The Science of the mind

Tutor-marked assignment TMA02

This publication forms part of the Open University module SDK228 The science of the mind: investigating mental health. Details of this and other Open University modules can be obtained from the Student Registration and Enquiry Service, The Open University, PO Box 197, Milton Keynes MK7 6BJ, United Kingdom (tel. +44 (0)845 300 60 90; email general-enquiries@open.ac.uk).
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The Open University,
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First published 2015
Copyright © 2015 The Open University
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Contents
• Tutor-marked assignment TMA02
• Question 1
• Question 2

Tutor-marked assignment TMA02
Cut-off date: Thursday 28 January 2016
Covering: Books 1 and 2 and the associated activities and Research Methods Strand Part 2
General advice for submitting your TMAs
Your TMAs should be submitted through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties that prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
The eTMA system allows you to submit your TMA directly to the University 24 hours a day, and on submission gives you either confirmation that your TMA has been submitted successfully or, if there has been a problem, an error message informing you of the problem and what steps you can take to overcome it.
All the information that you need in order to submit your assignments can be found in the Assessment area of the SDK228 website.
Learning outcomes
The following module learning outcomes are assessed in TMA02:
Knowledge and understanding
KU2 The structure and function of major systems and organs within the body and their association with mental health, disease, disorder, dysfunction and pathology.
Cognitive skills
CS1 Demonstrate the ability to use your knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to mental health and ill health in defined contexts.
CS3 Analyse, interpret, synthesise and summarise simple data and information appropriately.
CS4 Show that you can recognise different lines of evidence and appreciate the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of current knowledge in defined areas of mental health and ill-health.
Key skills
KS1 Locate, retrieve and respond to a variety of information sources (e.g. textual, numerical, graphical and computer-based) in defined contexts.
KS2 Communicate information accurately and effectively using written, visual and numerical forms in a style that suits purpose and audience.
Question 1
This question carries 60% of the marks for this assignment and assesses module learning outcomes KU5, CS3, KS1 and KS2. This question relates to the Research Methods Strand Part 2 ‘Understanding Experimental Design’. The activity associated with this question involves reading and evaluating an article that describes a research study in an aspect of mental health (Khalsa et al., 2009). The article and full instructions for the Research Methods Strand are available from the SDK228 resources page.
What needs to be submitted for your TMA?
For your answer to this question you will need to submit your completed Experimental Design Table for TMA02.
(This table should be completed with reference to the article that you read for Part 2 of the Research Methods Strand (Khalsa et al., 2009) not the article that you read for Part 1 of the Research Methods Strand.)
You should also provide a full reference for the article in the correct format following the OU Harvard Guide. Please see the SDK228 Referencing Guide which provides examples of referencing according to the OU Harvard style. This can be found under the Assessment link on the SDK228 module website.
The word limit for your completed sections of the table is 800 words.
(Please note that the word limit applies to the section of the table that contains your answers, rather than the table as a whole. The reference is not included in the word limit.)
(60 marks)
Question 2
This question carries 40% of the marks for this assignment and assesses module learning outcomes KU2, KU5, CS1, CS4 and KS2. It is relevant to SDK228 Books 1 and 2 and the associated multimedia.
Write and essay entitled ‘The biology of depression’.
Using evidence and examples from SDK228 you should discuss the biological factors that underlie depression. You should start with a brief overview of how neurons communicate with each other and how the biomedical model of mental health may be applied to depression. Then include a detailed examination of the evidence of the biological basis for depression. Remember to cite and critically evaluate studies and findings from the SDK228 module materials that support your statements.
Of the marks available, up to 4 marks can be gained for the content of your introduction and conclusion and your tutor will award up to 8 marks for essay structure (i.e. a clear introduction, conclusion and appropriate paragraph structure), clarity and appropriate referencing. If you are unsure about how to structure your essay or reference your sources, please see the relevant resources on the Skills for OU Study web page and the Library Service’s guidance on the OU Harvard referencing style. You may also like to look at the SDK228 Referencing Guide which provides examples of referencing according to OU Harvard Style and the SDK228 Guide to Effective Assignment Writing. Both of these documents can be found under the Assessment link on the SDK228 module website. (Word limit: 1000 words)
(40 marks)

Research Methods Strand Part 2: Understanding Experimental Design
Full reference for article (3 marks):
In your own words, describe the aim or objective of the study (3 marks)
What was the null hypothesis? (3 marks)

See Book 1, Box 2.1

What was the experimental hypothesis? (3 marks)

See Book 1, Box 2.1
What was the independent variable? (2 marks)

See Book 1, Box 2.1; Book 2, Box 2.2

What were the conditions of the independent variable? (3 marks)

See Book 1, Boxes 2.1 and 2.2; Book 2, Box 2.2

What were the dependent variables and when were they measured? (5 marks)

See Book 1, Box 2.1; Book 2, Box 2.2

Who were the participants of the study and how were they recruited? (4 marks)

See Book 1, Box 2.2

What type of design was used (was it between or within participants)? (2 marks)

See Book 1, Boxes 2.2 and 3.1

What problem might arise using this choice of design? (3 marks)

See Book 1, Boxes 2.2 and 3.1

Is this study a fully randomised controlled trial? Explain your answer (3 marks)

See Book 2, Box 3.3

What demographic data was collected and were there any differences in the demographics of the participants? (4 marks)

See Book 1, Section 4.2.5

Does the study have external validity? Explain your answer (4 marks)

See Book 2, Box 3.1

Are the results reliable? Explain your answer (4 marks)
See Book 1, Section 4.2.4; Book 2, Box 3.1

How are the ‘average difference scores’ calculated in Figure 1 and what descriptive statistics are used in the presentation of data? (4 marks)

See Book 2, Box 1.3

State two potential confounding variables of the study and explain why they could be confounding (6 marks)
See Book 2, Box 2.2

Suggest one potential improvement to this study and explain why this would be an improvement (4 marks)

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