Overview
This unit provides the essential skills and techniques for designing, implementing and evaluating research in business contexts. It provides an in-depth introduction to the critical thinking and planning required in the initial stages of a thesis or research project. You will undertake research problem definition, design a research project, development of a literature review, consider qualitative and quantitative methods, measurement concepts, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, reporting and presentation of results with the final outcome of the unit being the development of a research proposal. This unit is designed as the pre-requisite for the work you will undertake in your final year capstone unit Professional Project.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
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 1 - 2017
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).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
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.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
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 Course evaluation report, emails and in class
Course materials and nurturing support from the lecturers and the course coordinator were very supportive
Many students appreciated the supports and the course materials that provided by the course coordinator and the lecturers and we will provide more case study materials in course moodle site next year.
The unit coordinator and all lecturers across three metropolitan campuses provided their best possible mentoring assistance during the term.
Feedback from Course evaluation report
Consider to provide more industry-based business research examples
We will provide more industry-based business research examples for Assessments 1 and 3 on the course moodle site next year.
This recommendation was fully implemented as more examples and literature were given to all students.
- formulate problems in business studies into a concise and precise research question;
- develop and employ ethical practices that consider social, cultural and legal responsibilities of researchers and the research process;
- critically evaluate published academic research, identify secondary data sources, and review extant literature, to develop a theoretical framework for a business problem or opportunity;
- choose and apply the appropriate research strategies (qualitative and/or quantitative) and techniques to best address the research problem;
- demonstrate the application of data analysis techniques and measurement concepts; and
- prepare and communicate a comprehensive research proposal.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||
2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||
3 - Written Assessment - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||||
2 - Communication | ||||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
4 - Research | ||||||
5 - Self-management | ||||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
7 - Leadership | ||||||
8 - 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 | |
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
3 - Written Assessment - 50% |
Textbooks
Research Methods for Business - A Skill Building Approach
Edition: 7th (2016)
Authors: Sekaran, U. and Bougie, R.
Wiley
West Sussex West Sussex , UK
ISBN: 978-1-119-16555-2
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.akbar@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
The nature and issues of business research
Chapter
Chapter 1: Introduction to research (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Business research process, design and ethics
Chapter
Chapter 3: Defining and refining the problem (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 4: Critical literature review (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 6: Elements of research design (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Types and scale of data
Chapter
Chapter 11: Measurement of variables: operational definition (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 12: Measurement: Scaling, reliability and validity (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Data collection and sampling methods
Chapter
Chapter 7: Interviews (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 8: Data collection methods: Observation (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 9: Administering questionnaires (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 13: Sampling (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Quantitative data analysis
Chapter
Chapter 14: Quantitative data analysis (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Hypothesis development and testing
Chapter
Chapter 5 Theoretical framework & hypothesis development (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Chapter 15: Quantitative data analysis- Hypothesis testing (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016, pp. 302-317)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Examining relationship: Correlation and regression
Chapter
Chapter 15: Quantitative data analysis- Hypothesis testing (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016, pp. 318-332)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Basic qualitative data analysis
Chapter
Chapter 16: Qualitative data analysis (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Advanced qualitative data analysis
Chapter
No set text
Events and Submissions/Topic
Open: Monday/Week 9/09:00 AM; Close: Sunday/Week 9/05:00 PM; Duration: 100 Minutes; Complete in one go.
Module/Topic
Refining the problem statement and methods
Chapter
Resources are available in the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Draft research proposal
Chapter
The structure of a draft research proposal is available in the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Final research proposal
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Practical and Written Assessment
Please provide an outline of a research project that you intend to use as the basis for your final assessment task 3, full project proposal.
You should briefly write:
- Title of the project (up to 25 words)
- A brief statement of the problem that you would like to investigate.
- Research aim and objectives that can solve the problem you have identified.
- A brief methodology: Provide details about what type of methodology you will choose such as quantitative or qualitative or mixed methodology; what type of study it will be such as exploratory or descriptive or explanatory; what method(s) of data collection you will use; how you will source the required data; and what methods and tools you will use to analyse the collected data.
In addition, as a part of topic presentation, all on-campus students are required to discuss their project topic and ideas during the tutorial sessions in front of other students. You are also expected to provide constructive feedback on each of the group members' project. Distance students will do the same activity in the online discussion forum of the unit Moodle site. Please see detailed guidelines about the project presentation and specific research requirements on the unit Moodle site. You can write 600 words maximum for this assignment. The cover page and the list of references are not counted in the word limit.
Week 5 Friday (7 Apr 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (28 Apr 2017)
All the assessment criteria for this piece of assessment are outlined below with weights.
Assessment criteria:
Criteria | Grade | ||||
1. A brief statement of the problem | HD | D | C | P | F |
2.Research aim and objectives | HD | D | C | P | F |
3. A brief methodology | HD | D | C | P | F |
4. Accurate referencing, use of correct English and logical sequences between sentences and paragraphs | HD | D | C | P | F |
5. Topic presentation | HD | D | C | P | F |
Key to grading and corresponding marking scale:
HD (84.5% to 100% marks): Student demonstrates outstanding understanding and interpretation of all aspects of the criteria.
D (74.5% to 84.4% marks): Student demonstrates excellence in understanding and interpretation of almost all aspects of the criteria with some minor corrections or additions needed.
C (64.5% to 74.4% marks): Student demonstrates very good understanding and interpretation of most aspects of the criteria with some need for additional work, additions or improvement.
P (49.5% to 64.4% marks): Student demonstrates good understanding and interpretation of the criteria to warrant the award of a Pass but requires considerable additional work, additions or improvement.
F (below 49.5%): Student demonstrates an unsatisfactory understanding and interpretation of the criteria and requires major additional work, additions or improvement to achieve a passing grade.
- formulate problems in business studies into a concise and precise research question;
- develop and employ ethical practices that consider social, cultural and legal responsibilities of researchers and the research process;
- critically evaluate published academic research, identify secondary data sources, and review extant literature, to develop a theoretical framework for a business problem or opportunity;
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Practical and Written Assessment
This is an online and individual research exercise. The online link will open on 9:00 am Monday in Week 9 and will close at 5:00 pm on Sunday in the same week. The link will open for only 100 minutes. You need to complete this task in one go. You cannot exit and re-enter the site.
There will be 20 short questions based on several brief case studies. You will read these case studies, do some calculations (if required) and then provide the correct answer to each question. Each correct answer is worth 1.5 marks and 20 correct answers are worth 30 marks. Please see detailed guidelines and practice tests on the unit Moodle site.
Open: Monday/Week 9/09:00 AM; Close: Sunday/Week 9/05:00 PM; Duration: 100 Minutes; Complete in one go.
Results are available once the link is closed.
Questions are automatically graded. Each correct answer is worth 1.5 marks.
- choose and apply the appropriate research strategies (qualitative and/or quantitative) and techniques to best address the research problem;
- demonstrate the application of data analysis techniques and measurement concepts; and
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Written Assessment
Assessment task 3 requires the preparation of a full project proposal that should contain the following components:
- A detail statement of the problem that you would like to investigate.
- Research aim, objectives and research questions: What are the potential research objectives and questions that can address the problem?
- Justification and potential output of the research project: Why is your chosen project important both theoretically and practically? What are the potential outputs and outcomes of your research?
- Conceptual framework: An analysis of the literature relevant to the research topic that will give you the conceptual basis for conducting this research.
- Methodology: Based on the conceptual framework, research aim(s) and objectives, you need to provide a detail description of the data collection methods and tools, data sources and the methods/tools that you will use to analyse the data.
- Organisation of the study, project budget and schedule: Write the names of the chapters/sections of your research report, and briefly discuss what you will write in those chapters/sections followed by a brief description of budget for conducting this study and project schedule i.e., Gantt Chart.
This is an individual research task. You are required to demonstrate your understanding of the relevant body of works to a real-life business research. We expect you to read and reflect on at least twenty recent refereed journal articles on your topic supported by any other evidence or information that can help refine the problem of your research, formulate conceptual framework and the methods of data collection and analysis. Please see detailed guidelines about specific research requirements on the unit Moodle site. You can write 3000 words maximum for this assignment. The cover page and the list of references are not counted in the word limit.
Week 12 Friday (2 June 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
This is a summative assessment. Students will not receive any feedback for this piece of assessment.
All the assessment criteria outlined below are equally weighted for this piece of assessment.
Assessment criteria:
Criteria | Grade | ||||
A statement of the problem, research aim, objectives and research questions | HD | D | C | P | F |
Justification and potential output of the research | HD | D | C | P | F |
Conceptual framework | HD | D | C | P | F |
Methodology, organisation of the study, project budget and schedule | HD | D | C | P | F |
Accurate referencing, use of correct English and logical sequences between sentences and paragraphs and a good introduction | HD | D | C | P | F |
Key to grading and corresponding marking scale:
HD (84.5% to 100% marks): Student demonstrates outstanding understanding and interpretation of all aspects of the criteria.
D (74.5% to 84.4% marks): Student demonstrates excellence in understanding and interpretation of almost all aspects of the criteria with some minor corrections or additions needed.
C (64.5% to 74.4% marks): Student demonstrates very good understanding and interpretation of most aspects of the criteria with some need for additional work, additions or improvement.
P (49.5% to 64.4% marks): Student demonstrates good understanding and interpretation of the criteria to warrant the award of a Pass but requires considerable additional work, additions or improvement.
F (below 49.5%): Student demonstrates an unsatisfactory understanding and interpretation of the criteria and requires major additional work, additions or improvement to achieve a passing grade.
- develop and employ ethical practices that consider social, cultural and legal responsibilities of researchers and the research process;
- critically evaluate published academic research, identify secondary data sources, and review extant literature, to develop a theoretical framework for a business problem or opportunity;
- choose and apply the appropriate research strategies (qualitative and/or quantitative) and techniques to best address the research problem;
- demonstrate the application of data analysis techniques and measurement concepts; and
- prepare and communicate a comprehensive research proposal.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
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?
