Applied Research Methods
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36 Hours
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning.
Prerequisites
75 credit points
Anti-requisites: Completed unit similar in content.
Assumed knowledge
Skills consistent with an undergraduate qualification in an ICT field.
Aims and objectives
To prepare students for ICT research in non-academic contexts such as legal, government, commercial and software production environments.
Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO)
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Describe the practices used in real-world research including legal, commercial and ethical frameworks.
2. Describe the characteristic features of real-world research methods and debate their relative merits.
3. Compare, evaluate and select suitable research methods appropriate to a body of research.
4. Make decisions based on social, culture and ethical issues and understand the values expounded in professional practices in diverse contexts.
5. Research the literature, and compare viewpoints and arguments and identify gaps in knowledge.
6. Interpret and critically evaluate previously published material in a formal literature review.
Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO)
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Describe the practices used in real-world research including legal, commercial and ethical frameworks.
2. Describe the characteristic features of real-world research methods and debate their relative merits.
3. Compare, evaluate and select suitable research methods appropriate to a body of research.
4. Make decisions based on social, culture and ethical issues and understand the values expounded in professional practices in diverse contexts.
5. Research the literature, and compare viewpoints and arguments and identify gaps in knowledge.
6. Interpret and critically evaluate previously published material in a formal literature review.
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
*Scheduled face to face: Lectures (12 hours), Tutorials (24 hours)
*Scheduled synchronous online learning events (N/A)
Non-scheduled online learning events and activities (N/A)
Other non-scheduled learning events and activities including independent study (approx. 114 hours)
*Scheduled synchronous online learning events (N/A)
Non-scheduled online learning events and activities (N/A)
Other non-scheduled learning events and activities including independent study (approx. 114 hours)
Assessment
| Types | Individual or Group task | Weighting | Assesses attainment of these ULOs |
| Literature Review | Individual | 15% | 5,6 |
| Method Review | Individual | 25% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Research Proposal | Group | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Presentation | Group | 15% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Profession Review | Individual | 5% | 1,4 |
Minimum requirements to pass this unit
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student must achieve:
• an aggregate mark of 50% or more
• an aggregate mark of 50% or more
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:
• Analysis skills
• Communication skills
• Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems, and
• Ability to work independently
Content
• Ethical, legal and commercial constraints to research.
• Current research practices in industry, government and not-for-profit organisations.
• Research methods including quantitative, qualitative, action, statistical research.
• Techniques and tools for sourcing information and referencing.
• Formal writing.
• Presentation skills.
• Current research practices in industry, government and not-for-profit organisations.
• Research methods including quantitative, qualitative, action, statistical research.
• Techniques and tools for sourcing information and referencing.
• Formal writing.
• Presentation skills.
Study resources
- References.
References
A list of reading materials and/or required texts will be made available in the Unit Outline.