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Unit of Study MAT00792 - Research Methods (2014)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Anti-requisites

    EDU40001 Research Methods for the Social Sciences

  • Enrolment information

    N/A

Unit description

Introduces students to the methodologies, tools and techniques of research. Both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of research methods will be addressed. Areas considered include types of research, problem identification, literature review, research question and hypotheses development, research design, data collection and sampling, survey questionnaires, validity and reliability, measurement techniques, data analysis, statistical tests, and writing research proposals and reports.

Unit content

Topic 1 Research and research tools
Topic 2 Problem identification and literature review
Topic 3 Planning a research project
Topic 4 Qualitative and historical research
Topic 5 Descriptive research and sampling
Topic 6 Experimental and ex post facto designs
Topic 7 Mixed methods research
Topic 8 Analysing quantitative data
Topic 9 Writing a research proposal
Topic 10 Preparing a research report

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Coffs Harbour Session 1,  2 Session 1,  2
Gold Coast Session 1,  2 Session 1,  2
Lismore Session 1,  2 Session 1,  2
Online Session 1,  2 Session 2

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 demonstrate understanding of the ways in which research can be conducted and communicated
2 conduct and write a literature review
3 define and design a research project and communicate this via oral presentation and written research proposal.
4 critically assess, evaluate and choose alternative research designs, tools and methods
5 interpret common quantitative analysis outputs.

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

  1. demonstrate understanding of the ways in which research can be conducted and communicated
    • GA4:
  2. conduct and write a literature review
    • GA1:
    • GA5:
    • GA6:
  3. define and design a research project and communicate this via oral presentation and written research proposal.
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  4. critically assess, evaluate and choose alternative research designs, tools and methods
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  5. interpret common quantitative analysis outputs.
    • GA4:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

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Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.