SHN5142 - Research Methods 2

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Select and justify a feasible research topic relative to their degree programme.
Conduct a critical review of academic literature.
Construct and justify a logical and workable research proposal including appropriate study design and methods of data collection.
Select appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis to address a research question.

Content:

Philosophical approaches to research/epistemology; research designs; developing research ideas; working with a supervisor; sampling and recruitment; data collection techniques; conducting a research study; quantitative analysis (inferential statistics); qualitative analysis (coding and content analysis, developing themes); ethical considerations in research design; constructing a research proposal.

Learning and Teaching Information:

A weekly two-hour lecture highlights key theoretical approaches and concepts to developing and designing research. These lectures are supported with a weekly 1.5 hour workshop where students contextualise lecture content around their specific research ideas and interests.

Lectures
Contact hours: 20
Intended Group size: 180

Workshops/ seminars
Contact hours: 15
Intended Group size: less than 30

Guided independent study
Hours: 165

Further details relating to assessment

Portfolio: students produce a research proposal which is submitted to a relevant academic subject or methodological specialist. The proposal provides an outline which has potential to be taken forward to their dissertation in Level 6 and includes a rationale for their choice of topic, a literature review, identification of research questions or hypotheses, a justified proposal for methodology and methods for addressing their research questions and an outline of proposed analyses.

Other relevant matters
Workshop groups should be formed of programme specific cohorts for contextualised applications.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio; 4,000 words; end of semester 2 100%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Martin Barwood
Level - 5
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5S2

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