Developing Skills Revision

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Questions and Answers

What is emphasized as a critical activity for success in a degree program?

Participating in group projects

Completing assignments on time

Reading (correct)

Attending all social events

What is mentioned as a common feeling associated with reading for university?

It enhances memory retention significantly.

It encourages socialization with peers.

It can feel unproductive and painful. (correct)

It is always enjoyable and engaging.

What role does practice play in the skill of reading?

Practice is relevant only for writing assignments.

Practice helps in memorizing texts verbatim.

Practice is unnecessary if one can skim through texts.

Practice contributes to learning how to read effectively. (correct)

What is one reason given for attending lectures?

Attendance is taken, and lectures may be recorded. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What can students expect regarding the availability of lecture slides?

Slides will be available at least one working day before the lecture. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the maximum extension length you can request in exceptional circumstances?

15 working days (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following circumstances could justify requesting an extension?

Exacerbation of a disability (A) Signup and view all the answers

How much notice is required to consider a request for an extension?

At least 24 hours (C) Signup and view all the answers

Where can you find the form to apply for an extension?

LES wellbeing canvas page (B) Signup and view all the answers

For which of these support options is supporting evidence NOT required?

Mental Health Support Line (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the time frame for receiving a notification of the outcome after submitting an extension request?

5 working days (B) Signup and view all the answers

What type of support does the Pause@UOB service offer?

Virtual, phone, and face-to-face support (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about extenuating circumstances is false?

Requests should generally be made after the deadline. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main responsibilities of a personal tutor?

Monitoring student progress through individual meetings (D) Signup and view all the answers

How should students prepare for their sessions with personal tutors?

Come prepared and willing to engage in activities (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key element that underpins a positive relationship between students and tutors?

Openness and acceptance in discussions (D) Signup and view all the answers

What can personal tutors provide at the end of a student's degree?

References including a rating of various skills (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is expected from students regarding tutorial attendance?

Students should email their tutors if they cannot attend (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is NOT typically mentioned in tutors' references?

Skills in financial management (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of personal tutoring in student success?

It fosters relationships between staff and students (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the expectation for personal tutors regarding communication with students?

They should be a link between welfare and the school (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which quality is NOT associated with scientific writing?

Subjectivity (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary focuses during the report writing module?

Generic report marking criteria (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is included in the proposed structure of a scientific report?

Basic sections of a report (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of scientific writing involves minimizing external variables?

Controlled laboratory settings (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) assess?

Depressive symptoms (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is emphasized regarding participants in a study?

Their demographic details (A) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of writing skills, what is the importance of the Academic Skills Centre?

To enhance academic support for students (D) Signup and view all the answers

When is the Week 05 Essay Writing Workshop scheduled?

January 2025 (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of causal inference in psychology?

Determining what mental activities cause behavior (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is causal inference challenging to establish?

Ethical concerns may limit experimentation (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements is not one of the key features of a controlled experiment?

Participant choice in treatment (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does stimulation of the hippocampus relate to in cognitive behavior therapy?

Formation of episodic memories (C) Signup and view all the answers

What primary outcome is often compared in causal inference studies related to CBT?

Decline in anxiety reports (A) Signup and view all the answers

In neuroscience, what aspect of the brain is primarily connected to behavior through causal inference?

Brain structure and cognitive processes (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between correlation and causation?

Correlation does not necessarily mean causation. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to establish mechanisms in causal inference?

To gain insights into how phenomena occur (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary aim of a research report?

To describe an experiment and communicate results (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which section of a research report introduces the research problem or question?

Introduction (D) Signup and view all the answers

What should be emphasized in the literature review of a research report's introduction?

Methodological issues and major conclusions from current knowledge (C) Signup and view all the answers

In what section should the rationale for the study be presented?

Introduction (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the 'Method' section of a research report primarily describe?

The experiment and how it was performed (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for a smooth transition from the Introduction to the Method section?

A brief overview and rationale for the study (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is included in the marking criteria for research reports?

Overall comments and use of language (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which section of the research report focuses on the significance of findings and theories associated with the results?

Discussion (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of background should be provided in the Introduction?

Theoretical concepts and scientific rationale (D) Signup and view all the answers

What aspect should not be included in the literature review of a research report's Introduction?

Personal opinions on the problem (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Tutor Information

Dr Hannah Heath is the Senior Year Tutor
Email: [email protected]
Responsibilities include the tutorial system
Involvement in EC discussions, registration queries, and EC panels
Acts as a further point of contact between the school and students
Acts as a link between welfare and the school
Monitors attendance

Expectations

Students are expected to be prepared and willing to participate in sessions
The sessions are a space to explore areas of interest in Psychology
Attendance is expected at all sessions, and students need to inform their tutor if they're unable to attend.

Tutoring and Success

Personal tutoring is essential for supporting student success and retention.
Tutors help build relationships between staff and students, guiding them in their studies.
Tutors act as points of contact for other university services.
Open discussion and acceptance are crucial to a positive tutor-student relationship.

Tutorial Attendance and References

Students will be asked to provide references at the end (or sometimes during) their degree.
Tutors are often the first point of contact for this.
Tutors comment on students' abilities to work in teams, communication skills, attendance, preparedness, honesty, integrity, and achievement.
Tutors can provide detailed tailored references if students engage well.

Group Tutorials

Regular in-person group meetings with tutors
Opportunity to get to know peers and the tutor
Designed to support learning
Themed sessions (with some flexibility)
Attendance is expected and monitored
Students are encouraged to be actively involved.

Individual Progress Meetings

Meetings are 15 to 20 minutes long
Meetings occur with a personal tutor
Students should check their academic email entry and signposts
Topics to discuss during meetings include academic progress, support needs, and curriculum areas of interest.
Information about University support and career guidance is provided.
Discussions on progress review quizzes are included.

School of Psychology Handbook

A handbook is the primary source for program information
It acts as a central location for information and updates.
Students should confirm receipt of the handbook.

Feedback

Feedback is offered via written feedback, completed rubrics, grades and whole cohort feedback.
Feedback from staff during teaching sessions (1-2-1) and feedback tutorials.
Tutors support students in understanding and working with their feedback.
Tutor feedback on written work and the feedback process itself.
Resources like Academic Skills Centre, providing academic skill, digital, and mathematical support, aid independent learning.

Attendance

Students need to attend scheduled classes.
Non-attendance can result in due diligence processes or course withdrawal.
Tutors monitor attendance at in-person sessions (lectures, workshops, seminars.)

College Wellbeing Support

All students have access to wellbeing support through various avenues.
Support services include personal tutors, college wellbeing officers, and wider university support services.
Psychology Wellbeing Officers (like Chantelle Ratcliffe) provide support to all students in the School of Psychology.

College Wellbeing Officers

They provide a supportive, accessible, and safe environment.
They offer confidential and impartial advice.
They coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and long-term conditions.

Contact Details

Chantelle Ratcliffe (relevant contact)
Email: [email protected]
Available via email from 9am - 5pm on weekdays, typically responding in ~2 business days.
Support services (like LES Wellbeing Support Service at bham.ac.uk)

Other Support Sources

Student Wellbeing Support Line for 24/7 access to emotional and mental health support
Information is available online about other services, including the Pause@UOB virtual/in person drop-in sessions.
Additional support from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team for students in Birmingham (including registering for personalized support)

Extensions or Extenuating Circumstances (EC)

Extensions can be applied for before the assessment deadline.
Extenuating circumstances (EC) are used to request additional time on assessments that cannot be extended.
Such requests for additional time should be made before the deadline wherever possible.

Extensions (Length)

Short explanations are required for extensions.
5 working days – is suitable with supporting evidence.
10 working days – is suitable with supporting evidence
15 working days – only for exceptional cases.

Extenuation Circumstances (EC)

The process is for deferring assessments that cannot be extended (e.g., class tests).
This may lead to a decision about progressing in the academic year.
Students should be advised of circumstances impacting their performance; these will be considered when assessing their progress.
Support is available on the university's wellbeing services page for requesting this and more.
Any request needs to be made well in advance.

Evidence for Extensions and ECS

Evidence for extensions and extenuating circumstances must be provided with all requests
Examples include GP letters, death certificates, and police reports.

Reasonable Adjustment Plans (RAP)

The university supports students with disabilities through RAPs
A disability is any condition significantly affecting daily activities
The RAP process is facilitated using university services, including relevant medical certificates.

Learning Objectives and Lectures

Learning objectives for the module include: differences between essay and other written assignment styles, discussion of essay structure components, discussion of the School's generic marking criteria, examples of essays, and essay structure.
The module overview includes a pre-lecture recap and essay writing information, as well as the school's marking criteria for essays, the Psychology modules' essay requirements, and essay structure.

Descriptive vs Critical Analytical Writing

Descriptive writing: states what happened, states something is like, provides the story so far, outlines the steps or order of events, lists main elements of a theory, lists details, lists in any order, etc
Critical analytical writing: identifies significance, weights one piece of information against another, evaluates strengths and weaknesses, reasons judgments, argues a case according to the evidence, identifies if something is relevant, etc.

Marking: Analysis

The essay demonstrates subject analysis, using psychological and neuroscientific ideas and concepts.
The essay shows critical thinking skills, providing explanations for the issues raised by the question.

Essay Structure

The structure of the essay should enable the argument and discussions to be expressed clearly and coherently
Students should introduce the aim of the essay clearly
The conclusions should follow logically from main points in the essay and be fully justified
The titles of essays should match and be reflected by the essay content.

Essay Title Analysis

The structure used should be coherent in argument flow and discussion.
A typical format for an essay is to use processes like Criticizing, Evaluating, Justifying, Comping, and Contrasting.

Essay and Mark Criteria

Knowledge and understanding
Analysis
Reading and referencing
Essay structure
Use of language
Use of Generative Al

Essay Assessments on Psychology Modules

Essay requirements for differing modules (LC, LI, LH).
Example essay types in different sections of the Psychology modules.

How to Write an Essay: Structure

Basic organization
Title, Introduction, Main Body (organized into paragraphs with argumentation), Conclusion, and References

Thinking About Chance in Exams

Applying Guess Corrections

Methods for adjusting MCQ scores to account for guesswork in multiple-choice exams
The number of "correct" answers by chance is subtracted from the maximum possible score, then reported as a percentage to adjust for chance.

Probability and Statistical Evidence

Probability is the likelihood of an event occurring
Null Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST) is used to calculate how frequently results might occur by chance alone
Sample size has an impact on whether a difference between groups is statistically significant.

Effect sizes

Effect sizes are independent of sample size.
Effect size is the magnitude of a significant difference.

Causation and Correlation

Correlation does not imply causation
Causation can imply correlation
Research designs including observational studies, experiments, and quasi-experiments are used to infer causality.

Experiments and RCTs

Causal Inference

Causal inference seeks to understand cause-and-effect relationships
Establishing causality is often complex and requires careful consideration about confounds, mediators, and colliders.

Open Science Practices

Examples of poor scientific practices (p-hacking, HARKing), followed by examples of how to improve (open data, open resources, open code)

Discovery and Translational Science

Discovery science examines fundamental principles/mechanisms
Translational science applies basic research to real-world problems

Institute of Mental Health

The Institute's research areas include youth mental health, prevention, intervention, healthy lifestyles, mental wellbeing, suicide and self-harm prevention.
They study global mental health.

Centre for Crime, Justice and Policing

Research focuses on the reliability of crime linkage methods.
This work has international implications.

Prof. Caroline Richards

Research involves neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and rare syndromes including Fragile X and Cornelia de Lange.
They focus on understanding factors contributing to sleep issues and problem behaviours for neurodevelopmental children.

Dr Davinia Fernández-Espejo & Dr Damian Cruse

Their research area is on the possibility of communication in the Vegetative State through brain imaging techniques

Assessment (Developing Skills Exams)

The assessment method is a multiple-choice question (MCQ) exam occurring after the Christmas break.

Note-taking

Our Learning Approach

The teaching and module design in the School of Psychology draw on both traditional and "flipped" classroom techniques

Our Modules on Canvas/Resources Lists

The modules on the Canvas resource lists contain the materials for reading, lectures, resources and more.

University of Birmingham Graduate Attributes

Includes points about future-focused, intellectually curious, and practical wisdom qualities.

Careers Network

Provides individual advice and guidance on career paths.
Provides opportunity for work experience, internships and mentoring.
Offers graduate opportunities, like the Birmingham Award and Birmingham Project.

Academic Integrity - General

Academic integrity is a set of standards that ensure honest, fair, and original work at a university level.
Cheating on assignments should be avoided, and understanding the boundaries of acceptable collaboration are important.
Plagiarism and self-plagiarism are forms of academic misconduct.

Academic Integrity - Specific Cases & Advice

Instances of text overlap can result in academic integrity issues.
Turnitin is used for checking work overlap
Lecturers and staff can help students if they have problems or are unsure.
Advice about working with materials and paraphrasing is offered
Avoidance of self-plagiarism and other ethical issues

Feedback and Cover Sheets

A cover sheet should be completed by the students to explain in 60 words how the student has used feedback from previous work, or how they want to use it, and in 60 words on what they would particularly like feedback on.

Critical Analysis

Critical analysis is an important part of how students will approach their assignments.
Critical analysis means evaluating statements, testing ideas, and seeking support through evidence.

Chance and Statistical Evidence

Chance and randomness are concepts psychologists should engage with in understanding statistical evidence, especially in how sample size affects interpretations
Effect sizes can provide additional insight
Correlation does not equal causality

Research Reports and Critical Analysis

Understanding the types of data reported by experiments (like randomized controlled trials)
Understanding how different types of research design help, or hinder, cause-and-effect conclusions
Understanding the role of variables (independent, dependent, confounding, mediating, and collider variables).

Research Methods/Knowledge and Translational Science

Discussion of how research and knowledge is developed; and applied throughout courses

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on essential strategies for succeeding in a university degree program. This quiz covers topics such as reading skills, lecture attendance, extension requests, and support services available to students. Prepare yourself for academic challenges with insights into essential university practices.