In assessment task one, you will explore the research literature of a topic (see scenario below) related to emergency and disaster management and work on developing your research literacy skills. In particular, you will be demonstrating your knowledge and skills in locating research and literature sources (part 1) and analysing these sources (part 2). You must use the scenario below to undertake Part 1) and Part 2).

Part 1) Searching the Literature 
Scenario 
You have joined a project team, and your first project task is to search the academic databases for peer-reviewed literature that your colleagues will use for a project report. There are two literature areas that are needed for the report. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there has been a shift in volunteer participation patterns, types of volunteering and, thereby, the narrative around different volunteering models. The project report needs to outline how that shift is reflected in the peer-reviewed literature. In particular, the project needs to find out:

Literature area 1) What peer-reviewed literature has been published in the last 5 years about the recruitment and retention of volunteers more broadly (so not tied to any one volunteer industry or discipline context)? 

Literature area 2) What peer-reviewed literature has been published in the last 10 years about the recruitment and retention of volunteers in the emergency services/disaster management context?

Activity instructions
Based on the above scenario, you need to conduct and document a literature search (for the two literature areas in the above scenario). For this activity, you are required to use the CQUniversity seven (7) step literature search process, including the search techniques available within each step, to search the academic databases in the CQUniversity library catalogue. You must use the CQUniversity library catalogue and document your search using the table provided in the Assessment Task One Template (see Assessment Tile in Moodle). 

You need to document your searches (for the two literature areas in the above scenario) in the table and this information must be sufficiently detailed so that the searches can be replicated by your project team colleagues. 

Part 2) Using the literature 
Using the literature searches you conducted in Part 1) you must:

1. Select three pieces of peer-reviewed literature (that you found using your searches).
2. Write a short, annotated bibliography for each source using the CQUniversity Annotated Bibliography Info Sheet published by the Academic Learning Centre (which is located in the eReading List).
3. Write a short overview of the actual or potential implications of the three pieces of peer-reviewed literature on the four (4) phases of emergency and disaster management (that is, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery). Your short overview will be up to 250 words.

Presentation requirements
You must use the Assessment Task One Template located in the Assessment Tile in Moodle. 
You must submit the document as a Word file or PDF. 

The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Assessment tile in Moodle. Broadly, you will be assessed on:

• Knowledge of academic peer-reviewed literature;
• Application of knowledge and skills related to accessing research and literature sources;
• Analysis of literature;
• Analysis of literature in relation to key emergency and disaster management concepts;
• Communication and presentation

In assessment task two, you will explore a series of concepts related to research and their application. This task consists of multiple parts, and your response to this assessment task is based on your engagement with the unit content and broader academic literature.

Part 1) Ethics activity 
Carefully consider the following scenario and then complete the table located in the Assessment Task Two Template.  Important note: you will not be completing the project or collecting the data mentioned in the below scenario, you are simply completing the Assessment Task Two Template (located in the Assessment Tile in Moodle). 

Ethics Scenario
The project team (from assessment task one) have completed the project report, and you have been given funding to complete a small pilot research project. The pilot project aims to gather insights into volunteer recruitment and retention and use those insights to make recommendations for enhancing practice in volunteer recruitment and retention in emergency and disaster management contexts. Two volunteer groups involved in emergency and disaster management in the local area have agreed to participate in the research project. Importantly, you are a member of one of those two groups (you are a member of the local Rural Fire Brigade) and as part of your project role, you will be one of the two people collecting the data. 

The pilot project will collect data from two groups, including:

1. current volunteers from the local Rural Fire Brigade (of which you are a member), and
2. current volunteers from the local arm of the Red Cross. 

The data will be collected using semi-structured interviews. You and one other project team member will conduct the semi-structured interviews. 

Ethics Activity Instructions
You and your colleague are writing the ethics application form, which must be approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) before you can commence the pilot research project. As part of the ethics application, you must identify what risks might be present for those participating in the semi-structured interviews and how the identified risks will be mitigated or managed. Based on the above scenario, you must provide:

1. An analytic summary, including references of the semi-structured interview (as used in qualitative research).
2. Two ethical considerations that the ethics committee will be concerned about based on the scenario above.
3. Strategies, including references that you would use to mitigate or manage the identified risk.
4. A short analytic summary, including references which addresses the following question:
   “Would the ethical considerations identified for the above scenario be a factor if the data was collected using a survey that was emailed to Rural Fire Brigade and Red Cross members and was completely anonymously, that is, you and your colleague would not know who in particular completed a survey?” Justify your response. 

Remember, you must use the Assessment Task Two Template, which is located in the Assessment Tile in Moodle. Part 1) of assessment task two will be no more than 1500 words in total. 

Part 2) Research literature analysis 
In Part 2), you will select one (1) peer-reviewed journal article from the list of articles provided in the Assessment tile of the Moodle site. The chosen article must come from the list provided (called - Assessment Task Two Article List, which is located under Assessment Task Two on the Moodle site. The articles are also located in the Reading List) and provide responses to the below: 

1. What is the research question or question(s) addressed in the chosen article?
2. What is the gap in knowledge that the article addresses?
3. Identify and provide an overview of the research method/s used.
4. Outline one strength and one possible weakness (with references to support) associated with the chosen method/s.
5. Name one ethical issue (with references to support) that would have been relevant in undertaking the research reported in the article.
6. Outline one strategy (with references to support) that could have been used to mitigate the impact of the identified ethical issue.
7. What are the key findings of the research reported in the chosen article?
8. How could the findings from the chosen article be utilized to improve an area of emergency and disaster management practice? 

Your Part 2) response will be no more than 1000 words in total. 

Presentation requirements
You must use the Assessment Task Two Template located in the Assessment Tile in Moodle. 
You must submit the document as a Word file or PDF. 

The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:

• Knowledge of research and the research process
• Knowledge of ethical issues and frameworks underpinning ethical practice
• Application of knowledge and skills related to accessing research and evidence;
• Interpretation of literature and its utilisation in emergency and disaster management context;
• Communication and presentation

For assessment task three, you will select a burning interest in emergency and disaster management and explore that burning interest in more detail. This exploration will include formulating recommendations for utilising and implementing the research and its findings in an organisation of your choice. Finally, you need to formulate future possible directions for research in this burning interest (what additional research would be useful). Assessment task three has both a written component (Part 1) and an audio component (Part 2). You may select any burning interest related to emergency and disaster management, and as such, the interest and your assessment response will be unique to you. 

Part 1) Written component.
For Part 1) you have two (2) options to choose from. Option 1 is a PowerPoint Presentation, and Option 2 is a Poster Presentation (like you would see at a Conference). Your PowerPoint Presentation or Poster Presentation must cover the following seven (7) components including:

1. Brief description of the burning interest (what is it and how is it defined in the literature).
2. The rationale for your choice of burning interest (why is it an important issue).
3. Summary statement about what the relevant literature says about the burning interest.
4. Brief description of an organization (of your choice) that might benefit from the body of literature related to the burning interest (what is the name of the organisation, and what is its core business) 
5. One recommendation for how the findings of the body of literature related to your burning interest could improve a policy within your chosen organisation (what is the policy and how could it be improved due to the research findings)
6. One recommendation for how the findings of the body of literature related to your burning interest could improve an area of practice within your chosen organisation (what is the area of practice and how could it be improved due to the research findings)
7. One recommendation for future possible research projects that would enhance the existing body of knowledge of the burning interest. 

Presentation requirements for Option 1 PowerPoint Presentation

• The PowerPoint presentation will have a maximum of 15 slides. 
• The first slide should include the title of your presentation and your name. 
• The last slide will be a reference list. 
• The PowerPoint presentation template is provided in the Assessment section of the Moodle site.

Presentation requirements for Option 2 Poster Presentation

• The Poster Presentation template is provided in the Assessment section of the Moodle site. 
• The template is a PowerPoint slide, specially set up for developing Poster Presentations, which you will save as a PDF. 
• The PDF file is what you submit for grading. 
• For the Poster Presentation option, you will also submit a word or PDF file of your reference list.

Part 2) Audio component
Part 2) is an expanded discussion of the topic and verbal presentation of the content from Part 1) Written component. The audio component is an MP3 file and can be submitted as a separate file, or for the PowerPoint Presentation option, you can embed the audio in your PowerPoint Presentation.

The audio presentation will be 10 to 15 minutes (15 minutes is the maximum) in length.

The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:

• Knowledge of research and the research process
• Skills in interpreting and communicating research findings
• Skills in applying and utilising research and its findings
• Communication and presentation