PY0FIM: Foundation Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology

Module code: PY0FIM

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: F

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Richard Carciofo, email: r.g.carciofo@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 April 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module provides students with an introduction to research methods and the process of data collection in psychological research, including: formulating a hypothesis; methods of recruiting a sample; experimental methods of data collection (laboratory, field, and quasi experiments/correlational designs); non-experimental methods of data collection (including observation, interview, questionnaire, and case study); objective methods/measures (e.g., galvanic skin response); research designs (cross-sectional, longitudinal, cross-cultural); ethical guidelines in research. Examples of published psychological research will be critically considered. Examples may be taken from any area of psychological research, such as developmental psychology, learning, social psychology, individual differences, etc. Module content will include examples of published psychological research, which will include topics relevant to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal: SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe and analyse research methods in psychology, including the strengths and limitations of different approaches.
2. Explain ethical principles for conducting research in psychology.

Module content

Through lectures, seminars, and independent study, students will gain an understanding of how psychological research is designed and conducted. Examples will be drawn from published psychological research. 

Content may include:

• Formulating a hypothesis
• Sampling
• The experimental method (lab and field)
• Quasi experiments / correlational designs
• Research ethics
• Survey – questionnaire and interview
• Research design – cross-sectional, longitudinal, cross-cultural
• Reliability and validity
• Pilot study
• Observation studies
• Case study
• Objective methods

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught via lectures, seminars, and the virtual learning environment, Blackboard. Lecture and seminar slides will be made available on Blackboard at least 48 hours before the classes. Module content will include examples of published psychological research. Lectures and seminars will include review questions, and the answers to these will be posted on Blackboard after the classes.

A weekly reading list for self-study will be available on TALIS, with specified readings for each topic.

Students will be encouraged to participate in research studies being conducted in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, and thereby enhance their knowledge of research methodology and enable them to apply their knowledge of research design and procedure to real examples.

Study hours

At least 35 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Feedback/feedforward to support learning will be provided through:

1. A mock exam.
2. A draft for the Report assessment.

Reassessment

Additional costs