Course coordinator
Dr Blake Saurels
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Psychology School
Enrolment Note:This course has maximum quota of 25 students per semester, seminars with less than 10 students may not run.
Enrolment for Seminars opens in O Week following the Honours Orientation information session. Enrolment will close once the quota has been reached.
This course provides students with the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the primary research literature within the context of the wider theoretical framework in relation to relevant topics that vary from year to year.
Aphantasia: The neuroscience of mental imagery and it's absence
There are vast differences between people's experiences of imagined sensations. Some people (Hyper-Phantasics) describe their imagined sensations as seeming as real and as salient as their experiences of actual sensory inputs. However, approximately 2% of people (Aphantasics) claim that they cannot have imagined sensations at all. They do not experience imagined sights and sounds when reading a book, and they cannot picture a loved one in their mind's eye. This topic has become a hotbed of research. Researchers are very interested in Aphantasia because it seems to present an opportunity to compare the brains of people who can and cannot visualise in order to understand what features of brain activity determine if a person will have a conscious imagined experience.
In this course you will read and evaluate recently published papers on this general topic, and each week you will put questions to one of the authors of the paper, live in person or via zoom.
Course requirements
Assumed background
There is no assumed background knowledge for this seminar.ﾠ
Restrictions
BPsySc(Hons), BSc(Hons) in Psychology, BA(Hons) in Psychology students only.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Blake Saurels
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to develop skills in critical evaluation and to deepen understanding of contemporary research on a topic in psychology.
ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate a critical and in-depth understanding of key topics in an area of psychology.
LO2.
Demonstrate an ability to communicate orally and in writing about a topic in an area of psychology.
LO3.
Demonstrate an understanding of how different types of research methods can contribute to our understanding of an area of psychology.
LO4.
Effectively engage with others to discuss and evaluate empirical research.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Oral class presentation |
6/08/2025 - 29/10/2025 |
|
| Participation/ Student contribution | Research Proposal: Critical Review | 40% |
24/10/2025 5:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Research Proposal: Proposal / Benefits | 40% |
14/11/2025 5:00 pm |
| Participation/ Student contribution, Quiz | Author Questions | 20% |
4/08/2025 - 31/10/2025 |
Assessment details
Oral class presentation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Due date
6/08/2025 - 29/10/2025
Task description
Each week a team of students will present a paper to the class. The papers have been chosen because they are each a notable recent contribution to Aphantasia research. After the students have presented a summary of the set paper, there will be a class discussion of the paper. Then, we will interview an author of the study, live in class, via zoom, or via a pre-recorded interview (depending on the author's time zone).
Tips for presenting the paper you've been assigned and the marking criteria can be found in the Course Handbook on the course Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Research Proposal: Critical Review
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
24/10/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
You will be asked to prepare an Introduction to a Research Proposal relating to a field of research for a paper that was presented in class by you or one of your peers.
Your Research Proposal Introduction should be submitted via Turnitin, by 5pm 24th October 2025. While there is no strict minimum or maximum number of words, as a general guide your Research Proposal Introduction would not be expected to exceed 4 pages of double-spaced text, plus references.
While your Introduction will relate primarily to the research described in a single paper, it should show evidence of wider reading, such that you show awareness of the status of the field of research, as opposed to the findings of just the one study.
Full details regarding this assessment can be found in the course handbook, accessible via Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
via Turnitin
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 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
Note: There will be a maximum extension of 7 days for this assessment, to allow staff sufficient time to mark your assignments. You can begin working on this assignment from week 1, when you will have access to all the papers that we will appraise during the semester.
Research Proposal: Proposal / Benefits
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
14/11/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
You will be asked to prepare a research proposal, setting out a single experiment, or a sequence of experiments, designed to answer the conceptual research question(s) you identify at the end of the Introduction to your research proposal.
Your Research Proposal: Proposal should be submitted via Turnitin, by 5pm 14th November 2025. While there is no strict minimum or maximum number of words, as a general guide your Research Proposal – Proposal would not be expected to exceed 4 pages of double-spaced text, plus references.
More details regarding this assessment task can be found in the course Handbook, via Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
via Turnitin
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 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
Note: There will be a maximum extension of 7 days for this assessment, to allow staff sufficient time to mark your assignments. You can begin working on this assignment from week 1, when you will have access to all the papers that we will appraise during the semester.
Author Questions
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Quiz
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
4/08/2025 - 31/10/2025
Task description
At least 24 hours prior to class, on at least 5 occasions during semester, you must provide a list of up to 2 questions (to the course coordinator via e-mail) to put to an author of the study that we will discuss in class that week. Your questions will be asked either live in class (in person or via zoom) or in a pre-recorded interview. Questions might relate to motivations for the study, to points of confusion that remain after reading the paper (and any supplemental material), or to questions regarding interpretations of findings.
Each time you submit author questions (i.e. at least 5 times during the semester) you will be graded on a 3-point scale. Full details regarding this assessment can be found in the course handbook, via Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 39.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 40 - 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. |
Additional course grading information
Note that there is a requirement to attend at least 7 of the 10 sessions in order to obtain a grade of 4 or more in the class.ﾠﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Attendanceﾠ– Studentsﾠmust attend at least 7ﾠof the 10ﾠclasses in order to obtain a grade of 4 or more forﾠthe course as a whole. If a student cannot attend a seminar (due to an acceptable reasonﾠ - see https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=1#1)ﾠthey should contact the course coordinator as soon as they can (ideally before the class) and provide the required documentation (see https://my.uq.edu.au/files/11502/evidence-assessment-extension-application.pdf).
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
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
n/a
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 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Seminar |
Introduction and Overview Introduction to the course |
Week 2 (04 Aug - 10 Aug) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 3 (11 Aug - 17 Aug) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 5 (25 Aug - 31 Aug) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 6 (01 Sep - 07 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 7 (08 Sep - 14 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 8 (15 Sep - 21 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 10 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 12 (20 Oct - 26 Oct) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 13 (27 Oct - 02 Nov) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Additional learning activity information
Reading lists will be made available in class and via Blackboard, as will talk and essay criteria.
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 for 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: