection, evidence of learning and bring topics together. Please see marking criteria for both essays.

  • Not looking for a restatement of the facts in the lectures etc.

  • They are designed to be personal and reflective – embrace this aspect!

Essay 1

Essay 1 is based on the content of ONE of the topics and should adopt at least two of the following 6 ‘perspectives’.

    • As a STUDENT of psychology

    • As a TRAINEE psychologist

    • In relation to a RESEARCH application in your future

    • As an HISTORIAN of psychology

    • Reporting on the culture or PRACTICE of psychology as it currently exists here or across cultures

    • As a critic or supporter of psychology’s status as a SCIENCE

Essay 1 tips

    • Ask a specific question – and answer it.

    • Intro, body, conclusion structure.

    • Reflect on the topic and give your own opinion as to the answer!

    • Present a journey in your learning or appreciation of the topic

    • Ensure your answer is argued using examples

    • Use evidence in your argument from a range of sources, ideally do some strategic wider reading

    • Present and reference it well

Essay 2

Essay 2 should focus on at least one of the OTHER topics covered in the course.

    • This answer should focus on a primary reading associated with the lectures and then any further reading you have done (strongly encouraged).

    • You must identify that primary reading explicitly in the essay itself.

    • You should not simply restate what the authors thought or found, but rather briefly summarise the point that stimulated your interest in the reading and use that as a springboard to discuss the topic or issue.

    • Think about your perspective on the issues.

    • What do you think about this debate or issue? We want to know!

    • And what do you think are interesting directions for psychologists to take this debate or issue in the future?

Essay 2 tips

    • Explicitly identify a single initial reading and build upon that.

    • Discuss a debate or issue that you think is interesting or important

    • Give your own opinion and how this has developed or changed as a result of the lecture, the course more widely, and/or the reading.

    • Argue your opinion explicitly, own it and back it up with examples

    • Use evidence in your argument from a range of sources, ideally do some strategic wider reading

    • Present and reference it well

Overlapping content

    • You can combine across different topics in Essay 2 (e.g., you could talk about Evolution and Consciousness, or Inclusivity and Science), and thinking about links between topics is strongly encouraged.

    • However, the material covered in Essay 2 must be different from Essay 1. Students will be penalised for covering identical topics.

Details

    • Due 10 am 21st April 2023 - about 3 weeks after the end of term

    • Both answers should be written in essay-style prose (e.g., with APA references where you refer to sources) put in a single document and submitted to the coursework submission page.

    • Max 700 words per answer (references not included in word count)

    • Remember that this only accounts for a smaller portion of the module grade (15%). Should hopefully be an enjoyable way to reflect on issues on the course you found interesting.

Essay 1

Essay 2

Any questions?

Have a great week!