Unit rationale, description and aim

The profession of psychology is critical in modern society as psychologists have the professional training and clinical skills to help people learn to cope more effectively with life issues and mental health problems. In order to employ empirically supported assessments and interventions effectively, psychologists need to use and critically evaluate current research. In addition, they need to be competent at using research designs and methods to evaluate client outcomes in their own clinical practice. This unit is therefore designed to help provisional psychologists become competent scientists and practitioners who operate in line with the scientific-practitioner model of evidence based practice.

This unit will focus on a variety of methodological approaches to research. In addition to the principles and procedures governing the use of statistics in clinical research, it will cover qualitative and quantitative research methods research designs including single-case designs and their application to clinical research, and methods to evaluate service delivery.

The aim is to provide students with research and analytic skills to support their own research projects, as well to provide skills to support evidence based practice in their careers as psychologists, including assessing client progress.

2026 10

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Professional Term 6Attendance (Rome)
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance

Prerequisites

Nil

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Explain the integration of the scientist-practitio...

Learning Outcome 01

Explain the integration of the scientist-practitioner model in research and practice within psychology
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11, GC12

Describe key features of successful psychological ...

Learning Outcome 02

Describe key features of successful psychological interventions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in psychological practice.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Analyse research literature to evaluate its releva...

Learning Outcome 03

Analyse research literature to evaluate its relevance and application to psychological practice.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Evaluate interprofessional contributions to eviden...

Learning Outcome 04

Evaluate interprofessional contributions to evidence-based psychological interventions and their impact on service users’ outcomes.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC5, GC6, GC9, GC11

Design a research study relevant to a clinical or ...

Learning Outcome 05

Design a research study relevant to a clinical or applied psychological setting
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC4, GC6, GC9, GC11

Content

Topics will include: 

  • The scientist-practitioner model and evidence-based practice
  • Finding, understanding, collating and critiquing published empirical research findings relevant to psychological interventions
  • Using research to inform delivery of assessment and interventions, including generating evidence to evaluate practices
  • Generating hypotheses and designing studies, including both large and small sample size designs, to test hypotheses regarding the efficacy of interventions and therapeutic programs
  • Using qualitative and quantitative methods and appropriate statistical analyses and interpretation in clinical research
  • Ethics and cultural factors in clinical research

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy for this unit allows students to demonstrate the integration of skills and knowledge acquired throughout their postgraduate studies. All assessments in this unit are graded hurdle tasks because students are completing an APAC accredited postgraduate psychology program with a requirement that all competencies related to the level of study are assessed and confirmed to be met. The written assignment allows the student to demonstrate skills in developing a research question and then systematicly searching of research literature, synthesizing and critically evaluating the research evidence. The videotaped group presentation will develop and assess the students' skills in applying scientific evidence in practice within psychology and in oral communication of the information. This task will also provide an opportunity to demonstrate interprofessional learning and culturally safe health care practices.

To pass this unit, students must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome and pass all assessment tasks. The passing mark for each of the assessment tasks is 50%. If students fail their original submission (i.e., first attempt) they are provided with another opportunity to pass the assessment task (i.e., second attempt). If the student passes the second attempt, the highest mark that they can achieve on that assessment task is 50%.

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1 - Group Presentation The purpo...

Assessment Task 1 - Group Presentation

The purpose of this assignment is to develop and assess skills in the application of research in choosing and evaluating an appropriate psychological treatment for a specific client problem or mental disorder. 

Weighting

Graded Hurdle (20%)

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 2 - Written Assignment Requires ...

Assessment Task 2 - Written Assignment

Requires students to demonstrate capacity to conduct a systematic search and evaluation of psychological research in a specific area.

Weighting

Graded Hurdle (80%)

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit uses an enquiry based learning approach consisting of case-based learning, group activities, and reflective/critical thinking activities, an approach that puts students at the centre of their learning through discussion.. The unit is delivered with two contact hours per week or equivalent in intensive mode. This unit may be offered on-campus, or off-campus in intensive mode for sponsored/special cohorts with learning and teaching strategies equitable with on-campus mode. Off-campus (e.g., off-shore) intensive assessment of this unit will be transparently equitable with on-campus mode offerings as endorsed by the discipline's Course Implementation Committee.  The mode of delivery is designed to enhance discussion and engagement in the content covered in the unit. The lectures/workshops are to aid students with the acquisition and understanding of knowledge, and are designed to enhance application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of that knowledge. This range of strategies will provide students with appropriate access to required knowledge and understanding of unit content, and opportunities for development of competency in evaluating and designing research. These strategies will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

American Psychological Association (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).

Australian Psychological Society (2018). Evidence-based Psychological Intervention in the Treatment of Mental Disorders. A review of the Literature. https://www.psychology.org.au/getmedia/23c6a11b-2600-4e19-9a1d-6ff9c2f26fae/Evidence-based-psych-interventions.pdf

Barker, C., Pistrang, N., & Elliot, R. (2016). Research Methods in Clinical Psychology: An Introduction for Students and Practitioners (3rd Ed). (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 9, 11). John Wiley & Sons

Higgins, J. P., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., Page, M. J., & Welch, V. A. (Eds.). (2019). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. John Wiley & Sons.

Kazdin, A. E. (2024). Research design in clinical psychology (6th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Mewburn, I., Firth, K., & Lehmann, S. (2019). How to fix your academic writing trouble. Open University Press.

Sternberg, R. J., & Sternberg, K. (2016). The Psychologist’s Companion: A Guide to Professional Success for Students, Teachers and Researchers. Cambridge University Press. 

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