Dr Nichola Stuart

Associate Researcher in Psychology

School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health

nstuart@brookes.ac.uk

Role

Nichola has a BA in Philosophy (UCL), BSc in Psychology (Birkbeck), MA in Linguistics (UCL) and PhD in Psycholinguistics (UCL). Nichola started her academic career at UCL before moving to Oxford Brookes in 2013, having also worked for Dyslexia Action. She was a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and the Subject Coordinator for the BSc (Hons) Psychology programme until 2023. Nichola taught on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules, mainly in language and literacy and has an interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, including Dyslexia, Developmental Language Disorder and Developmental Coordination Disorder. Since leaving Oxford Brookes she is continuing to work with Professor Anna Barnett on research projects involving the development and evaluation of assessment tools.

Areas of expertise

Language and literacy development
Developmental assessment

Research

Nichola has a BA (Hons) in Philosophy from University College London, a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from Birkbeck College and a MA in Linguistics and PhD in Psycholinguistics from University College London. Nichola is also a qualified BPS assessor and previously worked for Dyslexia Action. She has an interest in assessment and is working with colleagues on the identification and development of tools to assist practitioners working in Higher Education, mostly recently on the development of the Writing Quality Scale. She also worked with the international test publisher, Hogrefe Ltd. to produce a UK adaptation of The Intelligence and Development Scales - 2nd Edition (IDS-2).

Grants

Research Excellence Award - Written Composition and Typing Speed Assessment Tools (Ref: 1155 - A310207)

Research projects

UK Standardisation of the Intelligence & Development Scales (IDS-2)

Centres and institutes

Centre for Psychological Research (CfPR)

Groups

Publications

Barnett AL, Stuart N, Understanding typing skill in students with developmental disorders
Current Developmental Disorders Reports 11 (2024) pp.63-74 ISSN: 2196-2987 eISSN: 2196-2987 Understanding typing skill in students with developmental disorders Open Access version on RADAR
Stuart N, Zoia S, Biancotto M, Barnett AL, The Handwriting Legibility Scale (HLS): a language and age extension for students with and without Specific Learning Difficulties
Journal of Motor Learning and Development 12 (3) (2024) pp.610-634 ISSN: 2325-3193 eISSN: 2325-3215 The Handwriting Legibility Scale (HLS): a language and age extension for students with and without Specific Learning Difficulties Open Access version on RADAR
Stuart NJ, Barnett AL, Assessing writing skills in Higher Education: speed, legibility, and quality
Patoss Bulletin 36 (1) (2023) pp.68-81 ISSN: 1476-1521 Assessing writing skills in Higher Education: speed, legibility, and quality Open Access version on RADAR
Joyce T, Vanzan S, Stuart N, Barnett A, Inhibition skills in children with developmental coordination disorder
Developmental Neuropsychology 48 (4) (2023) pp.147-161 ISSN: 8756-5641 eISSN: 1532-6942 Inhibition skills in children with developmental coordination disorder Open Access version on RADAR
Stuart NJ, Barnett AL, The Writing Quality Scale (WQS): A new tool to identify writing difficulties in students
British Journal of Special Education 50 (2) (2023) pp.258-267 ISSN: 0952-3383 eISSN: 1467-8578 The Writing Quality Scale (WQS): A new tool to identify writing difficulties in students Open Access version on RADAR
Barnett AL, Joyce T, Vanzan S, Stuart N, The Psychomotor domain of the IDS-2: A new measure of motor performance
Assessment and Development Matters 14 (3) (2022) pp.9-12 ISSN: 2040-4069 eISSN: 2752-8111 The Psychomotor domain of the IDS-2: A new measure of motor performance Open Access version on RADAR
Fogel Y, Stuart N, Joyce T, Barnett AL, Relationships between motor skills and executive functions in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): A systematic review
Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 30 (3) (2021) pp.344-356 ISSN: 1103-8128 eISSN: 1651-2014 Relationships between motor skills and executive functions in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): A systematic review Open Access version on RADAR
Stuart NJ, Connelly V, Dockrell JE, Written verb use and diversity in children with Developmental Language Disorder: Stepping stones to academic writing
Reading and Writing 33 (1) (2019) pp.67-96 ISSN: 0922-4777 eISSN: 1573-0905 Written verb use and diversity in children with Developmental Language Disorder: Stepping stones to academic writing Open Access version on RADAR
Tuomainen O, Stuart NJ, van der Lely H, Phonetic categorisation and cue weighting in adolescents with Specific Language Impairment (SLI)
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics 29 (7) (2015) pp.557-572 ISSN: 0269-9206 eISSN: 1464-5076 Phonetic categorisation and cue weighting in adolescents with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) Open Access version on RADAR
Stuart NJ, van der Lely H, The role of aspect in understanding tense: an investigation with adolescents with SLI
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 50 (2015) pp.187-201 ISSN: 1368-2822 eISSN: 1460-6984
Gallon N, Harris J, Van der Lely H, Non-word repetition: An investigation of phonological complexity in children with Grammatical SLI
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics 21 (6) (2007) pp.435-455 ISSN: 0269-9206 eISSN: 1464-5076

Stuart N, Barnett AL, Writing quality scale (WQS) : HE version. Administration and scoring guide ,
Oxford Brookes University (2024) ISBN: 9781738565405 Writing quality scale (WQS) : HE version. Administration and scoring guide Open Access version on RADAR
Barnett AL, Stuart N, Vanzan S, UK adaptation of the Intelligence and Development Scales - 2nd Edition (IDS-2). Test Development and Interpretation Manual. ,
Hogrefe Ltd. (2021)
Barnett AL, Stuart N, Vanzan S, UK adaptation of the Intelligence and Development Scales - 2nd Edition (IDS-2). Administration and Scoring Manual. ,
Hogrefe Ltd. (2021)

Stuart NJ, Reading Disorders
in Stephen Hupp and Jeremy Jewell (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development, Wiley (2020) Reading Disorders Open Access version on RADAR

Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

CPsychol AFBPsS, British Psychological Society
Fellow, Higher Education Academy
Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing
Included in the British Psychological Society's Register of Qualifications in Test Use