Overview
In this unit you will be introduced to the concept of psychological literacy, which explores the use of psychological science to help solve problems faced by humans in their everyday lives. Psychological literacy encapsulates the graduate attributes that you will acquire through completing an undergraduate degree in psychology, including discipline knowledge, acting ethically, understanding and fostering respect for diversity, problem solving skills, communicating effectively, and being insightful and reflective about one’s own and others’ behaviour. Thus, in this unit, you will develop your psychological literacy by learning how to take the primary principles, theories and knowledge you have learned in PSYC11010 and apply these to a range of real-world contexts at a personal, professional, and societal level.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Corequisite: PSYC11010.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Deputy Dean (Learning and Teaching)
The weekly quizzes (Assessment 1) in this unit are outside of university assessment policy, which stipulates that summative assessment due dates must not occur before the last day of enrolment (i.e., Friday of Week 2). Weekly quizzes should also not overlap with other assessment due dates in the unit.
Restructure Assessment 1 (quizzes) to align with university policy, ensuring none are due prior to the enrolment deadline. Review and adjust assessment due dates to ensure there are no overlapping due dates.
Feedback from Student feedback
Students indicated that they enjoy the variety of lecture content.
Continue to introduce a variety of lecture topics each week to maintain student engagement and interest and provide diverse perspectives on the applied topics in psychology.
Feedback from SUTE qualitative feedback
Students were uncertain as to how the weekly content was relevant to the written assessment and oral presentation assessment tasks, which involved developing and communicating an evidence-based solution to a real-world problem.
Introduce into tutorials a demonstration of the 'Problem - Solution - Impact' structure through an example relevant to each week's content. This approach should help clarify how the lectures, which present applied topics in psychology, enact the problem-solving process they are being asked to use in these assessments as they involve applying psychology research and theory to real-world issues and topics.
- Explain relevant concepts, theories and principles to specific aspects of human behaviour.
- Apply principles of psychological literacy to personal, professional and social issues in real-world scenarios.
- Communicate ideas effectively in oral and written form.
This unit addresses Foundational Competencies as specified by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). The unit specifically aligns to the following APAC graduate competencies:
1.1 Comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach, including the following topics: i. the history and philosophy underpinning the science of psychology and the social, cultural, historical and professional influences on the practice of psychology; ii. individual differences in capacity, behaviour and personality; iv. psychological disorders and evidence-based interventions; v. learning and memory; vi. cognition, language and perception; vii. motivation and emotion; viii. neuroscience and the biological bases of behaviour; ix. lifespan developmental psychology; x. social psychology and xii. research methods and statistics.
1.2 Apply knowledge and skills of psychology in a manner that is reflexive, culturally appropriate and sensitive to the diversity of individuals.
1.3 Analyse and critique theory and research in the discipline of psychology and communicate these in written and oral formats.
1.4 Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate values and ethics in psychology.
1.6 Demonstrate self-directed pursuit of scholarly inquiry in psychology.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 3 - Presentation - 30% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
c.clarke2@cqu.edu.au
c.dittman@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Psychological Literacy
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ethics
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Health Psychology
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sport Psychology
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Positive Psychology
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 Due: Week 5 Wednesday (4 Dec 2024) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Gambling and Addiction
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Perfecting your Pitch
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Marketing and Advertising
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Conservation Psychology
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 Due: Week 9 Wednesday (15 Jan 2025) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Crime, Society, and the Law
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Global Citizenship
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Social Innovation
Chapter
Refer to Moodle website for reading material
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 Due: Exam Week Wednesday (12 Feb 2025) 9:00 am AEST
1 Online Quiz(zes)
Objectives
The quiz questions will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate foundational and critical knowledge of the topics provided. Participation will further illustrate your ability to communicate an understanding of psychological concepts in an objective manner.
Overview
This assessment task comprises three (3) quizzes, each to be completed and submitted online via the PSYC11009 Moodle site. Each quiz contains 20 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 40 minutes. Only one attempt per quiz is permitted.
Details of content and opening and closing dates are detailed below:
Quiz 1 assesses topics 1 to 4. It opens Wednesday of Week 4 at 9.00am (AEST) and closes Wednesday of Week 5 at 9.00am (AEST).
Quiz 2 assesses topics 5 to 8. It opens Wednesday of Week 8 at 9.00am (AEST) and closes Wednesday of Week 9 at 9.00am (AEST).
Quiz 3 assesses topics 9 to 12. It opens Wednesday of Week 12 at 9.00am (AEST) and closes Wednesday of Exam Week at 9.00am (AEST).
3
Other
Quiz 1 closes Wednesday of Week 5 at 9.00am (AEST). Quiz 2 closes Wednesday of Week 9 at 9.00am (AEST). Quiz 3 closes Wednesday of Exam Week at 9.00am (AEST)
Quiz total marks will be returned to students immediately after each quiz is submitted. Feedback for each quiz question will be available after each quiz closes.
Each of the three quizzes is marked out of 20 and contributes equally to the overall quiz component, which constitutes 40% of the total unit grade. Specifically, each quiz is weighted to comprise one-third of the total quiz score.
Your responses to the quiz questions must be your own work. It is not permissible to use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools to assist you with this task.
- Explain relevant concepts, theories and principles to specific aspects of human behaviour.
- Apply principles of psychological literacy to personal, professional and social issues in real-world scenarios.
2 Written Assessment
Objectives
The aim of this written assessment task is to research and identify a possible solution to a real-world scenario. This task will also help you to develop the knowledge base required to complete Assessment 3: Dragons' Den Pitch. Through short answer responses, you will demonstrate your written communication skills and your ability to understand and apply principles of psychological literacy.
Overview
In Week 1, a list of real-world scenarios will be provided on Moodle. You will select one of these scenarios to focus on for both Assessment 2: Written Assessment and Assessment 3: Dragons' Den Pitch (Note: Both Assessment 2 and Assessment 3 must focus on the same topic).
You will be required to identify a possible solution to your chosen real-world scenario. The written assessment should comprise the following four sections: (1) Title; (2) Summary of issue/literature review; (3) Proposed solution; (4) Significance of proposed solution. The written assessment length is 750 (minimum) to 1000 (maximum) words.
Further task details will be available from the Assessment 2 Tile on Moodle and discussed during class lectures.
Week 7 Monday (16 Dec 2024) 9:00 am AEST
Feedback and grades will be released via Moodle approximately 2 weeks after submission.
The following aspects of the written assessment will be marked using a rubric that provides detailed criteria for performance at each grade level. The marking rubric will be available from the Assessment Tile on Moodle.
The written assessment will receive a total mark out of 30 and has an overall weighting of 30%.
- Title (1 mark)
- Summary of issue/literature review (8 marks)
- Proposed solution (8 marks)
- Significance of solution (8 marks)
- Quality of written communication skills, presentation style and adherence to word count (3 marks)
- Adherence to APA (7th ed.) referencing style (2 marks)
Please refer to the Moodle site for guidelines on the permissible uses of Generative AI tools for this assessment task. Note that it is considered plagiarism to directly copy and paste material generated by these tools into your assessments. For guidance on appropriately using Generative AI in assessments, consult the resources developed by the Academic Learning Centre (ALC), including the GenAI Student Resources and Guidelines for Referencing Large Language Models or Artificial Intelligence in Your Assignments. If you have any questions regarding the use of Generative AI and plagiarism, please speak with your unit coordinator or reach out to an ALC advisor.
- Explain relevant concepts, theories and principles to specific aspects of human behaviour.
- Communicate ideas effectively in oral and written form.
3 Presentation
Objectives
This oral presentation task will provide you with an opportunity to deliver a ‘Dragons’ Den-style pitch. You will build on the work you submitted in Assessment 2: Written Assessment, to present a convincing ‘pitch’ outlining your proposed solution to your chosen real-world scenario. This assessment will allow you to demonstrate and refine your oral communication skills to convey information clearly to a general audience.
Overview
In Week 1, a list of real-world scenarios will be provided on Moodle that will relate to topics discussed during lectures in this unit. You will select one of these scenarios to focus on for both Assessment 2: Written Assessment and Assessment 3: Dragons’ Den Pitch (Note: Both Assessment 2 and Assessment 3 must focus on the same topic). A Dragons’ Den pitch typically aims to convince an investor to support a project. The goal for this assessment is to convince a general audience that the solution you have proposed for your chosen real-world scenario is feasible, helpful, and worth supporting.
You will use and build on the information and knowledge gained from Assessment 2: Written Assessment to develop and deliver a 3 to 5-minute pitch. The presentation should include a 1x PowerPoint slide with 6-8 bullet points, using 20-point font, as a visual aid to support you during the presentation.
The oral presentation should be recorded and saved in .MP4 format. Zoom is usually the most efficient and compact recording method. Because of the limited allowable file size in Moodle (100 MB), please use CQUniversity's ECHO360 system to upload your video by following these instructions: https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=3340315&forceview=1
You will also be required to prepare a written reflection on your experience completing the Dragons’ Den Pitch. The reflection should be 200 (minimum) to 250 (maximum) words.
Further task details will be available from the Assessment 3 Tile on Moodle and discussed during class.
Week 11 Monday (27 Jan 2025) 9:00 am AEST
Feedback and grades will be released via Moodle approximately 2 weeks after submission.
The following aspects of the presentation will be marked using a rubric that provides detailed criteria for performance. The marking rubric will be available from the Assessment Tile on Moodle .
The presentation will receive a total mark out of 30 and has an overall weighting of 30%.
- Presentation skills (5 marks)
- Knowledge base (5 marks)
- Structure and flow (5 marks)
- Creativity in pitch delivery (5 marks)
- Overall success of the pitch (3 marks)
- Adherence to allocated time (2 marks)
- Reflection (5 marks)
Please refer to the Moodle site for guidelines on the permissible uses of Generative AI tools for this assessment task. Note that it is considered plagiarism to directly copy and paste material generated by these tools into your assessments. For guidance on appropriately using Generative AI in assessments, consult the resources developed by the Academic Learning Centre (ALC), including the GenAI Student Resources and Guidelines for Referencing Large Language Models or Artificial Intelligence in Your Assignments. If you have any questions regarding the use of Generative AI and plagiarism, please speak with your unit coordinator or reach out to an ALC advisor.
- Apply principles of psychological literacy to personal, professional and social issues in real-world scenarios.
- Communicate ideas effectively in oral and written form.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
