Course coordinator
Dr Michael Thai
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
This course builds on aspects of psychological research design covered in PSYC2010. It extends one-variable designs to designs involving multiple independent variables. It includes experimental designs with two or more independent variables or factors (including both within and between-participant factors), correlational research designs in which two or more predictors are used to predict a criterion, and research designs involving multiple categorical or discrete variables. Methodological issues associated with the use of these designs in psychological research will be explored. For example, lectures will cover design-related confounds, measurement issues, and other interpretational concerns. In addition, the analysis techniques appropriate to these designs will be addressed, focusing especially on factorial analysis of variance and multiple regression. Students will gain experience in computer-based analysis using available statistical packages.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Proficiency in statistical concepts and techniques covered in earlier statistics courses (e.g., PSYC2010 or equivalent) such as probability, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, correlations, will be assumed.
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
PSYC2010 + 2 courses from PSYC2020 or PSYC2030 or PSYC2040 or PSYC2050
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Michael Thai
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
- Lectures start in Week 1. Tutorials start in Week 2. Students should attend all classes in order to get the most out of the course and to prepare themselves for the assessment pieces.
- The lectures teach the analyses and their conceptual underpinnings, and the tutorials then apply the concepts and teach you how to conduct the analyses in SPSS and write them up.ﾠ
- Students who miss the lecture can view the lecture recording at a later time - lectures should be watched before the relevant tutorial for that week.
- Note that from Week 4, tests will be administered during every tutorial (please see Assessment section).
- Note that PSYC3010 is traditionally considered a difficult course by students. Analyses have shown that lecture and tutorial attendance is a strong positive predictor of academic grades in this course (and a strong negative predictor of failure). We highly recommend that you consistently engage with lectures and tutorials so that you do not fall behind.
Aims and outcomes
Building on material learned in PSYC2010, this course emphasizes data analytic techniques involving multiple independent variables or predictors. Broadly speaking, the course aims to:
- Develop an understanding of the methodological, practical, and ethical considerations that shape the research process, especially in statistical analyses.
- Develop an understanding of the conceptual principles and key terms underlying statistical analyses.
- Develop skills in statistical decision-making, execution of analyses, interpretation of results, and communication of findings.
- Develop an understanding of how statistics areﾠlinked to the practice of psychology.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Generate research designs that are appropriate for questions involving multiple independent variables or predictors, based on methodological, practical, and ethical considerations.
LO2.
Identify the statistical analyses that are appropriate for different research questions involving multiple independent variables or predictors.
LO3.
Identify the key terms and conceptual principles relevant to statistical techniques involving multiple independent variables or predictors.
LO4.
Plan and execute *omnibus and follow-up tests in statistical analyses involving multiple independent variables or predictors. (*Omnibus tests are the tests that are always conducted, as opposed to follow up tests that are extras to do if particular conditions occur.)
LO5.
Interpret results from statistical analyses involving multiple independent variables or predictors, and identify the implications of the results for hypotheses and research questions.
LO6.
Report and discuss the results of statistical analyses that involve multiple independent variables or predictors, following standard conventions in Psychology.
LO7.
Use your statistics knowledge to develop and enrich your work as a psychologist.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set |
Practical Tests (in Tutorials)
|
30% |
17/03/2025 - 23/05/2025
Practical Tests will be administered in tutorials in the following weeks: Week 4 (Test 1), Week 5 (Test 2), Week 6 (Test 3), Week 7 (Test 4), Week 9 (Tests 5 + 6), Week 11 (Test 7), Week 12 (Test 8). |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Assignment: Factorial ANOVA
|
15% |
14/04/2025 4:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Assignment: Multiple Regression
|
15% |
30/05/2025 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Practical Tests (in Tutorials)
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
17/03/2025 - 23/05/2025
Practical Tests will be administered in tutorials in the following weeks: Week 4 (Test 1), Week 5 (Test 2), Week 6 (Test 3), Week 7 (Test 4), Week 9 (Tests 5 + 6), Week 11 (Test 7), Week 12 (Test 8).
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
- Students will be asked to complete a practical test during tutorials from Week 4 - 12 (tutors will explain this assessment piece in further detail in the Week 2 tutorial).
- 8 practical tests will be administered across 7 tutorials (2 practical tests will be administered in the Week 9 tutorial).
- Each practical test is worth 5 marks.
- At the end of semester, the best 6 (out of 8) attempts will be summed for a mark out of 30.
- Each practical test will be 15 minutes long.
- The practical tests will assess knowledge and practical skills learned in previous weeks. The specific knowledge or skills being tested will be disclosed the week prior and representative practice questions will be provided - students will get clear guidance about the material they need to have reviewed prior to each practical.
- There is no alternative assessment for the practical tests. You can miss up to two tutorials and still have the opportunity to gain full marks.
Hurdle requirements
At least two practicals must be attempted to pass the course.Submission guidelines
Each practical test will be completed during tutorials.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
As students are able to miss 2 practical tests and still earn full marks, there is no extension for this assessment piece.
Assignment: Factorial ANOVA
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
14/04/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04, L05, L06
Task description
- You will be provided with a set of research questions and a dataset. You will be asked to choose the appropriate analytic technique, analyse the data using SPSS, report the results in APA 7th formatting, and interpret these results.
- Assignments will be marked in terms of (a) the appropriateness and accuracy of the students' analyses and interpretations, as well as (b) the precision of their APA 7th formatting.
- Further information will be provided during semester.
Hurdle requirements
This assessment must be attempted to pass the course.Submission guidelines
This assessment should be submitted online using Turnitin. Electronic checks will be conducted to identify instances of plagiarism and collusion.
Always keep a copy of any assignment that you submit for marking.
Note: You will no longer receive an automatic submission receipt from Turnitin confirming your assignment has been received. 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.
Assignment: Multiple Regression
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
30/05/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L04, L05, L06
Task description
- You will be provided with a set of research questions and a dataset. You will be asked to choose the appropriate analytic technique, analyse the data using SPSS, report the results in APA 7th formatting, and interpret these results.
- Assignments will be marked in terms of (a) the appropriateness and accuracy of the students' analyses and interpretations, as well as (b) the precision of their APA 7th formatting.
- Further information will be provided during semester.
Hurdle requirements
This assessment must be attempted to pass the course.Submission guidelines
This assessment should be submitted online using Turnitin. Electronic checks will be conducted to identify instances of plagiarism and collusion.
Always keep a copy of any assignment that you submit for marking.
Note: You will no longer receive an automatic submission receipt from Turnitin confirming your assignment has been received. 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
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
- The final exam is administered by Central Exams and will be in the scheduled University exam period.
- The exam will consist of only multiple-choice questions.
- You will have two hours to complete the exam.
- The questions will assess the content presented in lectures across the entire semester (Weeks 1 - 12).
- More information will be provided over the course of the semester.
- If, owing to exceptional circumstances, you are unable to sit the final exam, the course coordinator cannot grant permission for deferred exams. Central Admin look after this and you should review the details on myUQ (https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/deferring-exam)
Hurdle requirements
This assessment must be attempted to pass the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 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 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work throughout the course consistently reflects a lack of understanding of the material. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work throughout the course consistently reflects a poor understanding of the material. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49.9 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Work throughout the course does not consistently reflect a sound understanding of the material. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work throughout the course consistently reflects a sound understanding of the material, but there is considerable room for improvement. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work throughout the course consistently reflects a very good understanding of the material. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work throughout the course consistently reflects an excellent understanding of the material. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work throughout the course is consistently outstanding; it is virtually faultless. |
Additional course grading information
Percentage marks will be rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g., 84.25% will round down to 84%, and 84.5% will round up to 85%).
This will apply to all grade cutoffs apart from a grade of 4. The minimum pass mark is 50% and a pass cannot be achieved with 49.5%.
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.
Additional learning resources information
The main resource for this course will be the Tutorial Workbook, which will be made available to students in both printed and electronic PDF form (on the course Learn.UQ site).
There will also be a number of other resources posted throughout semester.
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 + Factorial Designs Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L07 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Factorial Between-Participants ANOVA I Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Factorial Designs Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Factorial Between-Participants ANOVA II Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Factorial Between-Participants ANOVA I Note: Practical Test 1 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Factorial Between-Participants ANOVA III Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Factorial Between-Participants ANOVA II Note: Practical Test 2 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Correlation + Standard Multiple Regression Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Factorial Between-Participants ANOVA III Note: Practical Test 3 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Standard & Hierarchical Multiple Regression Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Correlation + Standard Multiple Regression Note: Practical Test 4 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
Moderated Multiple Regression Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Mediation & Indirect Effects Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Hierarchical Multiple Regression Note: Practical Tests 5 + 6 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Within-Participants ANOVA Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Moderated Multiple Regression I Note: Practical Test 7 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Mixed ANOVA Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
Conducting Moderated Multiple Regression II Note: Practical Test 8 will be administered in this tutorial. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Course Review Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
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: