PSY1018 : Psychological Enquiry 1: Academic Skills and Historical Perspectives - An introduction to Psychology
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Billie Moffat-Knox
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Barbara-Anne Robertson
- Lecturer: Dr Sarah Knight, Dr Hannah Roome, Professor Melissa Bateson, Dr John Skelhorn, Dr David Pritchard
- Other Staff: Dr Franziska Hartung
- Owning School: Psychology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Psychological Enquiry 1 is the first in a programme of modules delivered at each stage of the programme. This module serves as an introduction to the study of psychology and has two key aims;
1) Supporting students' development of academic skills, professional skills and psychological literacy
2) Setting the historical context of psychology as a field of study .
In particular, this module supports the transition into the academic environment at University through lectures, workshop sessions and study groups. It provides the historical context of psychology as a discipline across the core domains and allows students to utilise that material in order to drive the development of relevant academic and professional skills and their broader psychological literacy. The module is supported by peer mentors who help support first year students with the transition to academic study.
Outline Of Syllabus
Students will complete six blocks of content, focussing on different areas of historical focus – these will map onto core stage one content.
The historical content will not only support students understanding of the backdrop to modern day psychology but will also serve as a vehicle for the development of core academic and professional skills and the students’ psychological literacy. In particular students will learn about literature searching, reading and summarising research papers, APA referencing, good academic conduct, ethics including British Psychological Society (BPS) code of ethics and conduct, critical thinking and evaluation, presentation skills and essay writing.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 48:00 | 48:00 | Preparation of portfolio submissions and revision and preparation for the final exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Historical content of each of the core areas of focus |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 24:00 | 24:00 | Practice of academic skills developed across the course |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Timetabled mid-semester individual presentations with peer mentor groups |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Study group sessions supported by peer mentors and/or academic staff which focus on portfolio component completion. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Academic and professional skills and psychological literacy development |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Introduction to workshop sessions and key skills |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Developing group work |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Exam Q & A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 81:00 | 81:00 | Background reading to prepare for weekly teaching sessions and post-teaching reading to consolidate learning. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Introduction to the module and broad historical overview |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching for this module will be delivered across 6 blocks across the two semesters. These will be sandwiched between an introductory week; to set expectations for the module, give a broad historical overview and introduce key skills and an exam Q & A to allow for any final exam queries to be answered.
Each block will span 3 weeks, it will include a lecture to cover the historical component of the domain in focus, a workshop to develop the practical skills associated with that block and a small group study session to draw together the lecture and workshop content. These will also allow further study and portfolio submission preparation. The lectures and workshops will be staff led, with the workshops supported by peer mentors. The small group study sessions will be student led supported by academic staff and/or peer mentors dependent on the task.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 100 | Inspera exam - analytical cube analysis of a research article in the form of 6 short answer questions. |
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
| Description | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | M | Skills portfolio (6 exercises): Group video presentation; Abstract with Feedback; Exam Practice Exercise 1 with APA references; Exam Practice Exercise 2 with APA references; Exam Practice Exercise 3 with APA references; Individual Presentation. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The skills portfolio assesses the skill outcomes of the module that students will develop over the course of the module and scaffolds the development of analytical and writing skills for the exam. The skills focus on academic and scientific communication and include literature searching, referencing, plagiarism, critical thinking, presentations, ethics, EDI/social justice, and writing skills.
Students will be encouraged to complete the portfolio components during scheduled workshop sessions, the aim being that students work alongside their mentors and peers to ensure they have practiced the appropriate skills over the course of the module. Students will be required to submit their skills portfolio in semester two. Formative feedback on the portfolio components will be provided by peers, mentors, and/or staff during teaching sessions.
The exam will assess the knowledge outcomes of the module and allow practice of skill outcomes including general writing skills, and critically analysing research and themes in psychology. The exam will also help students develop the skill of writing under exam conditions. The exam will provide students with a seen research paper (1 of 12 possible papers). An analytical cube - a series of 6 short form exam questions, will require students to evaluate the evidence and critically analyse research and themes in psychology within their wider historical, political, and/or social contexts. This format will help to ensure students are assessed across the breadth of content covered in the module.
The module mark is derived from the exam mark. However, students must complete all 6 competencies to pass the portfolio. If they do not pass the portfolio the exam mark will be capped at 40%.
The 6 portfolio components must be completed to pass the module. If the exam or portfolio is deferred, students will complete deferred assessments in the same format during the re-sit period. If the exam is failed, students will re-sit the exam in the same format during the re-sit period.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PSY1018's Timetable