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Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I, SP2, 2012.

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Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale

PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I, Study Period 3, 2012

Assignment 2 __________________________________________________________________________

Length: 1500 words (+/- 10%) Date Due: End of Week 9 – Sunday 28

th October by 11.55pm

Method of Submission: Electronically through Blackboard Assessment Value: 30% of your PSS110 mark __________________________________________________________________________

The second assignment builds on the introduction that you submitted for Assignment 1. In addition to this handout, there is another handout that contains the participant and measures details, and the statistical summary of the findings from the survey that was filled in during the first week of the study period. Your task now is to write a complete research report (see the mini-lecture on writing research reports and Findlay’s text), including Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion and References. Do not include any appendices for this report.

Marks for this assignment are divided up as follows and then converted to 30%. The criteria we use to mark Assignment 2 have been included at the end of this document for your information.

Section % of the mark for this assignment

Title page 5 Abstract 10 Intro 20 Method 15 Results 10 Table 5 Discussion 25 References and citations Presentation

5 5

Texts and lecturers sometime disagree about whether you are allowed to use new references in the Discussion. In this unit you can put new references in the Discussion. This is often done to make sense of an unexpected finding.

Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I, SP2, 2012.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSIGNMENT 2

Statistical analysis: You will be given a summary of the results (download via Blackboard). You are not expected to conduct any statistical analysis except comparing and reporting the descriptive results (i.e., doing a means comparison). The analysis of results will be discussed in the online tutorial chat sessions and in the discussion board forums. Sections of the lab report:

Make sure to consult Findlay (2012) for how to structure and write a laboratory report. Below are some guidelines specific to this assignment. Abstract: The Abstract should be a summary of the aim, method, hypotheses/results, and conclusions of the report. It should be no longer than 120 words. (Not included in the overall word count). Introduction: You are expected to revise or change your Introduction from Assignment 1 incorporating the corrections suggested by your tutor in your feedback. Method: In the Method section there are 3 sections you need to describe: (1) the participants (information is provided in the separate handout which includes results); (2) measures/materials (details of which are also provided in the separate results handout); and (3) procedures which were utilised in the study (or the way the study was conducted). The important point to remember when writing a method section is that you need to provide enough information so that the study could be replicated (or repeated) by another researcher. You should describe the Neuroticism and Openness scales from Australian Personality Inventory (API: Murray et al. 2009), and the Study Process Questionnaire (Biggs, Kember, & Leung, 2001). The Method section is NOT included in your word count for Assignment 2, but is included in your overall mark. Results: Here you need to present the results of the study – only present and describe them. There should be no interpretation (i.e., discussion) of the data. The results should be directly linked with the hypotheses. There are 3 things expected: 1) the overall means, standard deviations, and ranges of the data (descriptives) should be provided for the total sample and written into the text; 2) The means and standard deviations for Neuroticism and Openness for the different approaches to learning (Deep and Surface) placed in a correctly formatted table; then 3) give a brief description of what you see in the table (e.g., the results show that high N participants were more/less likely to adopt a Surface approach to learning than high O participants…etc.). Don’t try and say whether the results are significantly different because we don’t give you that data and you aren’t expected to know that yet.

Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I, SP2, 2012.

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Discussion: The findings of the study should be discussed in relation to the aims and hypotheses presented in the introduction. First, there need to be clear statements as to whether the hypotheses were supported. Second, based on the findings, the differences between high N and high O in terms of approaches to learning should be discussed in the context of previous research where available, in particular the literature that was cited in your Introduction. If they were not supported then you will need to discuss potential reasons for the discrepancy, and this is where you can bring in new references to try and explain the findings. Third, the Discussion section should recognise the limitations of the study, suggest possible directions for future research, and say what the implications might be for real life situations. Finally, there should be a final paragraph with appropriate concluding statements relating to findings of your research. This is a more global statement than just summarising the results. Submission requirements: For the second assignment, you are asked to submit an entire research report. This will include a revised version of the first assignment (Title page, Introduction, and References) and in addition the following sections:

• Abstract • Method • Results • Discussion

The word limit for Assignment 2 is 1500 words, not counting the Title page, Abstract, Method section, tables/figures, and Reference list (although you will still receive marks for these sections). NB: In-text references are counted. The report should be typed in 12 point font (Times New Roman) and double-spaced. The report must be formatted according to the specifications outlined in Findlay (2012) and/or the Publication Manual (6th edition) of the American Psychological Association. This second assignment is due at the end of Week 9 and is worth 30% of your final

grade. The readings for this assignment are available via the library’s electronic reserve under PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I or access through Blackboard under Assignment 1.

Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I, SP2, 2012.

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References

Baeten, M., Kyndt, E., Struyven, K., & Dochy, F. (2010). Using student-centred learning environments to stimulate deep approaches to learning: factors encouraging or discouraging their effectiveness. Educational Research Review, 5, 243-260. doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2010.06.001

Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university. Berkshire:

Open University Press. (This is a book – you only need to read Chapter 2). Chamorro-Premuzic, T. & Furnham, A. (2009). Mainly Openness: the relationship

between the Big Five personality traits and learning approaches. Learning and Individual Differences, 19, 524-529. doi: 10.1016/j.indif.2009.06.004

Marton, F. & Saljo, R. (1997). Approaches to learning. In F. Marton, D. Hounsell, and

N.J. Entwistle (Eds.), The experience of learning (pp. 39-58). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.

Plus at least one more reference that you have found. The following are references for the scales used in the study: These two articles relate to the scales that you will need to report in the Method section in Assignment 2. In Assignment 1, you may use them to define your constructs, but not to describe scales. Australian Personality Inventory Murray, G., Judd, F., Jackson, H., Fraser, C., Komiti, A., Pattison, P., & Robins, G.

(2009). Personality for free: Psychometric properties of a public domain Australian measure of the five-factor model. Australian Journal of Psychology, 61, 167-174. doi: 10.1080/00049530802326784

Study Process Questionnaire Biggs, J., Kember, D., & Leung, D.Y.P. (2001). The revised two-factor Study Process

Questionnaire. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 133-149.

Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale PSS110 Introduction to Psychology I, SP2, 2012.

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PSS110 Introduction to Psychology Assignment 2 Marking Criteria

Title page (5 marks) Abstract (10 marks) Concise and correct summary of: Aims Hypotheses Method Results Conclusion

Introduction (20 marks) General statement of area of research Definitions of personality and approaches to learning Critical review of relevant literature Aims Hypotheses

Method (15 marks) Clear and correct description of: Participants Materials Procedure

Results (10 marks) Clear and correct presentation of all results Overall statistics Description of results in relation to hypotheses Table (5 marks) Format Correct data Discussion (25 marks) Clear and correct interpretation of results in relation to hypotheses Clear and correct evaluation of results in relation to other studies/literature Clear implications of results in relation to psychological processes, theory, and everyday life Clear discussion of limitations of study and suggestions for future research Coherent conclusion?

References (5 marks) In-text Reference list

Presentation (5 marks) Typed, double-spaced, indenting, correct font, etc. Errors: spelling, typographical, grammar, punctuation. Writing style: sentence structure, organisation of paragraphs, transitional sentences, paragraphing. Overall organisation of information Word limit