Methodology and Epistemology of Research in Psychology II

Code:

MTP03

Acronym:

MEIP II

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Investigation Methodology

Instance: 2023/2024 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Psychology Themes

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MTP	14	Official Curricular Structure	1	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Following “Metodologia e Epistemologia da Investigação em Psicologia I”, the goals are to apply and understand research methods in the context of students’ own research project, helping them to develop skills in critically evaluating research studies and providing the tools needed to design one’s own study.

 

 

 

Learning outcomes and competences

 

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• determine which statistical technique should be used to investigate different types of research questions and datasets (e.g. regression, ANOVA, repeated measures).
• perform the corresponding analyses using SPSS and interpret the results.
• develop critically thinking on the analysis and interpretation of results on both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Communicate ideas, methods, and findings scientifically.

 

Working method

Presencial

Program

Introduction to the program of quantitative data analysis SPSS

- structure of SPSS

- construction of data files

- descriptive statistics and graphics

- principles of inferential statistics

- parametric and non parametric tests

- bivariate inferential statistics (chi square, t test; Pearson correlation; simple linear regression)

- analysis of variance with one and two factors, and with repeated measures

- transformation of variables and files

 

Qualitative research:

- content analysis

Main Bibliography

Almeida, L. S., & Freire, T. ; Metodologia da investigação em Psicologia e Educação 

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American psychological

 

Coutinho, C. P. (2011).  Metodologia de investigação em Ciências Sociais e Humanas. Coimbra: Almedina


Complementary bibliography:

 

Bardin, L. (1999). Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70.

 

Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications

 

Flick, U. (2008). Managing quality in qualitative research. Los Angeles: Sage.

 

Flick, U. (2008). Métodos qualitativos na investigação científica. Lisboa: Monitor.

 

Marôco, J. (2014). Análise estatística com o SPSS statistic (6ª Edição). Pêro Pinheiro: ReportNumber.

 

Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th Ed). Los Angeles: Sage.

 

Robert C. Bogdan, Sari Knopp Biklen (1994). Investigação qualitativa em educação : uma introdução à teoria e aos métodos

 

Somekh, B. & Lewin, C. (2005). Research methods in the social sciences. London: SAGE.

Tabachnick & Fidell (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

 

Mandatory literature

Almeida, L. S., & Freire, T.; Metodologia da investigação em Psicologia e Educação , Psiquilíbrios, 2008
American Psychological Association.; Publication manual of the American psychological , 2010
Coutinho, C. P. ; Metodologia de investigação em Ciências Sociais e Humanas, . Coimbra: Almedina, 2011

Teaching methods and learning activities

• Lectures to introduce students to research topics, using practical examples;


• Students will actively participate in large and small group discussions, using the computer when appropriate

 

Autonomous work:

 Students will complete small tasks and activities in order to

• analyze and interpret scientific


• searching in databases and literature review


• collaborate with their peers.


• verbally present research findings in a coherent and concise manner.


• perform analyses on existing datasets and write scientific papers.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Teste	60,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	35,00
Estudo autónomo	38,00
Frequência das aulas	54,00
Trabalho escrito	35,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Type of evaluation: individual works and written tests throughout the semester

 

Terms of frequency: In order to be able to get a final score, students are required to attend at least 75% of the weekly sessions; (ii) actively participate in the practical activities in the class, (iii) perform the individual works and written tests.

 

Calculation formula of final grade

Formula Evaluation: The final score corresponds to the average score of the theoretical component (50%), and the practical component (50%)

 

 

The theoretical part corresponds to the average score of two written tests (25% each).

 

The practical part corresponds to individual assessment that includes a) exercises (10%); b) oral presentation of a scientific paper (10%); c) written discussion of three scientific works

 

 

Scores will be expressed on a scale of 0 to 20. A score lower than 8 points in any of the components leads to the disapproval of the student in the course.

 

 

The average score will be expressed on a scale of 0 to 20. Students are required to have a score equal or above to 10 to get approval.

 

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Without prejudice to the rights legally granted to them, given the nature of the UC, student workers and beneficiaries of comparable statutes must comply with the requirements of attendance.

Students with special needs (eg, hearing or motor impairment) must inform the teacher (s) at the beginning of the semester in order to ensure the necessary conditions.

Classification improvement

The improvement will be made only once, until the time of appeal of the academic year subsequent to the one in which they obtained approval and in which the UC has planned examination.

Further information can be found under the heading "Observations"

Observations

Students are eligible for grade improvement only on the evaluation component corresponding to the Theoretical Part (written tests).

The classification of the theoretical part corresponds to the classification obtained in the written tests (50%).

Taking into account the characteristics of the evaluation components of the practical part, the improvement is not planned. It is considered the classification previously obtained.

The final grade will be the highest one, chosen between the initial one and the one resulting from the improvement.

Students may apply to a new exam in order to improve the grade of the final exam component. They can do it only once until the period of appeal following the school year in which they obtained the approved status and provided that the course has scheduled exam.