Doing a dissertation in psychology at Liverpool Hope

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Doing a dissertation in psychology at Liverpool
Hope

• Christine Simmonds-Moore Lorna Bourke

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What is a dissertation I

• A 6-8000 word bound document describing a
  research study
• This is a bigger version of the research projects
  which you undertook in your second year
• Abstract, introduction, methodology, results,
  discussion, references, appendix.
• You can have a look at a 21 or first class
  dissertation. There is a database of previous
  dissertations on the desk top of computers in the
  psychology department at Hope Park these may be
  borrowed for one week for 10

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What is a dissertation II

• This year, you will also be taking part in a
  poster conference where you will present your
  research to other third year students and members
  of academic staff

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What does the dissertation give me?

• The dissertation provides specific skills
• Excellent training in undertaking (and managing)
  a research project, for a research job
• Excellent training for masters or PhD study
• Application of statistical knowledge
• Expertise in a particular area of the
  psychological literature

• The dissertation provides general skills
• Time management skills
• Self motivation and independent learning
• Keeping to tight deadlines
• Producing a high quality document
• The ability to summarise information (in the
  abstract)
• The ability to communicate using clear written
  language
• The ability to communicate using clear oral
  language

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Deciding on your area of interest

• Off the top of your head - think about an area
  within psychology that interests you
• Generate several ideas within this area
• Dont worry if they are vague to begin with!
• Read in this area (widely e.g., revisit old
  textbooks and old lecture notes)
• Do a literature search in this area for journal
  articles reflecting specific and recent research

• 4. Think about developing a testable idea that
  adds to the literature
• 5. Decide if this is better assessed by a
  qualitative (interview, diary, etc.) or
  quantitative (statistical) methodology
• Although it feels like very early days, you
  should be thinking now about how you will analyse
  your data in the future

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An example

• I am interested in biological psychology
• In particular sleep
• Step one brainstorm around areas that interest
  you
• Is there a relationship between personality and
  sleep quality/sleep length?
• Do dreams differ according to diet/exercise/geomag
  netism
• N.B you can do something that develops an idea
  you began in one of your research assignments at
  Hope
• Step two read around what has already been
  written
• In books for general background
• In journal articles for specific research
  projects
• Step three think about which member of academic
  staff works in this area
• For biological this would be Keith Morgan, Sue
  Aitken, Minna Lyons or Diane Dutton
• For sleep, this might be Keith Morgan

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Where to start your search

• Library web pages for Hope Park
• http//www.hope.ac.uk/library/Obtaining_Informatio
  n/index.htm
• See what books are available on the topic (both
  physical and electronic)
• Do a search in a journal database (e.g.,
  psycharticles, science direct) for recent
  research on your topic
• For this, you will need to generate some key
  words
• Sometimes you can also find good academic
  articles via google scholar and sites such as
  findarticles.

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Finding a supervisor

• You should find a supervisor who has interests
  similar to your own and expertise in the type of
  methodology you wish to employ
• You should choose a title (or under extenuating
  circumstances come up with your own)
• Make contact with a supervisor - via email or
  telephone to arrange a meeting about your project
• Agree the topic and provisional title for study
• Send your working title and the name of the
  supervisor by email to simmonc_at_hope.ac.uk by 1st
  June, 2007
• Following this date, students will be randomly
  allocated to dissertation supervisors

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The following members of staff are supervising
psychology research projects in 2007-2008

• Dr. Cath Mazuro
• Jane McCagh
• Keith Morgan
• Cathal OSiochru
• Dr. Matthew Smith
• Dr. Sal Watt
• Dr. Carl Williams
• Prof. Michael Ziessler

• Sue Aitken
• Eve Binks
• Dr. Simon Davies
• Dr. Diane Dutton
• Dr. Neil Ferguson
• Dr. Gillian Ferrier
• Laurence Hopkins
• Minna Lyons

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• For dissertation titles offered by staff for
  2007-2008 please see http//hopelive.hope.ac.uk/ps
  ychology/LevelI/Dissertations202007_08/index.htm
• For general information about staff teaching and
  research interests please check the psychology
  website under Staff at http//hopelive.hope.ac.uk
  /psychology/staff/index.htm

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The importance of ethics

• What are ethics?
• See http//hopelive.hope.ac.uk/psychology/LevelH/d
  issertation/ethics.htm
• See also the BPS ethics website
  http//www.bps.org.uk/the-society/ethics-rules-cha
  rter-code-of-conduct/code-of-conduct/code-of-condu
  ct_home.cfm for more details
• If you are planning to work with special groups
  (children, clinical groups) you will need to
  think about ethics and work on gaining permission
  over the summer months
• ALL STUDENTS will need to fill out an ethics form
  and submit this to the deanery office in semester
  one, 2007
• NB. You will not be able to collect data until
  your project has been reviewed by the ethics
  committee

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Dissertation deadlines

• Send a working title of your dissertation to
  Christine Simmonds-Moore by Friday 1st June
  (simmonc_at_hope.ac.uk)
• Semester one
• submit your completed ethics form to the deanery
  office
• Submit your research proposal to the school
  office
• Semester two
• March 2008 mini poster conference
• Post easter holiday hand in date for bound
  dissertation

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Any questions or queries?