In order to meet the needs of Stage 1 of the BPS Qualification in Occupational Psychology, this module aims to provide students with advanced understanding, knowledge and critical insight into the major research designs, methodologies and analytical techniques used in the discipline of organisational psychology, and thereby equip them with the necessary skills and competencies to undertake an independent empirical research dissertation (ULMS883 Research Project). The module aims to enable students to understand the philosophical principles of social science research and support them in developing and refining a specific research topic for their research proposal. Students will be provided with advanced insight into both quantitative and qualitative research design, methodology and analysis and will develop data analytical skills through a series of practical workshops and seminars. The module also aims to equip students with the necessary insight into how to effectively manage the r esearch process, including negotiating access to organisations, the importance of ethics in research, and the dissemination of findings.

(LO1) Students will have developed a critical understanding of the role that research philosophy plays in determining the choice of research design.

(LO2) Students will be able to understand and critically evaluate the major research designs used in qualitative and quantitative research.

(LO3) Students will have developed and applied key skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

(LO4) Students will have developed an appreciation for the importance of adhering to relevant ethical standards in the design, conduct and dissemination of research.

(LO5) Students will have developed an appreciation for the importance of their own ethical practice in working with organisations and the practical challenges that conducting applied research can pose.

(LO6) Students will have conceptualised and designed a novel and feasible research proposal in line with supervisory guidance that forms the basis for the ULMS883 Research Project module.

(S1) Numeracy. Students will be trained in the use of quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis, and based on this, will be required to present a data analytical strategy in their research proposal.

(S2) Problem solving. Students will be required to read a large body of literature in their chosen research topic and derive a specific organisational problem and related theory on which to build their research proposal.

(S3) Communication skills. Students will be required to critically reflect on the theoretical and practical implications of their proposed research, communicate these clearly in the research proposal and present a dissemination strategy for communicating research findings in the individual assignment.

(S4) Organisation skills. Students will be working under strict deadlines to develop and refine a specific research question that makes a contribution to the discipline of organisational psychology.

(S5) Digital fluency. Students will be required to effectively navigate and utilise various electronic databases in order to conduct a comprehensive literature search on their chosen research topic.

(S6) Ethical awareness. Students will be required to understand the both the University of Liverpool code of research ethics, as well as the BPS Code of Research Ethics, and apply these frameworks appropriately to the planning of their research proposal. Ethical awareness will also be directly assessed in the individual assignment.

Hybrid delivery, with social distancing on campus.

1 hour online asynchronous learning per week x 6 weeks
1 hour face-to-face synchronous lecture per week x 6 weeks
2 hour face-to-face seminar every week x 6 weeks
1 hour face-to-face peer-to-peer learning every week (unscheduled) x 6 weeks
Self-directed learning x 120 hours

Students will use self-directed learning hours to engage in the following activities: development of research proposal through wider self-directed reading, meetings with supervisor, key and recommended reading, consolidation of lecture and seminar topics, individual assignment preparation, use of online resources (e.g., videos, podcasts) to support learning.

Module content will be directly informed by the latest version of the BPS’s latest ‘Supplementary Guidelines for Research and Research Methods’, and, therefore, may be subject to change. The module will comprise the following indicative content:

Philosophical principles of social science research;

Identifying a research problem;

Refining your research focus and conducting a literature review;

Quantitative research design and methodology;

Quantitative data analysis (e.g., structural equation modelling, multi-level analysis);

Qualitative research design and methodology;

Qualitative data analysis (e.g., grounded theory analysis);

Research ethics;

Preparing a research proposal;

Practical skills workshops on qualitative and quantitative data analysis in NVivo and SPSS.

The University Library will also deliver an online dedicated practical skills session on how to conduct a literatur e search using a range of Library resources.