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Unit of Study COM40015 - Research Methods for Arts and Social Sciences (2018)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    N/A

Unit description

Surveys the history, philosophies and methodologies of research particularly as they pertain to Arts and Social Sciences. Develops an understanding of research approaches and perspectives in the broad context of contemporary research practices. Provides techniques and approaches relevant to a disciplinary-specific Honours research project. Students develop and produce a final research proposal.

Unit content

Module 1: Research basics

  • Honours research introductions
  • Research paradigms and methodologies
  • Scholarly traditions in arts and social sciences
  • Research practices and ethics
  • Research management
  • Research proposal and outline

Module 2: Research methods

  • Artist research
  • Analysing text and talk
  • Ethnographic strategies
  • Work-in-progress seminar
  • Applied research: Quantitative methods, evaluation research and action research
  • Historical research method

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1 N/A

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 describe major contemporary approaches to research
2 explain the place of specific approaches to research in a disciplinary context
3 critique terms, concepts and methodologies used by researchers within Arts and Social Sciences
4 analyse ethical, social and cultural implications of research in artistic/academic fields
5 synthesise knowledge gained from objectives 1-4 into a coherent argument
6 use suitable philosophies and methodologies in the development of an Honours research project.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. describe major contemporary approaches to research
    • GA5:
  2. explain the place of specific approaches to research in a disciplinary context
    • GA4:
  3. critique terms, concepts and methodologies used by researchers within Arts and Social Sciences
    • GA1:
  4. analyse ethical, social and cultural implications of research in artistic/academic fields
    • GA3:
    • GA7:
  5. synthesise knowledge gained from objectives 1-4 into a coherent argument
    • GA6:
  6. use suitable philosophies and methodologies in the development of an Honours research project.
    • GA2:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.