CQUniversity Unit Profile
BLAR14020 Built Environment Research
Built Environment Research
All details in this unit profile for BLAR14020 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit represents the culmination of your formal studies as a building professional and seeks to equip you with the necessary research skills to allow you to continue in the challenging, yet rewarding career, of a practicing building professional. In this unit, you will produce a dissertation detailing the results of the research project you will undertake. Between the research project and the dissertation, you will demonstrate your analysis, reflection and judgment skills through solving technical problems, evaluating project processes, outcomes and related learning experiences. The unit will give you an opportunity to develop your personal and interpersonal skills and apply the principles of social innovation to a research project. Note: Prior to the commencement of term and before an enrolment can be accepted, you must confirm with the Unit Coordinator that you have completed the prerequisite research planning unit BLAR14019, that the research remains viable and an academic supervisor is available. Students who have successfully completed BLCN13021 or BLSV14015 should not enrol in this unit.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 4
Credit Points: 12
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.25

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisite: BLAR14019 Built Environment Research Plan, and Condition: Successfully completed 144 units of credits in the Building Surveying (Honours) or Construction Management (Honours) course.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2022

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 12-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 40%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 60%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student feedback - have your say

Feedback

Four out of the 9 students responded, and the main negativity was the degree of difficulty of the assignment. These students considered that there were very few positives in learning to write a dissertation and believed that the dissertation had no relevance to construction management and was more relevant to those studying for a master’s or PhD. However, it should be noted that the level of difficulty has not been previously raised.

Recommendation

It is suggested that the assignment be reviewed and compared in terms of the level of difficulty to other research units within the faculty. Students will be made aware of how the development of research skills can benefit their ongoing professional development.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Apply appropriate strategies and social innovation principles to resolve technical problems and evaluate project processes, outcomes and related learning experiences
  2. Develop and evaluate accepted standards of research and scholarship using sound analysis, reflection and judgement to write a concise dissertation
  3. Demonstrate professional practice skills
  4. Employ effective scholarly and professional communication skills.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Microphone and camera for use with Zoom
  • MS Office (mainly Word and Powerpoint)
  • MS Teams
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Bill Zhao Unit Coordinator
b.zhao@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 11 Jul 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 1 – Relevant communication skills

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 18 Jul 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 2 – Effective literature review and research

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 25 Jul 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 2 – Effective literature review and research

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 01 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 2 – Effective literature review and research

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 Begin Date: 08 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 2 – Effective literature review and research

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 15 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Working draft of dissertation Due: Vacation Week Friday (19 Aug 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 6 Begin Date: 22 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 2 – Effective literature review and research

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment 2 due on 29 April - feedback 13 May 

Week 7 Begin Date: 29 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 3 – Final dissertation writing

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 05 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 3 – Final dissertation writing

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 12 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 3 – Final dissertation writing

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 19 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 3 – Final dissertation writing

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 26 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 3 – Final dissertation writing

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 03 Oct 2022

Module/Topic

Topic 3 – Final dissertation writing

Chapter

Please refer to the Moodle site for specific readings and additional unit information

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 10 Oct 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

 


Final dissertation Due: Review/Exam Week Tuesday (11 Oct 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Begin Date: 17 Oct 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Working draft of dissertation

Task Description

You are required to submit a 4000-word working draft copy of the dissertation as completed at this stage of term. This draft should include:

1. Research background, scope, proposed research problem, objectives, and research significance;

2. Ongoing literature review with comprehensiveness and depth; and  

3. Research design, data collection method, and data analysis methods. 


Assessment Due Date

Vacation Week Friday (19 Aug 2022) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 6 Friday (26 Aug 2022)


Weighting
40%

Assessment Criteria

You are required to submit a working draft copy of the dissertation as completed at this stage of term. This draft should include:

1. Professional format and clear layout with sufficient references in Harvard style (5 marks)

2. Research background, scope, proposed research problem, at least 3 specific objectives, and research significance (15 marks)

3. Draft on the ongoing literature review with comprehensiveness and depth (10 marks)

4. Draft on your research design, data collection method, and data analysis methods (10 marks)



Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submit online via the assessment block of the Moodle page of the unit.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply appropriate strategies and social innovation principles to resolve technical problems and evaluate project processes, outcomes and related learning experiences
  • Develop and evaluate accepted standards of research and scholarship using sound analysis, reflection and judgement to write a concise dissertation
  • Demonstrate professional practice skills
  • Employ effective scholarly and professional communication skills.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Information Technology Competence
  • Ethical practice
  • Social Innovation

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Final dissertation

Task Description

You will submit the final dissertation, at least 10,000 words long. You should follow the dissertation format strictly, and revise the dissertation based on the feedback your draft in Assignment 1.


Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Tuesday (11 Oct 2022) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022)

Within two weeks of submission and before the certification of the grades.


Weighting
60%

Assessment Criteria

This assignment will assess your ability to:
  1. Formulate and operate a research plan.
  2. Apply detailed technical knowledge and industry based methodologies, assess safety and risk factors, and prepare a feasible plan and implementation schedule.
  3. Discover and use information sources and technology to collect, analyse and interpret data, notes and references.
  4. Practice personal and interpersonal skills.
  5. Use effectively different modes of communication.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submit online via the assessment block of the Moodle page of the unit.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply appropriate strategies and social innovation principles to resolve technical problems and evaluate project processes, outcomes and related learning experiences
  • Develop and evaluate accepted standards of research and scholarship using sound analysis, reflection and judgement to write a concise dissertation
  • Demonstrate professional practice skills
  • Employ effective scholarly and professional communication skills.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Information Technology Competence
  • Ethical practice
  • Social Innovation

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?