Corpus Christi College

ATAR Unit 3 and 4 Psychology

Term 4
2018-2019

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Psychology
Units 3 and 4 (sequential)

Key tasks &

Week Syllabus
Planning and conducting psychological
research
 Terminology
2018
o Experimental, non-
Term 4 experimental
o Scientific, non-
Week 4
scientific, scientific method
o Sample
o Population
 Experimental research methods
Week o Independent and
5–6
dependent variables
o Operational
hypotheses
o Controlled and
uncontrolled variables
o Experimental and
control groups
o Experimental design
o Placebo and
experimenter effects
o Reliability and validity
(week 5)
 Non-experimental (descriptive)
research methods
o Case studies, surveys,
correlational studies and
archival research
o Behavioural variables
(not dependent and
independent variables) in
correlational studies
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Learning Activities Suggested resources
Assessment
Crash course:
Exam Review- 2 lessons  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFV71QPvX2I
Introduction and expectations Reading
 Overview of course, outcomes  Why do we “science”? - Adventures in Statistics
and standards (Pages 3-15) Year 12 Mass
 Assessment outline TUESDAY week
 Steps in Psych research - Textbook (pages 157-8)
 Time management and study 4 P1-2
 The research Process - Adventures in Statistics (p15-
program.
21)
Experimental research methods Experimental research methods Workbook
Research tasks VCE Psychology (Kendal) Revision
Questions (due
 Repeated measures - VCE  Population vs Sample (Pages 8-9)
psychology (pages 42-45)  Extraneous variables (pages 10-11) week 8)
 Writing hypotheses (pages 6-7)
Reading
 Variables and Hypotheses - Textbook (p159-60 -
figure 9.6)
 Experimental Methods - Adventures in Statistics (p24-
30)
Non-experimental (descriptive) research
methods Non-experimental (descriptive) research methods Pastoral Period
Research Tasks  Spurious Correlations - P3 THURSDAY
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations Week 6
 Correlational - AS and A
Level Teaching RM (p16) Reading
 Non-experimental Methods - Adventures in Statistics
(p21-24)
 Non-experimental Methods. Textbook (p162-166)
 o Interpreting
correlational data (r-values)
 Subjective
quantitative measures in research
o Checklists
o Rating scales—Likert
scale.
 Qualitative
vs Quantitative methods for data
collection
o Displaying and reporting data
accurately
o Descriptive vs inferential
statistics
o Objective quantitative
measures in research
o Measures of central
tendency (mean,
mode, median)
o Measures of
variation/dispersion
(standard deviation)
o Physiological
measures
 The Role of probability
Week o Features of normal
7–8
distributions
o Statistical significance
o P values
 Dealing with error in research
o Sources of error and solutions
o Sample and population data
o Sampling techniques
 Ethics in psychology research
o Role of the
experimenter
o Participants’ rights
Subjective quantitative measures in
research
Research Tasks
 Self-reports – AS and A Level
Teaching RM: Questionnaires
(p10)
Qualitative vs Quantitative methods for
data collection
Research Tasks
 VCE Psychology (Kendall):
Types of data (pages 20-21)
 Class height summary sheet
(central tendency, standard
deviation, z scores)
The Role of probability
 Class height summary sheet
(central tendency, standard
deviation, z scores)
Scientific Reporting
 How to write and ERA
(Nelson)

Subjective quantitative measures in research
Reading
 Subjective Quantitative Measures: Developing a
Likert Scale. Textbook (p169-171)
Qualitative vs Quantitative methods for data collection
 Inferential Statistics 1.9 (Nelson)
VCE Psychology (Kendall)
 Representing data (pages 24-25)
 Descriptive statistics (pages 22-23)
 Inferential statistics (pages 26-27)
Reading
 Qualitative vs Quantitative Data - Adventures in
Statistics (p55-61)
 Qualitative vs Quantitative data - Textbook (p167-170)
 Displaying Data - Textbook (p175-177)
 Central Tendency - Textbook (p178-179)
 Inferential Statistics - Textbook (p181-184)
The Role of probability Task 1: Design a
Reading research task
(1%)
 Calculate Variance and SD. Textbook (p179)
Dealing with error in research Validation (%)
VCE Psychology (Kendall)
 Sources of error (pages 12-13)
 Sampling techniques (pages 14-15)
Awards
Ethics in psychology research Assembly
 Ethics Spider: Nelson Psychology Student Activity FRIDAY Week 8
Manual (p216-17) P1-2
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 such as privacy, anonymity, Revision – Exam Practice Questions
confidentiality, voluntary
participation and withdrawal
rights
o Informed consent
procedures
o Deception in research
o Professional conduct.
Suggested resources:
The resources or references such as texts and websites in this document are provided as examples of resources that teachers can use to support their
teaching. Their inclusion does not imply that they are mandatory, preferred or that they are the only resources relevant to the course.

Texts
Burton, L. J. (2007). An interactive approach to writing essays and research reports in psychology (2nd ed.) QLD: Wiley & Sons.
Carter, L. & Grivas, J. (2005). Psychology Stage 1 for South Australia Qld: Jacaranda.
Curriculum Council (2006). Ethical guidelines for the teaching of psychology in Western Australian schools. Perth.
Edwards R., Blaher-Lucas E., Marangio K., Moore V., Ganino-Day F. (2011). Oxford VCE Psychology Units 3 & 4 Student Book, Oxford University Press.
Melbourne ISBN: 9780195567175
Field, A. (2016). Adventures in Statistics. Sage Edge
Fletcher, J & Garton, A. (2015). Psychology: Self & Others ATAR Units 1-4 2nd Edition. Nelson Cengage Learning
Fletcher, J., & Garton, A. (2007). Psychology: self, others and society. Melbourne: Pearson Education.
Grivas, J. & Carter, L. (2005). Psychology VCE Units 1 & 2 (4th ed.). QLD : John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Hackett, C. (2015). Psychology: Self & Others Workbook Unit 3 & 4. Nelson Cengage Learning
Hackett, C., Fletcher, J., & Garton, A. (2007). Psychology: self, others and society; Teacher’s resource Melbourne: Pearson Education.
Hackett, C. (2008). Psychology: self, others and society Workbook Stage 3: Units 3A & 3B. Melbourne: Pearson Education.
Hill, G. (2001). Oxford revision guides. AS & A level psychology through diagrams (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kendall, K. (2007). Jump Start: Units 3 & 4 VCE Psychology. VIC: Nelson.
Skouteris, H. et al. (2007). Heinemann psychology one (2nd ed.) (p. 243). Melbourne: Heinemann Harcourt Education Australia.
Van Vugt, J. (2008). Beyond public health campaigns. VicHealth Letter. Issue No. 33 Spring 2008 5–7.

Websites
http://www.learner.org/resources/series138.html
http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/

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www.pearsoned.com.au/schools/secondary
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/index.cfm
http://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/