Responsible research methods v2.0: The next generation

Introducing reproducible methods at a grassroots level

Large class sizes

• 2018-19: Approx 450-500 in Level 1 and 250 in Level 2

Teaching rankings

• Top 20 UK and top 50 global tables

High Entry Tariff

• 5 As in Scottish Highers; 3 As in A-level; 38 points in IB

Diverse and high acheiving student body

Staff and Student feedback

• Students suggested repetition between years

• Staff noticed limited understanding of key concepts and issues with handling and visualising data

• Call for us to review our teaching of research methods

• Integrate free and open source data analysis software

• Innovative, taking a wider view of skills

Equipping students to tackle the challenges in our field

Return to focussing students on the question you are answering and the methods you are using

Part of a wider culture shift

Not about finding a significant effect

R is our tool as it fits the skills we want our students to have

You have to be clear on what it is you want from your students or it will be harder to bring them along with you

Use your tools where you can to get better at them!

Practice doesn't make you perfect but it will make you better!

Labs of 2 hours split into

• 1 hour of writing like a Psychologist – includes finding research
• 1 hour of practical data skills

Level 1

• 1 essay per semester on a topic related to Ethos e.g. Open Science

Level 2

• 1st semester: Registered Report type submission
• 2nd semester: Analysis and write-up of Open Database

Moved away from simply teaching a cookbook of inferential statistics

In a 10 week module, do students really need to learn every possible test they might come across?

Focus in the beginning on data management, data wrangling, visualisation, reproducible scripts, probability

Build the basic skills for a solid foundation

As much as possible used realistic data

Getting data into shape is more than half the battle

Focus on becoming confident and competent with data

Moved away from quiet labs with students working on tasks individually

Group work now dominates

Working through tasks with peers as we would

• Students are asking for help but staff refer back to resources on VLE and previous conversations online

• Possible for team to provide support in one forum

Information delivery and timing

• dont't overload too early or leave things hanging

Diversity of skills

• acknowledge that not all students are from the same mould

Student expectations

• of themselves
• of us
• of Psychology