Research Skills in Science
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36 Hours
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning.
Aims and objectives
To develop the skills necessary to undertake a research project. To assist the student in identifying appropriate research topics and methodologies.
Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO)
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Independently find the necessary background knowledge (e.g. literature) required to support a research project.
2. Articulate a research question and the required research methodology for that question.
3. Judge whether or not to use qualitative or quantitative research methodologies.
4. Demonstrate experience in working as part of a group, including a reflective summary.
5. Recognise flaws in experimental design and develop strategies for minimising those flaws,
6. Apply tools of preparation required before undertaking a research project, for example; literature searching, scientific referencing, ethics application, time and resource management, experimental design.
7. Critically analyse the research methodology and experimental design in research articles.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Independently find the necessary background knowledge (e.g. literature) required to support a research project.
2. Articulate a research question and the required research methodology for that question.
3. Judge whether or not to use qualitative or quantitative research methodologies.
4. Demonstrate experience in working as part of a group, including a reflective summary.
5. Recognise flaws in experimental design and develop strategies for minimising those flaws,
6. Apply tools of preparation required before undertaking a research project, for example; literature searching, scientific referencing, ethics application, time and resource management, experimental design.
7. Critically analyse the research methodology and experimental design in research articles.
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
*Scheduled face to face: Lectures (24 hours), Tutorials 12 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 |
| Examination | Individual | 40% | 2,3,5,7 |
| Mid-Semester Test | Individual | 20% | 2,3,5,6,7 |
| Assignments | Individual / Group | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
Minimum requirements to pass this unit
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass the unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student must achieve:
(i) An aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
(ii) At least 40% in the final exam
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 44% as the total mark for the unit and will not be eligible for a conceded pass.
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass the unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student must achieve:
(i) An aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
(ii) At least 40% in the final exam
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 44% as the total mark for the unit and will not be eligible for a conceded pass.
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:
• Teamwork skills
• Analysis skills
• Problem solving skills
• Communication skills
• Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• Ability to work independently
• Teamwork skills
• Analysis skills
• Problem solving skills
• Communication skills
• Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• Ability to work independently
Content
• Identification of proposed research topic, research questions, methodology and hypotheses.
• Qualitative versus quantitative research, sampling.
• Problem formulation, research design, objectives and scope, ethics.
• Planning strategies, information sources, time management and teamwork.
• Research methodologies appropriate to a specific discipline.
• Literature review: abstracting and paraphrasing, citations and bibliographies, correct referencing.
• Research presentation.
• Differences between control and blank, common flaws in experimental design, common flaws in statistical analysis.
• Critical thinking, logic and clear thinking.
• Case Studies.
• Qualitative versus quantitative research, sampling.
• Problem formulation, research design, objectives and scope, ethics.
• Planning strategies, information sources, time management and teamwork.
• Research methodologies appropriate to a specific discipline.
• Literature review: abstracting and paraphrasing, citations and bibliographies, correct referencing.
• Research presentation.
• Differences between control and blank, common flaws in experimental design, common flaws in statistical analysis.
• Critical thinking, logic and clear thinking.
• Case Studies.
Study resources
- Reading materials.
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or prescribed texts will be made available in the Unit Outline.