CQUniversity Unit Profile
PPMP20015 Research Proposal
Research Proposal
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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 equips you with the foundation knowledge, skills and techniques for planning and designing a postgraduate research project on a chosen topic relating to your discipline. You will learn how to identify and review credible and relevant literature. You will develop the necessary competencies to identify a research gap and articulate research questions. You will consider qualitative and quantitative approaches, and choose appropriate data collection methods for your project with the final outcome of the unit being the development of a research proposal. The unit is designed to help you develop essential problem-solving and research skills for evaluating or conducting independent research projects including the ethical issues involved.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 9
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

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 2 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

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 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

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

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 40%
2. Research Proposal
Weighting: 40%
3. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 20%

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 SUTE Teacher Report

Feedback

The lecturer is commended for his exceptional approach, fostering discipline and encouraging student engagement through interactive tools like Mentimeter. His clarity in explanation and attentiveness to student queries are highly valued.

Recommendation

Continue using Mentimeter in all classes as it facilitates more student interaction and engagement.

Feedback from SUTE Unit Comments

Feedback

The unit is well-structured and is deemed to be beneficial for the core research component of the Master's program. However, there is an observation that the number of lecture slides provided can be excessive at times.

Recommendation

Ensure that the teaching team is only using Mentimeter slides in all lectures not the lecture notes.

Feedback from SUTE Unit Comments

Feedback

Group formation based on given topics should take place at the beginning of the term so students can work on the same research topic when undertaking individualised and group assessments.

Recommendation

Allow students to enrol in groups at the beginning of the term based on the assigned research topics for each group.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Identify and review credible literature to inform the articulation of a research question within your discipline
  2. Select appropriate research approaches, methods and skills for testing the research question
  3. Employ relevant ethical practices that consider the social, cultural and legal responsibilities of researchers
  4. Apply relevant project management principles to effectively plan your research project
  5. Develop a rigorous research proposal with all necessary components.


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 5
1 - Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20%
3 - Research Proposal - 40%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
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
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Research methods for business students

8th edition (2019)
Authors: M. N. K. Saunders, Philip Lewis & Adrian Thornhill
Binding: eBook

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Endnote bibliographic software. This is optional for formatting references.
  • Microsoft Planner
  • Microsoft Teams
  • MS Project (optional)
Referencing Style

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

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Samer Skaik Unit Coordinator
s.skaik@cqu.edu.au
Osama Dawoud Unit Coordinator
o.dawoud@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Select research topics Begin Date: 10 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Overview of the unit and the assessment tasks
  2. Introduction to Research
  3. Selection of research topic
  4. Search for relevant sources

Chapter

Chapter 1, pp 4-13 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Chapter 2, pp 29-41 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Note: This book is available online under the Moodle e-reading list.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:
  1. Select a research topic using a given list.
  2. Generate keywords.
  3. Use scientific databases to locate relevant articles. 
Week 2 Literature Search & Review Begin Date: 17 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Searching for literature
  2. Writing annotated bibliography
  3. Developing a literature review

Chapter

Chapter 3, pp 72-103 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:
  1. Library search for relevant scholarly resources
  2. Backward and forward search
  3. Check the credibility of journals
Week 3 Academic writing Begin Date: 24 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism
  2. Citing and listing references

Chapter

Chapter 2, pp 104-115 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Assessment 1 explained.
  2. How to review a journal article.
  3. Paraphrasing exercise.
Week 4 Research Question Begin Date: 31 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Industry problem vs research problem
  2. Identifying a research problem or gap.
  3. Framing a research question or hypothesis
  4. Formulating research objectives.

Chapter

Chapter 2, pp 42-53 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Q&A session about Assessment 1.
  2. Quiz on Harvard reference style and research concepts.
Week 5 Research Methodology Begin Date: 07 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Research design
  2. Qualitative vs quantitative approach
  3. Aligning research questions with the research approach
  4. Introduction to research methods

Chapter

Chapter 4, pp 128-159 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Chapter 5, pp 172-185 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:
  1. Assessment 2 explained.
  2. Group forming announcement (meet and greet your group peers).
  3. Group online enrolment in Moodle
  4. Negotiate, complete & sign off the group charter.

Assessment 1A due (review report)


Review Report, Recorded Presentation and Peer Assessment (40 marks) Due: Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2023) 5:00 pm AEST
Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Enjoy your well-deserved break! This may help you come back on track and start afresh.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Research Methods Begin Date: 21 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Decide suitable research methods and tactics to investigate research questions.

Chapter

Chapter 5, pp 186-220 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:
  1. Quiz competition on research methods.
Assessment 1B due (Oral presentations)
Week 7 Research Proposal Begin Date: 28 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:

  1. Develop a detailed research proposal.

Chapter

Chapter 2, pp 53-61 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Group short presentations of outline proposals

Assessment 2A due (Group short presentations)

Assessment 1C due (Peer assessment of oral presentations)

Week 8 Managing research projects Begin Date: 04 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Principles of managing research projects
  2. Tools and techniques for managing research

Chapter

Refer to unit resources in the Moodle site

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Develop stakeholder analysis and risk register for your project.
Week 9 Research Ethics Begin Date: 11 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:

  1. Conduct ethical research
  2. Responsibilities of researchers

Chapter

Chapter 6, pp 232-280 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Q & A session about Assessment 2.
Week 10 Planning of Data Collection & Analysis Begin Date: 18 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:

  1. Types of collected data
  2. Data collection tools and techniques
  3. Planning data analysis

Chapter

Chapter 7, pp 292-326 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Chapter 8, pp 338-368 (Saunders et al. 2019)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:
  1. In-class quiz (Assessment 2).

Assessment 2B & 2C due

Assessment 3 due


Invigilated Quiz (20 marks) Due: Week 10 Monday (18 Sept 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Group presentations Begin Date: 25 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:

  1. Group presentations

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Group presentations

Assessment 2D due


Group Research Proposal (40 marks) Due: Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Week 12 Group presentations (Continued) Begin Date: 02 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Topics:
  1. Group presentations (Continued)
  2. Introduction to the Research Stream
  3. Final remarks

Chapter

Refer to unit resources in the Moodle site

Events and Submissions/Topic

Activities:

  1. Group presentations (Continued)
  2. Unit evaluation



Term Specific Information

If you have any questions regarding the unit, please reach out to your respective lecturer/tutor. In case your query remains unanswered, you may contact Dr Samer Skaik, the unit coordinator.

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Review Report, Recorded Presentation and Peer Assessment (40 marks)

Task Description

Assessment (1) Individual submission (40 marks)

Overview

This individual assignment tests your essential research competencies needed to identify a knowledge gap or a problem in your discipline that may warrant research. It primarily assesses your understanding and level of engagement with learning resources at an early stage of the inquiry process. The assignment MUST be your own piece of work. You must not plagiarise, collude or get help from others. All submissions must follow CQU Harvard referencing style.

Assignment 1 consists of three parts:

  1. Assessment 1A, 20 marks: Review Report and Artefact Submission, due by end of week 5
  2. Assessment 1B, 10 marks: Recorded Presentation, due by the end of week 6
  3. Assessment 1C, 10 marks: Peer Assessment of Recorded Presentations, due by the end of week 7

Important Note: Assessment 1C will receive a mark of ZERO if not completed by the given deadline to complete the work.

Tasks

Assessment 1A Review Report and Artefact Submission (20 marks)

Assessment 1A requires you to prepare a review report of no more than 1500 words using a given template. Along with the report, students must provide a link to the OneDrive folder where all their research artefacts are stored. The folder must include all relevant materials, such as annotated cited articles, earlier word drafts, and any other resources used in the development of the review report.

Your report must be relevant to the unit content and Moodle sources and must only be based upon your learning in this unit. You must follow the following steps in developing your report:

  1. Choose and develop an initial research topic using a topic from the given list.
  2. Conduct a literature search to identify one scholarly paper relevant to your chosen topic, and provide an explanation of the search process you followed in locating and downloading this paper (Include screenshots).
  3. Provide a detailed annotated bibliography of the paper using your own words.
  4. Apply and explain at least three credibility indicators to test the reliability of the main paper (include screenshots).
  5. Identify two relevant sources/references relevant to the summarised paper using backward and forward technique, and explain how you identified both papers.
  6. Annotate and tag the PDF version of the three papers for developing the summary tables.
  7. Build a review summary table and a theme matrix table of the three identified papers.
  8. Provide your personal reflection, including your commentary on Turnitin report and learning experience (a minimum of 300 words).
  9. Provide a link to OneDrive Artefact folder, including all relevant annotated PDF articles and earlier Word drafts (include screenshots of the folder content and samples of annotations).

Tip: The reflection must include your commentary on Turnitin similarity percentage, evaluation of the adopted approaches, techniques or tutorial activities that have been helpful or unhelpful. The personal reflection must also record your experiences, feelings, and reactions during the learning experience in the last five weeks. You must also reflect on the consultation process you have had with your lecturer/tutor, peers and Moodle sources.

Assessment 1B Recorded Presentation (10 marks)

Assessment 1B aims to test your understanding of the initial submission of Assessment 1A and ability to plan and communicate the initial phase of your research project. You must prepare and record a 10-minute oral presentation on the concept stage of your research project, and submit a YouTube link of the recording to the Workshop platform in Moodle.  You must follow the recording instructions outlined below. The presentation must demonstrate your full understanding of your learning in the first six weeks, including the following components:

  1. Research topic: Provide a brief, concise statement of your research focus.
  2. Search process: Present how you identified and evaluated the credibility of the three articles.
  3. Initial literature review: Demonstrate the annotation process of the three articles and explain the development process of the theme matrix using in-text citations.
  4. Research questions: Present your research question(s) that the study aims to address.
  5. Methodology: Discuss your approach to conduct extensive literature review, as well as your approach to data collection including epistemology, methods, sampling, and data analysis plan.
  6. Personal reflection: Reflects on interactions with the unit, challenges faced, personal growth, and lessons learned throughout the learning journey in the first five weeks.

Recording instructions:

  1. The recorded presentation must show both your face and the presented slides.
  2. You must use Zoom or a similar app to record your presentation and save the recording to your computer.
  3. Upload the recording to YouTube by selecting the “unlisted” option for privacy.
  4. It is your responsibility to ensure that the shared link of your video is working before submission.
  5. Ensure that the recording is of sufficient quality for the assessor to clearly understand and evaluate the presentation.
  6. Ensure that your presentation is well-prepared, with clear and concise content, and that you address all the components of the assessment.

Assessment 1C Peer Assessment of Recorded Presentations (10 marks)

Assessment 1C aims to reinforce your understanding of research principles by exchanging knowledge with your peers. The assessment requires you to assess three recorded peer presentations (assessment 1B) as submitted by your peers as randomly assigned to you. You will conduct the assessment based on the assessment criteria and a marking tool will be provided. You are expected to provide a constructive summary of your comments and justify your given mark.


Assessment Due Date

Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2023) 5:00 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2023)


Weighting
40%

Assessment Criteria

Assessment 1A: Review Report & Artefact submission (20 marks)

  • The selected articles are properly identified, credible and relevant to the chosen topic (15%)
  • The annotated bibliography is concise and well paraphrased (10%)
  • The summary and matrix tables include key and useful information to guide the writing (20%)
  • The One Drive folder include all relevant documents, including the three annotated PDF files (15%)
  • Personal reflection is specific to student own experience and includes a commentary on Turnitin report (15%)
  • The report content is substantially based upon the unit resources and lecture notes (15%)
  • Clarity and soundness of language, report format, presentation and/or referencing (10%)

Assessment 1B: Recorded Oral Presentation (10 marks)

  • Content knowledge (4 marks): Thorough coverage of main components, sound knowledge and understanding of the initial research stages.
  • Organisation & structure (2 marks): well-organised material, logical content ordering, and coherent structure.
  • Professionalism & Presentation Skills (2 marks): effective communication and use of body language & eye contact, use of visual aids, engaging the audience with a confident and professional presence, and time management.
  • Relevance to Unit Material (2 marks): the content and reflection aligns with the learnt concepts and shows genuine engagement with the unit & integration of the knowledge gained in class.

Assessment 1C: Peer Assessment of Outline Proposals (10 marks)

You will receive marks for the quality of assessing the oral presentations of your peers. Students will not be given any marks for assessment 1C if they fail to complete the peer assessment by the deadline. Based on how close your assessment is to "the best assessment" of each criterion of the submission, the system will automatically calculate the score for the quality of your assessments. The best assessment represents a consensus of the majority of assessors. The unit coordinator may moderate the calculated marks for consistency and accuracy. For 1B and 1C, the maximum marks will be allocated as per the following table:

Assessment 1B mark: Quality of your recorded presentation as assessed by all reviewers 10 marks
Assessment 1C mark: Quality of your peer assessments compared to the best assessment 10 marks


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Identify and review credible literature to inform the articulation of a research question within your discipline
  • Select appropriate research approaches, methods and skills for testing the research question

2 Research Proposal

Assessment Title
Group Research Proposal (40 marks)

Task Description

Assessment 2 (Research Proposal) (40 marks)

Overview:

This group assessment requires all on-campus students to enrol in groups to complete a project-based assessment. The project is to work as a team to plan and develop a viable research proposal of high academic standards. Your group must demonstrate effective application of project management competence in planning your research project and completing the project proposal. Your group should prioritise projects initiated in the completed outline proposals and eventually agree upon the group research topic for further adoption in this assessment. The proposal must address a research problem or gap that warrants research in your discipline. The proposal must be substantially based on the learning materials of this unit.

The assessment must be developed via a group of 3–5 students formed by the faculty. Each group member must enrol in their group in Moodle by the given deadline. The group must select its group leader and negotiate group rules by completing a group charter template by the given deadline. Along with the research proposal, each group must provide a link to the OneDrive folder where all their submission artefacts and contributions are stored. The folder must include all relevant materials used for developing the final proposal. The folder must include a master folder including group deliverables such as charter, presentation slides, main submission, recorded meetings, group communications, appendices, etc. The One Drive folder must include sub-folders labelled with group member names, which include the member own contributions and exchanged communications throughout the term for scrutiny by the faculty. The group must conduct and record at least three group meetings via ZOOM and include the recording files in the master folder.

The assessment consists of four deliverables or parts:

Assessment 2A- Compulsory-non-graded: Group outline proposals and Short presentations, due in week 7.

Assessment 2B- 30 marks: Final Research Proposal & Comprehensive Artefact Submission, due by the end of week 10.

Assessment 2C- Compulsory-non-graded: Group Member Performance, due by the beginning of week 11.

Assessment 2D-10 marks: Group presentations in weeks 11 & 12.

Important Notes:

  1. Compulsory non-graded submissions: Students failing to make a compulsory submission by the deadline will incur a flat deduction of 5 marks as a penalty for each incident.
  2. OneDrive folder: The Artefact submission must include subfolders labelled with student names and includes all artefacts contributed by each student, including WORD drafts and PDF files.
  3. Faculty-student Interviews: Before concluding the grades of the group assessment, The faculty may choose some groups to participate in an online interview with the faculty. The interview will be an opportunity for you to reflect on your contribution to the group project and discuss your understanding of all aspects of the research proposal. The interview will also be an opportunity for the faculty to ask questions about the group's process of developing the submission, and to gain insights into each group member's contribution and understanding. The group must showcase their process of conducting the assessment and present evidence of their genuine engagement towards completing the assessment.

Assessment Tasks:

Assessment 2A: Group outline proposals & short presentations (Compulsory, non-graded):

At the beginning of week 7, each group member must submit a copy of the group outline proposal in Moodle along with the developed slides. During W7 tutorial, each group must give a short presentation of the submitted outline proposal using a maximum of 5 slides in 5 minutes. A group member will be randomly chosen by the faculty to present, so everyone should rehearse. Failing to submit outline proposals, present, or show reasonable understanding will attract a deduction of 5 marks as a penalty from the overall assessment. Your proposal should not exceed 1000 words excluding references. Your group research topic should be based on one of the chosen topics by the group members. The outline proposal must include the following components:

  • Research problem: Clearly state the research problem & rationale, provide background information, and state the research question.
  • Literature Review: Summarise relevant primary sources relating to the research question.
  • Methodology: Describe the research design, data collection methods/sources, ethical considerations, and data analysis techniques/tools.
  • Group Dynamics: Explain your group charter, agreed rules and communication channel, timeline and task distribution among group members.

Assessment 2B: Group Research Proposal & Comprehensive Artefacts Submission (30 marks):

By the end of week 10, each group must submit a copy of the group detailed research proposal in Moodle. You should think of your detailed proposal as a document that should be detailed enough so that anyone else can use your plan to execute the project within a maximum of six months after the submission of the proposals. This duration must be respected when you prepare your project management plan & documentation accordingly. Your ultimate task is to develop a research plan report on a promising topic relating to your discipline. In developing your detailed proposal, you must adopt the supplied research proposal template, which includes sufficient guidelines to complete each section. The sections/components of the proposal should appear in the following order.

  • Research topic
  • The need and significance of the study
  • Research question and objectives
  • Summary, and theme tables based on ten annotated PDF sources (annotated PDF files to be included in the shared folder)
  • Preliminary literature review with themes subheadings based on the theme matrix.
  • Research Methodology, including data collection instrument
  • Project management implementation plan including risk register, stakeholder analysis and MS Project Gantt chart.
  • Conclusion, limitations and expected outcomes and implications
  • Reflective & contribution statement by each group member (300-500 words): explain your contribution to the group work and evaluate group dynamics and summarise experiences, feelings, and reactions in completing this unit and approaches to deal with incurred risks or delays and comment on the resources or feedback you found to be helpful or unhelpful in completing the assessment tasks.
  • A hyperlink to the OneDrive shared folder with screenshots of the content of the main folder and group members sub-folders.
  • References

For guidance, the proposal should be a minimum of 4,000 words in length, excluding references and appendices.

Along with the research proposal, each group must provide a shared link to the OneDrive folder, where all their research artefacts are stored. The folder must include all relevant materials, such as research data, annotated cited articles, earlier drafts, communications with stakeholders, status reports, minutes of meetings, presentation materials, and any other relevant materials or resources created or used in the development of the research proposal. In addition to the master folder, the One Drive folder must also include sub-folders labelled with group member names, which include the member artefacts, own contributions and exchanged communications throughout the term for scrutiny by the faculty. The group must conduct and record at least three recorded formal meetings via ZOOM and include the recording files in the master folder.

Assessment 2C: Group Peer Evaluation (Compulsory, non-graded)

Evaluation of group members is an important deliverable of the final assessment, which aims to evaluate the process of undertaking the final assessment and ensure that each group member will receive a mark reflecting the quality and quantity of their contribution. Each group member will receive an email from the unit coordinator inviting them to respond to a compulsory survey. The survey aims to evaluate the performance of each group member regarding leadership, attendance of group meetings, timely action, cooperation, quality of contribution, etc. Failing to complete the survey on time will attract a deduction of 5 marks as a penalty from the overall assessment.

Assessment 2D: Group Presentations (10 marks):

As a group, you will be required to prepare a 15-minute oral presentation of your research proposal and submit accompanying slides in Moodle at the beginning of week 11. During class timing in W11 and W12, the faculty will randomly select students from each group to present on behalf of the group, so all students must rehearse. Your presentation should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the research process, and an ability to communicate complex ideas effectively. Any student failing to present, or show adequate preparation will receive zero marks for this part. Your presentation should provide a clear and concise overview of your research proposal, including rationale, research questions, the process of developing literature review, summary of literature review, research design, and project management. The presentation must also explain, with the aid of screenshots, the contents of the shared folder where all project artefacts were organised and stored.


Assessment Due Date

Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST


Return Date to Students

Review/Exam Week Friday (13 Oct 2023)


Weighting
40%

Assessment Criteria

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment 2A: Group outline proposal and short presentations (compulsory-non graded)

Failing to submit outline proposals, present, or show reasonable understanding will attract a deduction of 5 marks as a penalty from the overall assessment. Specifically, the penalty will be applied in case of the following:

  1. The group member failed to submit a copy of the group outline proposal by the deadline;
  2. the group failed to present or demonstrate reasonable progress in their project; or
  3. the group member did not attend the full oral presentation session(s).

Assessment 2B: Detailed Research Proposal (30 marks)

The following rubric will be used for marking 2B, however, this part will be marked concurrently with 2C & 2D and the final marks of 2B will be further moderated based on the results of 2C & 2D.

Criteria HD (High Distinction) D (Distinction) C (Credit) P (Pass) F (Fail)
Rationale and Significance (10%) Original, significant, and clearly articulated rationale Justified and relevant rationale Relevant rationale with some clarity Replicates existing understanding with stated significance Lacks significance or is too simplistic/disorganised
Research Questions & Objectives (5%) Clear, original, and aligned research questions/objectives Clearly relevant questions/objectives with alignment Relevant questions/objectives with some clarity Unclear or irrelevant questions/objectives Missing or poorly articulated questions/objectives
Preliminary Literature Review (15%) Creative, organised, and critical literature review; fully based on annotated sources & summary tables Well-argued and logical literature review, substantially based on annotated sources & summary tables Good range of relevant literature with limited evaluation, partially based on annotated sources & summary tables Limited scope and evaluation of literature, barely based on annotated sources & summary tables Questionable quality or irrelevant literature, annotated sources or summary tables not provided or irrelevant
Research Methodology and Data Collection (15%) Exceptionally articulated, justified, and detailed, with robust instrument design Well-argued, justified, and detailed methodology, robust instrument provided Explained and appropriate methodology with fair instrument design Broadly outlined methodology with unclear details with basic instrument design Inappropriate or poorly articulated methodology, missing instrument.
Project Management (15%) Highly robust and detailed PM documentation using PM tools. Well-structured and detailed PM documentation using PM tools. Included with sufficient detail using PM tools. Broadly outlined with unclear or inaccurate details with inappropriate use of PM tools Not appropriate or poorly detailed documentation with inadequate use of PM tools.
Contribution & Reflective Statement (10%) Exceptional contribution: leadership, quality work, effective collaboration, comprehensive evaluation, deep insights. High level of contribution: quality work, effective collaboration, detailed evaluation, thoughtful insights. Satisfactory contribution: occasional shortcomings, adequate collaboration, evaluation, some insights. Minimal contribution: fell short in quality, timeliness, collaboration, superficial evaluation, limited insights. Negligible contribution: ineffective collaboration, minimal reflection, poor evaluation, no insights.
Format, Language, and Reference Style (10%) Proposal adheres to all formatting and referencing requirements Proposal mostly adheres to formatting and referencing requirements Proposal has some formatting or referencing errors or inconsistencies Proposal has significant formatting or referencing errors or inconsistencies Proposal does not adhere to formatting or referencing requirements
Artefact Submission (20%) Relevant, comprehensive, and well-presented artefact with exceptional evidence of collaboration Adequate and well-presented artefact with solid evidence of collaboration Adequate, partially relevant and presented artefact with fair collaboration Adequate but limited relevance or poorly presented artefact with basic collaboration Missing, disorganised or incomplete artefact with no evidence of collaboration

Assessment 2C: Group Peer Evaluation (compulsory-non graded)

Every group member will receive an evaluation from his group peers that measures the performance, engagement, and overall contribution quality of the group member to the group work. The survey results will be used to moderate the marks of the research proposal to fairly reflect the group member contribution. Failing to complete the survey by the deadline will attract a deduction of 5 marks as a penalty from the overall assessment.

Assessment 2D Group Presentations (10 marks)

  • Technical Content (4 marks): Thorough coverage of main components, sound knowledge and understanding of the research process, logical alignment between all aspects of the proposal.
  • Delivery of Presentation (3 marks): Confident and clear delivery, excellent speaking skills, well-organised material, logical content ordering, appropriate communication style, effective argument construction, evidence integration, time management, and use of visual aids.
  • Handling of Questions and Discussion (3 marks): Ability to provide insightful answers, demonstrate original and sharp thinking, and stimulate discussion.

A group member will receive Zero marks on this part in the case of the following incidents:

  1. the group member failed to present;
  2. the group member did not attend the full session(s); or
  3. the group member failed to demonstrate a basic understanding of the entire group project.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Employ relevant ethical practices that consider the social, cultural and legal responsibilities of researchers
  • Apply relevant project management principles to effectively plan your research project
  • Develop a rigorous research proposal with all necessary components.

3 Online Quiz(zes)

Assessment Title
Invigilated Quiz (20 marks)

Task Description

Task Description

You will be required to complete one set of quiz questions related to your learning in the first nine weeks of this unit. You must achieve a minimum score of 8 out of 20 marks in this assessment to pass the unit.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this assessment item is to test your understanding of the processes required in initiating and planning a research project. The quiz will be based on the unit learning materials. In order for you to complete the quiz, it is necessary for you to complete all learning activities prescribed in the unit for the respective weeks.

Important Information:

  1. The quiz will only be conducted in-class during the scheduled tutorial classes for on-campus students. A separate Zoom session will be scheduled for online students.
  2. You must achieve a minimum score of 8 out of 20 marks in this assessment to pass the unit.
  3. It is crucial for all students to be present at the beginning of the session. Late attendance will impact your ability to complete the quiz.
  4. If a student fails to take the quiz as scheduled during the class, they will receive zero marks.
  5. Quiz questions will be in the form of 40 graded multiple-choice questions and one compulsory non-graded open-ended question. 
  6. The quiz must be completed within a maximum of 50 minutes.
  7. The quiz is considered a closed-book quiz, and seeking any form of assistance is prohibited. 
  8. Students must bring their own laptops or devices to complete the quiz and must make sure that they are fully charged. Using phones or accessing any webpage other than the Moodle quiz page is strictly prohibited.
  9. Different versions of the quiz will be provided to students, ensuring that it is highly unlikely for two students to receive the same set of questions.
  10. The quiz is password protected, and the password will be communicated at the beginning of the session.
  11. The quiz will be similar to an invigilated exam, meaning that there will be a CQU staff member present to supervise the quiz.
  12. Distance and online students must attend a Zoom session to undertake the quiz in real time. Students must share their screens and switch on their cameras and microphones while attempting the quiz.
  13. Students will be given an opportunity to practice a mock non-graded quiz before attempting the graded quiz.
  14. Quiz results will be released by the end of week 10.


Number of Quizzes

1


Frequency of Quizzes

Other


Assessment Due Date

Week 10 Monday (18 Sept 2023) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 10 Friday (22 Sept 2023)


Weighting
20%

Minimum mark or grade
8

Assessment Criteria

  • You must score a minimum of 8 out of 20 marks to pass the unit.
  • The percentage of correct answers
  • No penalty deduction for wrong answers
  • Zero marks for students failing to attend the scheduled session for undertaking the in-class quiz.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Identify and review credible literature to inform the articulation of a research question within your discipline
  • Select appropriate research approaches, methods and skills for testing the research question
  • Employ relevant ethical practices that consider the social, cultural and legal responsibilities of researchers
  • Apply relevant project management principles to effectively plan your research project

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?