Overview

The practice of behaviour analysis must be ethical, effective, and based on evidence. In this module, students will learn about methodologies to evaluate their practice and research. We will consider experimental methodologies such as single-subject and group designs. We will discuss case studies, qualitative methodologies, and efficacy studies that can inform practice. Students will learn the tools they need to evaluate their own practice and to consider how published research may relate to their own practice.

In this module the students will cover the content from the UK-SBA curriculum on research methods, design, and interpretation.

The module will be broken into four units: Measuring Behaviour, Single Subject Design and Graphing, Case Studies, Focus Groups, and Group Designs, and Research Design and Ethics

Assessment Strategy

You must achieve a threshold of 50% to pass this module. Please see below for guidance on what you must demonstrate in your work to achieve different levels of performance.

Excellent (A*, A+, A, A-) • Ethical and compresulting in positive development of behaviour science with children and young people (safe practice) • Comprehensive knowledge synthesised with applied understanding of counselling with children and young people • Detailed understanding of theory with no factual errors • Critical analysis showing evaluation and synthesis of ideas • Novel and innovative originality in approach, interpretation, and voice • Extensive and comprehensive independent research • Logically defended arguments with evidence for all claims • Highly focused and well structured • Excellent presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Correct format in appropriate referencing style

Good (B+, B, B-) • Honest and considered reflection resulting in positive development of counselling skills with children and young people (safe practice) • Strong knowledge alongside applied understanding of counselling with children and young people • Clear understanding of theory and mostly free of factual errors • Some analysis showing critical evaluation and links between ideas • Novel originality in approach, interpretation, and voice • Considerable independent research from appropriate sources • Coherent arguments with evidence for most claims • Focused and well structured • Clear presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Mostly correct format in appropriate referencing style

Threshold (C+, C, C-) • Honest reflection resulting in some positive development of counselling skills with children and young people (safe practice) • Some knowledge of counselling and applied understanding of counselling with children and young people • Understanding the main theoretical concepts with no major factual errors • Basic analysis showing obvious points of evaluation and links between ideas • Some originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice for part of the work • Some independent research from appropriate sources • Arguments presented with evidence for the most important claims • Readable structure showing focus at times • Acceptable presentation with appropriate expression • Attempt at correct format in appropriate referencing style with no major errors

If you do not meet the threshold, then your work will be graded as a Fail (less than 50%). Fail grades vary from Poor (D+, D, D-, E+, E, E-) to Very Poor (F).

Learning Outcomes

• Critically evaluate the ethical issues that are presented in research.

• Describe and critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of case studies, qualitative research, systematic and meta-analysis and group design research.

• Describe and graph single-subject research designs including multiple baseline, changing criterion, alternating treatments, and reversal designs.

• Systematically describe a variety of ways to measure behaviour. Determine the ideal measurement strategy in different contexts.