Quantitative Research Methods

Module Identifier: PS21310
Module Title: Quantitative Research Methods
Academic Year: 2026/2027
Semester: Semester 1
Co-ordinator: Dr Victoria Wright
Reading List: View on Aspire
Pre-Requisite: PS11320 or SC11320
Other Staff: Dr Rachel Rahman; Dr Ian Hume; Dr Jason Bush; Dr Gil Greengross; Dr Saffron Passam; Miss Alexandra Brookes; Dr Catherine O'Hanlon; Mr David Dalley; Dr Victoria Wright; Dr Alexander Taylor; Professor Charles Musselwhite; Dr Valerie Todd; Dr Simon Payne

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Research report: 2000 Words	70%
Semester Assessment	Quiz: 0.5 Hours	30%
Supplementary Assessment	Research report: asking questions of the same theoretical and statistical type asked in the Workbook 2000 Words	70%
Supplementary Assessment	Quiz: 0.5 Hours If students fail the module overall, failed components must be re-sat or determined	30%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Collect quantitative data using appropriate tools, methods or techniques
Select and apply appropriate statistical analyses to datasets
Select and apply knowledge of appropriate research designs in order to address research questions
Draw conclusions from the outcomes of statistical analyses
Communicate clearly the results of statistical analyses
Demonstrate the ability to work in an ethical manner

Brief description

Building on skills and understanding developed in your first year of study, this module will enable you to develop further practical skills in developing quantitative research questions and designs, and selecting and applying appropriate forms of statistical analysis to address research questions of psychological interest.

Content

Principles, philosophy and ethics in quantitative research
Exploring data: Measurement, types of variables, scales, measurement and statistical error, distribution, statistical assumptions, reliability and validity
Exploring relationships and predicting variables: Correlation, simple linear regression, multiple regression
Exploring differences between groups/conditions: Between-subjects, within-subjects, mixed and factorial designs
Exploring categorical data

Module skills

Skills type	Skills details
Application of Number	A primary focus of this module is on developing further statistical literacy within the psychological sphere. Students will do this by running, reporting and interpreting a range of statistical analyses.
Communication	Students will develop skills in communicating the results of statistical analyses.
Improving own Learning and Performance	Practicals afford students will the opportunity to check their application of knowledge of statistical tests to psychological data. Students will be able to monitor their own performance by making use of self-check resources to guide their development.
Information Technology	Students will develop further skills in using specialist software to review, model and analyse numerical data.
Personal Development and Career planning	This module develops employability by supporting students in further developing research, analytical and report-writing skills.
Problem solving	Students will learn to solve practical research design and analysis problems. Emphasis will be placed on operationalising research designs and selecting appropriate forms of analysis.
Research skills	Students will build on their research skills by showing they are able to work ethically, choose appropriate research data collection and analysis tools.
Subject Specific Skills	Students will build skills, knowledge and understanding in a set of core quantitative research tools, methods, techniques and analyses.
Team work	Students may work together to design and run a small scale study on psychological phenomena.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5