Class practicals
Saturday 14 June 2025
Students will complete four practical activities in class: an experiment, an observation, a survey/questionnaire, and an interview. Participation in each practical is mandatory, and these can be designed and led by either the teacher or students. Doubtless, in the first few years, many teachers will want to create and lead the class practicals themselves. However, all students should be engaged in the process. A class practical for each context is included in the InThinking planning for the new curriculum.
Tips for class practicals
Keep it simple
- Whichever context you will be teaching first, focus on that particular class practical method for the last one or two lessons of your introductory research methodology unit. For example, if teaching learning and cognition as your first context, teach the experimental method towards the end of your research methodology introduction. This makes your first class practical easier and more of a practical review of the research method.
- Lead the first practical yourself. If you model how to conduct the practical, students will be better equipped to lead their own later in the course. Use the minimum sample sizes stated in the guide.
- There is no need for students to write details of the results, or list the questions asked in interviews or on questionnaires, although analysis of data must be conducted. The intention of the class practical is to guide students through a critical discussion of each research methodology.
Use backwards planning
The questions on Paper 2 Section A all refer to one of the class practical methods. They ask students to do the
following:
- Describe the research methodology
- Explain one named concept in relation to this methodology
- Compare and contrast this method with another named research methodology
- Design a named methodology to investigate the same topic of the class practical
Students should take notes on each class practical, which will enable them to answer all the questions effectively. Organizing their notes with these questions as headings will prepare them well for this paper.
Provide a template for the description
The class practical does not have to be described and analysed in as much detail as the previous IA. However, students will need to make notes on the following, and you could provide a generic template for them:
- Aim
- Research method - i.e. if an interview, was it structured, semi-structured or focus group?
- Sampling technique
- IV and DV - if an experiment
- Research design - independent samples or repeated measures (if an experiment)
- Procedure, including any controls, interview schedule design, observation schedule or questionnaire design
- Analysis of data - how was it analysed?
FAQs on class practicals
Must students complete four different class practicals, or can two methods be combined in one practical?
- Four different class practicals must be conducted, and none of them should be mixed-methods.
Must class practicals be conducted in lesson time?
- It is expected that they will be. Students may conduct the practical outside of lesson time, provided that the teacher approves the proposal in writing and ensures that informed consent has been obtained. My recommendation is to use lesson time for the practicals, and if necessary, allow the write-ups to be completed outside of lesson time.
Do the questions on Paper 2, Section A all refer to the same class practical method?
- Yes, the method stated in the first question forms the basis for the other questions.
Upcoming post - using practical examples in answering questions
The next blog post will explore how teachers and students can use practical examples, rather than details of research, to answer questions. This seems to be one of the possibilities that is creating some anxiety: when is “anecdotal evidence” acceptable and when is it not, and how can we find good examples from life to illustrate psychological theories and concepts?