Cognitive Psychology - Pre-Lab Notes

Pre-lab and Tutorial Overview

  • Tutorials are split into two components:
    • Pre-lab didactic component (this video)
    • Live on-campus tutorial at your scheduled class time (interactive)
  • Purpose of tutorials:
    • Deepen understanding of concepts from lectures
    • Prepare for major assessments (e.g., lab report)
    • Provide opportunities to interact with your tutor and peers
  • Pre-lab videos provide background or necessary theoretical foundation to understand interactive content or lab report prep
  • Live on-campus tutorials are activity- and discussion-based and build on pre-lab content
  • Watch the pre-lab video before attending in-person tutorials to be adequately prepared

Tutorial Schedule and Attendance

  • Tutorials run in weeks: 2,4,6,8,10,122, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  • First three classes focus on the lab report
    • Week 2: opportunity to participate in the lab report experiment
    • Week 4: continued focus on the lab report experiment
    • Week 6: data analysis of the lab 1 experiment
  • Weeks 8 and 10: aligned with lecture content on attention and memory; include experimental demos
  • Week 12: final class – prerecorded group presentations with a live Q&A component
  • Attendance hurdle: 56\frac{5}{6} of tutorials (80% requirement)
    • At least five out of six tutorials must be attended
  • If you cannot attend your usual class:
    • You may request a one-off temporary lab transfer via an online form on the subject LMS
    • One lab transfer per semester without supporting documentation
    • Transfers are more likely to be available earlier in the week; capacity limits apply
    • If you know in advance you cannot attend, transfer earlier and give notice
  • Absence due to illness:
    • Provide a medical certificate to have one absence excused
    • If feeling well, consider transferring to another class later in the week if possible
    • Otherwise, work through the tutorial materials independently when slides are released

Attendance, punctuality, and communication

  • Arrive on time, prepared, and ready to learn; important due to substantial content
  • If you arrive late, check with your tutor to confirm you’ve been marked present
  • If substantially late, you may have missed too much and might not be marked as present
  • If marked absent, you may request a temporary lab transfer per policy
  • Tutor communications:
    • Tutors may take up to three business days to respond to emails
    • Tutors respond during university working hours; weekends are not available

What to Expect in the Lab and How to Prepare

  • Focus of the pre-lab and tutorials is to prepare you for writing a lab report and understanding cognitive theory
  • Lab report writing resources are available on the subject LMS and include:
    • The Psychology Student's Guide to Writing a Lab Report
    • Writing a Lab Report in Psychology Guide
    • Assessment Literacy Module (not a hurdle requirement)
  • Review these resources even if you have written lab reports before; they’re especially helpful for beginners
  • The lab report teaches you to record and communicate scientific knowledge in an organized way
  • Reading journal articles and writing lab reports develop skills for understanding literature and communicating it
  • A lab report tells the story of your research; each section has a role in the overall narrative

Lab Report Structure and Section Roles

  • Standard sections of a lab report:
    • Title and Abstract
    • Introduction
    • Method (some parts provided; some must be filled by you; discussed further in tutorials)
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • References
  • The goal: sections should flow cohesively from Introduction through Discussion
  • Introduction structure:
    • Introduce the topic and outline its importance; set the scene for the review
    • Review relevant literature (breadth and depth essential)
    • Describe studies similar to yours to provide points of comparison
    • Identify theories relevant to motivating your study
    • Build a rationale and identify a gap the study addresses
    • Lead into introducing the study, its aims, and hypotheses
  • Literature review and research rationale:
    • Build a rationale for the study based on identified gaps or issues
    • Use the review to justify the study and contextualize the approach
    • Consider a balance between breadth (various relevant studies) and depth (key studies with essential features)
  • How to choose what to include in the introduction:
    • Start with a flowchart-like decision process:
    • Does the paper describe a theory your study tests or is based on? If yes, include
    • Will the paper help explain a key concept or build the rationale? Include
    • If a controversy exists, consider including if it helps the narrative
    • If the design is based on only one theory, consider saving alternate theories for the discussion
    • It’s acceptable to mention studies in the discussion if they aren’t essential for motivating the study
    • Can you use the theory to derive hypotheses? If so, include
    • Can you interpret findings with reference to the theory? If so, include
    • If not crucial to motivate the study, it may be better to omit
  • Planning the literature review:
    • Ask: Should I discuss this paper in my introduction?
    • Use starting references and look both backwards (references) and forwards (who cites these references)
    • Respect classics (seminal studies) and be aware of state-of-the-art findings
    • Narrow focus to key papers and findings that motivate your research question; avoid tangents
    • Background provided in tutorials may not all be needed in the lab report; prioritize relevance
  • Introducing your study and aims:
    • Aims should flow from the literature review and address identified gaps or issues
    • Example framework: flag a gap, explain how your study will address it, and outline the approach
    • Practical example structure: "This study aims to test the generality of findings by replicating the experiment across other stimuli dimensions…" (include how you will achieve the aim)
  • Hypotheses:
    • Should follow the aims and be specific and testable
    • Operationalize the independent variable clearly (what you manipulate or compare)
    • Example operationalization:
    • We expect Group A to lift heavier weights than Group B, operationalized as the mean weight lifted: Xˉ<em>A>Xˉ</em>B\bar{X}<em>A > \bar{X}</em>B or equivalently $\muA > \muB in the population means

Citing and Referencing in APA 7

  • Use APA 7 style for in-text citations and reference lists
  • The APA website provides guidance; the university also offers an APA 7 guide
  • Reference management software is optional; ensure output is accurate
  • Regardless of tool, the input quality determines accuracy; always verify
  • When using databases (Google Scholar, library databases):
    • Use the cite tool to generate references, but verify formatting and details
    • Common issues: missing page ranges, missing DOIs, journal titles not in title case
    • Example corrections:
    • Journal title and formatting should be in title case (e.g., Psychological Bulletin)
  • Library databases: use Cite → APA; verify page ranges and DOI; adjust journal title format if needed
  • Always double-check citations and references for APA compliance

What Should You Do Next? Practical Steps

  • Participate in the lab report experiment and engage with the process
  • Review materials as they become available on the LMS
  • Use lab report writing resources and the FAQ
  • Tutorial slides review at the end of the tutorial week
  • Expect a lab report template with the methods section and the lab report marking criteria around week 3
  • Start planning your lab report introduction early; integrate cognitive theory while participating in the experiment
  • Consider how the laboratory activity and readings inform your introduction and rationale

Final Thoughts and Real-world Context

  • The pre-lab video provides necessary background and theoretical foundations
  • The live tutorial emphasizes activity, discussion, and applying theory to the lab report
  • Writing a lab report develops skills in reading literature, communicating scientific findings, and telling the study's story
  • The course emphasizes alignment with cognitive theory and psychology lab practices
  • You will have access to resources designed to improve assessment literacy and lab-report writing proficiency

Quick Reference

  • Lab report sections to remember: Title and Abstract; Introduction; Method; Results; Discussion; References
  • Method section: provided in this subject; some parts to fill in during tutorials
  • Introduction should justify the study and connect theory to aims and hypotheses
  • Use APA 7 guidance and verify every reference for accuracy
  • Expect a lab report template and marking criteria by around week 3
  • Plan your introduction as you engage with tutorial content and conduct the experiment