PSYC3487: Evaluating Evidence in Behavioural Science

• PSYC2232 Advanced Research Methods and Statistics

• None

• None

• To understand evidence-based professional practice and to acquire the skills needed to evaluate evidence derived from psychological and behavioural research

• This module examines issues associated with evaluating evidence along with common barriers to understanding and applying empirical research
• Topics can vary from year to year but are likely to include the scientific method; logic fallacies when evaluating evidence; reproducibility; evidence synthesis; common issues when interpreting statistical evidence; and contemporary issues associated with science denial, conspiracies and fake news
• Evidence-based professional practice

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Detailed knowledge of a range of topics and issues related to evaluating and using evidence

Subject-specific Skills:

• Ability to review and analyse critically evidence derived from different sources

Key Skills:

• Good written communication skills
• Good IT skills in word processing, data manipulation and data presentation
• Ability to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines

• Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures, (break-out) small group work, audio-visual materials, discussions and detailed reading lists
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current evidence
• Guided private study and in-class discussions will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions, and encouraged to understand their inter-relations
• Lectures and in-class discussions will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work
• The blog post will assess students' detailed subject knowledge and the application of theory to practice
• The blog post assesses students' acquired knowledge of theoretical principles and empirical studies and their ability to organise and synthesise materials coherently and critically in written form
• The blog post will also assess students' written communication skills
• Prior to writing the summative blog post students will have the opportunity to receive feedback on a blog post outline which forms part of their formative assessment for this module
• Feedback on the blog post will be available within 3 teaching weeks allowing students plenty of time to benefit from feedback on this aspect of their work

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