ECU Web Unit Outline
 
FACULTY OF EDUCATION & ARTS
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ARTS
Full Unit Outline - Enrolment Approved Monday, 31 March 2014
Disclaimer
This unit outline may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.
 
UNIT TITLE Research Preparation
UNIT CODE CCA5101
CREDIT POINTS 20
FULL YEAR UNIT No
MODE OF DELIVERY On-campus
  This version of the unit will be offered from 1/07/2014
DESCRIPTION

In this unit students will develop a research proposal. Students will develop a range of skills necessary for postgraduate work, including an understanding of the role of supervision, the phases of thesis development, the acquisition of research skills, the processes of research, the management of time and resources, research ethics and the responsibilities involved in research.

 
LEARNING OUTCOMES

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

  • use the Library and Internet efficiently and constructively for information gathering;
  • develop a research proposal;
  • apply appropriate research models to projects;
  • apply appropriate bibliographic skills; and
  • select and develop a suitable topic for research.
 
UNIT CONTENT

This unit will cover the following topics:


  1. The process of selecting a suitable topic.
  2. The problems confronting a new honours and postgraduate researcher.
  3. How to conduct research in an academic environment.
  4. The use of the Internet for honours and postgraduate research.
  5. The processes of research.
  6. Management of time and resources.
  7. The responsibilities involved in research.
 
TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES

Seminars and individual meetings with a research supervisor.
 
GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

The following graduate attributes will be developed in this unit:

  • Ability to communicate
  • Critical appraisal skills
  • Ability to generate ideas
  • Cross-cultural and international outlook
 
ASSESSMENT
Grading Schema 4
 
Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.
 
Assignment 1 Draft Research Proposal 40%
Assignment 2 Final Draft Research Proposal 60%
 

Item

On-Campus Assessment

 

  

Assignment

Draft Research Proposal

Pass / Fail

Research Paper

Final Draft Research Proposal

Pass / Fail

 
Every piece of assessment must achieve a pass grade in order to pass the unit.
 
SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES
CCA5101 Research Preparation Reader
 
Alvesson, M., & Sandberg, J. (2013) Constructing research questions: Doing interesting research. [electronic resource] Thousand Oaks: Sage
American Psychological Association. (2012). APA style guide to electronic references.[electronic resource] Washington DC, USA.
Barrett, E., & Bolt, B. (Eds.). (2010). Practice as research: Approaches to creative arts enquiry.[electronic resource] London: I.B. Taurus & Co.
Clough, P., & Nutbrown, C. (2012). A student's guide to methodology: Justifying enquiry. London: Sage.
Macfarlane, B. (2009). Researching with integrity: The ethics of academic enquiry. New York: Routledge.
Punch, K. (2006). Developing effective research proposals. (2nd ed.). Sage.
Sarantakos, S. (2013). Social research. (4th ed.). London: Palgrave McMillan.
Tredinnick, M. (2006). The little red writing book. NSW: UNSW Press.
Yin, R. (2014). Case study research: Designs and methods. (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
Yin, R. (2011). Qualitative research from start to finish [electronic resource]. Guildford Press.
 
 
 
Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)
For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Student Equity, Diversity and Disability Service website:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/support/student-equity
 
 


Academic Misconduct


Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students’ work.

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.


The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.
ECU Web Unit Outline