Undergraduate Coursework Accountability Statement

To be attached by students registered for undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Social

Sciences, to the front of any document submitted as a component of course work save that when
coursework consists of an invigilated examination no accountability statement is required and
where the submission is entirely in electronic form, the student shall make an equivalent
declaration electronically.

I hereby certify that I am1the author of the attached item of coursework or the section
thereof for which I am responsible, herein after referred to as this paper, and that all
materials from reference sources have been properly acknowledged.

I certify that I have read the relevant Faculty re-g1ulation contained in the UWI Mona
Faculty of Social Sciences Undergraduate Handbook (Regulation 12) and the documents
to which the regulation refers:

In particular, the relevant UWI Examinations Regulations for First Degrees, Associate
Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates (78-85 1in the case of the 2006-2007 Examination
Regulations) and Appendix Ill in the Faculty Ha1ndbook.

I understand what plagiarism is and what penalties may be imposed on students found
guilty of plagiarism. I certify that this paper contains no plagiarized material. In particular:
All quotations taken from other works have been referenced to the source from which I
obtained them and clearly indicated in this paper by the use of quotation marks or
indented paragraphs;

All paraphrases and sum1maries of material taken from other works have been
clearly indicated by appropriate fram1ing and/or referencing;

Where material is drawn from other works, I have avoided the use of cosmetic
paraphrasing thereby e1nsuring that I have presented paraphrases and summaries that represent
substantial representation of material from the sources or alternatively I have used direct
quotations;

I have included in the bibliography all works from which I have taken ideas inclusive
of, where appropriate, separate lists of works that have been cited and works that have been
consulted;

I certify that this is my own work and that I did not receive any unfair assistance from others
(including unauthorized collaboration) in its preparation.

I certify that this paper has not previously been submitted either in its entirety or in part
within the UWI system or to any other educational institution or if it has I have made an
additional declaration below.

In the case of group work, I certify that the work that is the responsibility of each
member of the group has been clearly indicated and that where no such indication has been
given, I take responsibility for the work as if it were the section of the paper for which I
were solely responsible and that I have not collaborated with any member of the group
to breach the University's regulation.

Name Moesha Smart Signature M. Smart _ Date 10/14/2023

Additional accountability statement where work has been previously submitted.

I have set out in an attached statement the details regarding the circumsta1nces under
which this paper or parts thereof has been [previously submitted.

I have received written permission from my Supervisor/Lecturer/Instructor regarding the

submission of this paper and I have attached a copy of that written permission to this
statement.

I hereby declare that the submission of this paper is in keeping with the permission
granted.

Name Moesha Smart Signature M. Smart _ Date 10/14/2023

participant complete the questionnaire themself.

participant the questions and fill-in/complete the form yourself.
 Based on your data collection experiences answer the following items:
1. Describe how you selected the persons to approach. Critique your approach identifying
how it may have affected the validity of the data collected. Be honest about the approach
you used; your critique is more important that the actual method used.

In this research, the approach that was used is called Purposively and convenience sampling.
With convenience sampling, I already knew who my targets are (no psychology students), I
would say, I even knew how where to find them. I did that because I thought I would get data
quickly by doing so. With Purposively sampling, what I did was, select individuals who look
like they would be willing to answer some research questions. I guess you could say, I went
with their outer appearance and also their persona. (EXPLAIN VALIDIDTY). My approach
could affect my validity of the data that was collected in some sense. I mean, what was
important to me was the location, appearance, persona of the individual and location and not
the research itself. This could pose some bias. The validity of my research could be affected
by the following:

1. Purposive Sampling Subjectivity: The use of purposive sampling, while aimed at

enhancing diversity, introduces subjectivity into the selection process. My personal
 judgments about what constitutes relevant characteristics or experiences may introduce
bias into the sample.
2. Sampling Bias: The use of convenience sampling may introduce sampling bias because
it relies on the individuals who are readily available and willing to participate. This could
lead to an overrepresentation of certain groups and underrepresentation of others,
potentially skewing the findings.
3. Limited Generalizability: Because I primarily relied on people within my social
network, the findings may not be generalizable to a wider population. This limits the
external validity of the research.

2. Describe how you felt approaching and speaking to strangers. Reflect and describe two
(2) strategies a seasoned researcher could use to help an inexperienced researcher more
comfortable when engaging in this type of activity.
As an inexperienced researcher, I was nervous. I kept thinking that the participants I selected
would not participate. I was nervous like while asking the questions. I felt vulnerability when
I am conducting the research where I had to ask the questions. I did not know the participant,
I was stuttering while asking the questions and I kept thinking that the participant would
criticize me. Self doubt was also a factor too. I questioned my ability to effectively
communicate the research objectives and ensure that the participants understood the process.
I worried about making mistakes or not being able to handle unexpected responses. When I
asked the participants to answer the question on their, I liked that part more. I explained what
the research was about and also the instructions. It went well and I had more confidence in
what I was doing here compared to when I was the one asking the questions. Two strategies
will be:

1. Mentoring and Training:

 Role Modeling: Seasoned researchers can serve as role models by demonstrating
effective communication and engagement with strangers. They can show how to
approach individuals with confidence and professionalism.
2. Gradual Exposure and Feedback:
 Gradual Progression: Start with low-pressure situations where the stakes are
lower. For example, have the inexperienced researcher practice approaching
strangers in a non-research context, such as casual networking events or social
gatherings. Gradually increase the complexity of the interactions.
 Constructive Feedback: Provide constructive and non-judgmental feedback
after each interaction. Encourage the researcher to reflect on what went well and
what could be improved. Highlight their strengths and areas for growth.

3. Using your own wording, identify two concepts that the study could focus on. Do not
include demographic variables.
Two concepts are:
Level of education, - maybe the response will vary between and first year undergraduate vs a 4th
year undergraduate or a graduate.
Mental well being
Family structure- a supporting family vs one that is not supporting..
Any social support- help with school work

4. State two (2) appropriate research questions this instrument could address. No variable
should be used in more than 1 research question. Demographic variables can be included.
Do you think mental well-being can contribute to the academic performance and goal-directed
behaviors downfall?
To what extent do demographic variables such as age, gender, and location influence an
individual's answers to the question asked in this research?
Do demographic factors like socio economic status play a role in ones academic performance
and goal-directed behaviors ?

5. Using the research questions developed in 4, suggest two (2) research hypotheses of a
comparative nature. Remember the study covers all the data collected by the entire class,
not just the 2 persons from whom you collected data.
Alternative hypothesis
Socio-economic status significantly influences an individual's academic performance and goal-
directed behaviors.
Directional hypothesis
Higher levels of mental well-being will be positively associated with improved academic
performance and greater goal-directed behaviors in individuals.

6. Identify one (1) ethics-related concern someone may have about risk involved in this
study as we conducted it. Give one (1) strategy you could use to reduce any potential
harm resulting from that risk. Be sure to explain why the concern could be a risk to
participants.
Ethics related concerns are Informed Consent to Research and Record Keeping. Explain not
getting their consent and what effect it would have on the research. Also, I could say that ensure
that I explained and provide a consent for (or directing them as to where it is) will help to
minimize this risk??? hmmm
 Assessment 3
Objectives of Assessment 3:
This assessment should help students:
 build critical thinking skills by connecting terminology learnt in the course to a real-
world situation

 give students hands-on experience doing data collection. This includes both getting the
research instruments completed as well as reflecting on the data collecting experience

To complete this assessment you need to:

 Collect data from two UWI students
 Look in VLE to see the category of UWI students you are to work with
 Use the Assessment 3 Data Collection Sheet from VLE.
Rules for Data Collection
 Only collect data from people you do not know.
 Do not collect data from Psychology Students.
 Have one participant complete the questionnaire themself.
 Ask the other participant the questions and fill-in/complete the form yourself.
 Based on your data collection experiences answer the following items:
1. Describe how you selected the persons to approach. Critique your
approach identifying how it may have affected the validity of the data
collected. Be honest about the approach you used; your critique is more
important that the actual method used.

2. Describe how you felt approaching and speaking to strangers. Reflect and
describe two (2) strategies a seasoned researcher could use to help an
inexperienced researcher more comfortable when engaging in this type of
activity.

3. Using your own wording, identify two concepts that the study could focus
on. Do not include demographic variables.

4. State two (2) appropriate research questions this instrument could address.
No variable should be used in more than 1 research question.
Demographic variables can be included.

5. Using the research questions developed in 4, suggest two (2) research

hypotheses of a comparative nature.
Remember the study covers all the data collected by the entire class, not
just the 2 persons from whom you collected data.
 6. Identify one (1) ethics-related concern someone may have about risk
involved in this study as we conducted it. Give one (1) strategy you could
use to reduce any potential harm resulting from that risk. Be sure to
explain why the concern could be a risk to participants.

7. Comparing the two different data collection formats (that is, you
completing the form versus the participant completing it) identify one (1)
method-related advantage for each approach. Method-related advantage
means an explanation about the method used which should lead to better
quality data.

Your responses should be based on the provided instrument and the procedure used for data
collection. You can use personal pronouns (e.g., "I") in completing this assessment.

PAPER DUE: Sunday October 15 by midnight.

Submission of Assessment
1. Include your ID# in the file name of your submission or it will not be graded.
2. Submit the two completed questionnaires along with your reflective responses.
3. Your assessment report should be no longer than two (2) pages.
4. You can answer in list format, answering each question individually.
5. Include your accountability statement with your submission or it will not be graded.
6. Place your assessment in the appropriate submission folder (that is, by tutor)
created in the course container in VLE. Submissions placed in an incorrect folder
may not be graded.

Ensure your submission matches the formatting requirements for this course as described
in the course outline.
 Grading Guidance

To assist you in identifying what areas we are looking for while grading your paper, the
following list describes the key areas that will be considered.

1. Reflexivity: For the first set of questions, we expect to see students demonstrate some
self-reflection on what this experience was like for them.

2. Critical Thinking Skills: Students do not need to read any psychology literature to
complete this assessment. You will be able to complete the assessment based only on
what has been learnt in class, and general good critical thinking skills including your
critical analysis of the data collection sheet. Students are not required to explain their
responses as the critical thinking should be apparent, hence the brevity of the required
maximum number of pages.

3. Language Skills: All submissions for this course are expected to be in British English.
Deviations from this expectation will result in loss of marks.

Your grade will be based on your mastery of each of these 3 areas. The critical thinking skills
will be the most important element for this assessment.

Marks will also be deducted for factors such as not conforming to the required format – i.e., font
type and spacing, lateness, and exceeding the required number of pages