PS928-30 Behavioural and Data Science Project
Introductory description
The aim of the project is to provide students with the opportunity to investigate and carry out novel research at the intersection of behavioural and data science.
Module aims
Students will work within one of the departments' labs, designing and running empirical work that
addresses a current research question. By working within an existing lab, students have the support of experts in the field and should be able to produce research worthy of publication.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Project meeting at end January with ongoing guidance and supervision January to July. During this time students will obtain ethical approval, carrying out the project, meet with supervisor as required, write up the project. Students will work within one of the departments' labs, designing and running empirical work that addresses a current research question. The choice of topic is to be agreed between the student and a member of staff acting as supervisor.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate competence at formulating a valid research question and designing a quantitative investigation
- Demonstrate competence at conducting an empirical investigation
- Demonstrate competence at analysing and interpreting the results
- Demonstrate competence at visualizing and interpreting data
- Demonstrate competence at writing up the project in a professional scientific format
Research element
Projects must be:
- Empirical (that is an experiment, computer program, survey or observational study);
- Physically safe and ethically acceptable;
- Practical in terms of demands on time, equipment, number of subjects required and laboratory space.
The choice of topic is to be agreed between the student and a member of staff acting as supervisor. Supervisors will be drawn from a pool of staff in psychology and computer science. Projects may be co-supervised. To assist students in selecting topics and supervisors, a list of topics which members of staff have a particular interest in supervising will be posted.
Subject specific skills
novel research in the area of psychology and data science formulating a valid research question and designing an empirical investigation
Transferable skills
Formulating research question
Designing and running empirical work
Analysis and interpretion of results
Writing up the project in a standard format suitable to publication
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 1 session of 1 hour (0%) |
| Project supervision | 4 sessions of 1 hour (1%) |
| Private study | 295 hours (98%) |
| Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
completions of ethics, Data collection and analysis and project report as well as additional supervisions as required dependent on topic and supervisor.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A2
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Project Report | 100% | No | |
|
Max 20,000 words. The project must be target at a specific journal; the journal guidelines help determine the actual target length. |
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Feedback on assessment
Formative feedback on an initial draft is provided by supervisors in a face-to-face meeting. Summative feedback is provided after the exam board. Students are encouraged to work with supervisors to publish the project.
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of TPSS-C803 Postgraduate Taught Behavioural and Data Science