Survey research and design in psychology/Assessment/Lab reports

Overview



 * 1) There are 5 lab reports each worth 10% (total 50%).
 * 2) Lab reports 2 to 5 require emerging academics to independently:
 * 3) Analyse some variables from the combined survey data file; and
 * 4) Write up to 1,000 words in APA style - see word count
 * 5) Lab reports are due Mon 09:00 at the end of each Module (Week 3, 5, 8, 11, and 13).
 * 6) Late penalty is 5% per day pro rata (e.g., 12 hours late = 2.5% penalty)

Generic guidelines
This section summarises the marking criteria and weighting (indicated by %s). Please also see the specific guidelines which explain detailed requirements and marking criteria for each lab report: LR1, LR2, LR3, LR4, LR5.

Lab reports 2 to 5 are mini APA-style lab reports which should each contain the following sections. Note that %s indicate approx. weighting/ Actual marking criteria and weightings are in the specific guidelines for each lab report. Section-specific word counts are suggestive only.:


 * 1) Coversheet
 * 2) Title page: APA style, including a unique, meaningful title for the report.
 * 3) Abstract: ~5%. A succint overview.  Brief, but comprehensive; efficiently overviews the study and its findings. (~50-100 words).
 * 4) Introduction: ~10%. Develop logically-derived and justified research question(s) and hypothesis(es). This section should be relatively short because the lab reports are mostly about developing your skills with writing Method, Results, and Discussion sections. The main goal of the Introduction is to identify a problem (research question) which is related to some key literature and which leads to clearly stated and testable hypotheses. Some background references will be provided on eReserve and effective use of these could be sufficient, however stronger Introductions will tend to also utilise other relevant academic literature.
 * 5) Method: ~10%. Lab reports 2 to 5 will vary in their requirements for the Method sub-sections (Participants, Instrumentation, Procedure) in order to avoid repetition across the reports - check detailed requirements. Note that Design and Analysis sub-sections are not necessary.
 * 6) Results: ~50%. Each lab report should report results for the following analyses:
 * 7) describe and graph the correlational relationship between at least one nominal/ordinal and at least one interval/ratio variable; also describe and graph the linear correlation between two or more interval/ratio variables (Lab report 2)
 * 8) the factor structure of at least one multi-dimensional survey instrument using exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and creation of composite scores ; (Lab report 3)
 * 9) test at least one hypothesis using at least one multiple linear regression with at least three predictors (independent variables) ; (Lab report 4)
 * 10) test at least one hypothesis using at least one advanced ANOVA (Lab report 5)
 * 11) Discussion: ~25%. Provide an insightful, balanced, comprehensive understanding and interpretation of the results with tangible recommendations for future practice and research. Relate this Discussion back to the content in the Introduction.
 * 12) References: APA style.  Core references should be from academic peer-reviewed sources; supplementary references can be from other sources. There is no minimum number of references. You may use any sources, but it is strongly recommended that you concentrate on good quality peer-reviewed articles and references. As a rough guide, aim to make effective use of five references per lab report. Some recommended starting references are provided via eReserve.
 * 13) Appendices: Generally not necessary, but may be used to include additional supplementary information (e.g., SPSS output (optional)) as long as each Appendix item is separately labelled and referenced in APA style from within the main report. Appendix content does not need to be in APA style. Do NOT include a copy of the survey – instead provide a reference to its electronic location.

Word count
Maximum word count is 1,000 words in APA style:
 * 1) Word count = Everything from the start of the Title page through to the end of the References (including any Tables and Figures), but does not include the preceding Cover sheet or proceeding Appendices.
 * 2) Penalty: 5% per 100 words pro rata (i.e., .05% per word over 1,000 words)

Sample write-ups
See sample write-ups for some examples of how to write up exploratory factor analysis, multiple linear regression, and ANOVA.

Lab report 1: Data collection and entry

 * 1) Task: Collect, enter, and upload survey based data using a standardised procedure.
 * 2) Lab report 1 differs from Lab reports 2 to 5 in that it is a data collection and data entry exercise.
 * 3) Data collection and data entry is to take place using prescribed guidelines and templates:
 * 4) Print and collate hard-copy, multi-page surveys
 * 5) Collect five cases of real survey data
 * 6) Enter the data into the SPSS .sav template file
 * 7) Name the file with your student # (e.g., u9163374.sav)
 * 8) Submit the data via Moodle
 * 9) Retain the hard copy surveys in order to be able to verify the entered data
 * 10) Marking will be 100% based on how well the exercise is completed as measured by the quality of received data.

This includes how closely the survey administration guidelines are followed and how correctly the data is entered and uploaded.

Submission

 * 1) Include the downloadable unit’s official coversheet as page 1.
 * 2) Submit electronically as per website instructions.
 * 3) Do not submit hard copies.
 * 4) Late submission will incur a 5% penalty per day (7 days/week), i.e., after 20 days late no marks are available.
 * 5) It is strongly recommended that you keep multiple and regular backups of your lab report, data, syntax, and output files. Computer problems such as hard drive failure will not be accepted as ground for extension.