Course coordinator
Professor Ross Cunnington
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Psychology School
Psychology is the scientific study of how people behave, think and feel. This course spans a variety of topics including psychological processes such as perception, attention, learning, memory, and decision-making, as well as the cognitive and brain-based (neural) causes of these phenomena. Students will be given opportunities to participate in both classic and state-of-the-art psychological research and will gain an understanding of the research process to study both the mental and neural causes of human behaviour.Note: Students who have already completed PSYC1020 do not need to enrol in NEUR1020. If PSYC1020 was completed under a different program, apply for credit in NEUR1020.
NEUR1020 is an introductory course in scientific psychology that covers core areas of brain function and anatomy, learning and memory, sensory perception, and higher-order aspects of cognition, decision-making, and problem-solving. You will develop your scientific critical thinking skills, evaluating the real evidence for common claims about the brain and psychology. You will also have the opportunity to take part in psychological research and gain an understanding of the research process.
This course will provide you with the foundational knowledge to set you on the path for the rest of your studies in Psychology or related fields. You will have opportunities to engage in online content, self-test your knowledge and work collaboratively with peers in lectures and tutorials to solve problems and think more deeply about content.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
PSYC1020
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Professor Ross Cunnington
Dr David Sewell
Professor Derek Arnold
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
The goal of this first-year course in psychology is to introduce you to foundational areas of experimental psychology relating to the brain, perception, memory, and cognition. Experimental psychology is the scientific study of the causes of human behaviour, and through this course you will be able to explain foundational concepts of brain function, perception, learning and memory, and higher-cognition that are crucial to human behaviour. You will be able to explain how these psychological processes are understood through experiments measuring behaviour and the brain, and you will develop your scientific critical thinking skills to evaluate and explain the evidence behind research claims about the brain and behaviour.
The goal of NEUR1020 is to introduce you to major research perspectives in psychology and for you to gain a firm foundation of understanding of the terms and concepts, methodologies, basic findings and theories within psychology's behavioural, cognitive and biological perspectives.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Explain foundational concepts in the discipline of experimental psychology
LO2.
Explain how psychological processes are understood through measurement of behaviour and the brain
LO3.
Evaluate and explain the validity of research claims in experimental psychology
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Module Quizzes
|
25% |
Quiz 1 10/04/2025 - 11/04/2025 Quiz 2 29/05/2025 - 30/05/2025
Module Quizzes will be open in Week 7 and Week 13 from 9am Thursday morning until 5pm Friday afternoon. |
| Practical/ Demonstration | SONA Research Participation | 6% |
30/05/2025 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Research Claim Essay | 34% |
16/05/2025 5:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
35% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Module Quizzes
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Quiz 1 10/04/2025 - 11/04/2025
Quiz 2 29/05/2025 - 30/05/2025
Module Quizzes will be open in Week 7 and Week 13 from 9am Thursday morning until 5pm Friday afternoon.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
There will be 2 graded quizzes to be completed online throughout the semester. Each quiz assesses content from two topic modules.
The quizzes will be multiple-choice and will assess content from the online course videos and lectures. Quizzes will be open online over a 2-day time period to be completed in your own time and place. Each quiz comprises 25 questions, each worth 0.5% of the total course mark. (There is no penalty for guessing.)
Each quiz will be strictly timed so that, once the quiz is commenced, it must be completed within 45 minutes. These quizzes are "open book" (open device, notes, etc), although it is strongly recommended that you learn the material rather than trying to rely on Google or searching through course materials during the quiz.
Students should be aware that the due time listed is the last time to submit their quiz. While Blackboard may let you commence the quiz prior to the due time, any quizzes found to have been completed after the due time will be excluded from your final mark. For example, if a 45 minute quiz is due at 5pm, students should aim to start the quiz by 4:15pm, at the latest. This allows adequate time for completion and submission.
Submission guidelines
All quizzes need to be submitted through the Blackboard quiz page. Students should be aware that the due time listed is the last time to submit their quiz. While Blackboard may let you commence the quiz prior to the due time, any quizzes found to have been completed after the due time will be excluded from your final mark. For example, if a 45 minute quiz is due at 5pm, students should aim to start the quiz by 4:15pm, at the latest. This allows adequate time for completion and submission.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
SONA Research Participation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 6%
- Due date
30/05/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02
Task description
Throughout the first-year psychology courses at UQ, emphasis is placed on becoming familiar with psychology as a research discipline. The UQ School of Psychology has the largest and one of the best research programs in psychology in Australia, and is an Asia-Pacific leader in research and research training. As part of NEUR1020, you will have the opportunity to learn first-hand about the research process through participation in actual research studies. You will receive up to 6% towards your course grade for participation in research studies (1% per hour). Participation in research is voluntary: If you prefer not to participate, you can instead receive up to 6% credit for writing and submitting brief summaries of research papers (1% per summary).
Submission guidelines
Via SONA system online
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
All participation and submission of alternative activity must be completed on or before the last day of the teaching semester. There is no form of extension for Research Participation.
Late submission
No late submission is possible.
Research Claim Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 34%
- Due date
16/05/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L03
Task description
The tutorial series will lead through scientific critical thinking skills for evaluating research claims from experiment studies. You will use those skills to critically evaluate a research claim and provide evidence, including discussion of strengths and limitations, from scientific research papers. All details for the assignment structure and requirements, and the essay topic, will be provided in the tutorials and posted on Blackboard. Word count: 1500 words maximum (+10% leeway).
Submission guidelines
Learn.UQ via Turnitin on Blackboard. NOTE: You should download a copy of the digital receipt from the Assignment Dashboard and keep this as a record.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
The Final Exam will consist of 70 multiple-choice questions to complete within a 90-minute time limit. Questions will be from all topic modules from throughout the semester, with 14 questions per topic module. The Final Exam will be an in-person on-paper exam and will be scheduled at a specific time during the end-of-semester examination period. The Final Exam will be "closed book" with no additional written or printed material allowed.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 46.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Course Introduction and Module 1: Psychology as Science Module 1: Psychology as Science Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Critical Thinking Introduction Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 1: Psychology as Science 1.1 The scientific method in psychology Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Deconstructing Journal Articles Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 1: Psychology as Science 1.2 Paradigms and Research Methods Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Strengths and Limitations Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 2: The Brain and Neurons 2.1 The anatomy of brain function Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Critical Evaluation of Research Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 2: The Brain and Neurons 2.2 Neurons and their communication Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Tutorial |
Interpretation of Evidence Topic & Criteria Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 2: The Brain and Neurons 2.3 Measuring brain function Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Tutorial |
Research Claim Essay and Thesis Statements Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 3: Sensation and Perception 3.1 Perception as a product of the brain Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
Module 3: Sensation and Perception 3.2 Vision and the visual cortex Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MID SEMESTER BREAK |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Tutorial |
Research Claim Essay Papers Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 4: Brain Disorders 4.1 Brain laterality and split brains Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Tutorial |
Research Claim Essay Consultation Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Module 4: Brain Disorders 4.3 Attention and the parietal lobes Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Module 5: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 5.1 Classical and operant conditioning Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Module 5: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 5.2 Memory Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Module 5: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 5.3 Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: