Overview
In this unit you will continue to work with your specialisation mentor(s) to critically analyse and challenge the principles, theories, methods, models and paradigms which inform your selected area of specialisation. This phase of the specialisation journey builds on your previous exploration of the relevant contexts and methods, and will culminate in your identification of a specific area for further research within that area of specialisation.
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 2 - 2020
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).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Postgraduate 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
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
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.
- Critically analyse contemporary principles, theories, paradigms, models and methods relating to your selected area of specialisation
- Evaluate the effectiveness of current approaches in the selected area of specialisation
- Develop strategies and approaches that challenge or extend existing models and methods in your selected area or specialisation
- Justify changes in perspective and practice in your selected area of specialisation through evidence informed reasoning and critical reflection.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 0% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 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 - Portfolio - 0% | ||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||||||
Textbooks
A playbook for research methods: integrating conceptual frameworks and project management
(2013)
Authors: Shields, P. & Rangarajan, N.
New Forums Press
Stillwater Stillwater , OK , USA
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
If you prefer to study with a paper copy you can purchase at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code). eBooks can be purchased at the publisher's website.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.raineri@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topics: Introduction to SAFE20014 Project 1, Time Management for Research, & Research Supervision
Chapter
Shields & Rangarajan (2013): Chapter 7
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Shields & Rangarajan (2013): Chapters 1 & 2
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. In Week 2 you should continue to explore supervision options, and begin to consider which conceptual frameworks are most likely to fit with your research ideas.
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Quantitative Research Methods
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. In Week 3 you should discuss your supervision options with the unit coordinator, and continue to explore the conceptual frameworks by reading relevant chapters in Shields & Rangarajan (2013).
Portfolio Part A Due: Week 3
Friday (31st July 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Qualitative Research Methods
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. In Week 4 you should formalise your supervision arrangement with the unit coordinator, and begin to schedule regular meetings with your supervisor(s) to explore your specialisation and research ideas.
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Obtaining Data
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. By Week 5 you should be meeting with your supervisor(s) regularly as well.
Portfolio Part B Due: Week 5
Friday (14th August 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Ethics
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. Regular supervision meetings should also be ongoing.
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques & Statistics
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. Regular supervision meetings should also be ongoing.
Portfolio Part C Due: Week 7
Friday (4th September 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques & Statistics
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. Regular supervision meetings should also be ongoing.
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Qualitative Data Analysis
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. Regular supervision meetings should also be ongoing.
Portfolio Part D Due: Week 9
Friday (18th September 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Surveys and Interviews
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. Regular supervision meetings should also be ongoing.
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Reading Research
Chapter
Additional readings may be provided through Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorials will be held weekly via Zoom. Regular supervision meetings should also be ongoing.
Module/Topic
Tutorial Topic: Writing for Research
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The Tutorial time slot this week will be used for the Portfolio Presentation Session.
Portfolio Part E Due: Review/Exam Week
Friday (9th October 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Portfolio Due: Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Literature Review Due: Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Portfolio
Part A - Targeting Journals
For this assessment task, you will need to consider the scholarly and industry journals that publish papers relevant to your area of specialisation. Your eventual research output will be a paper for publication, so it is important to understand what is required for a paper to be considered for publication by one of these journals.
Identify the aims, objectives and various publication and authorship requirements of 5 appropriate journals.
Part A will be due Friday of Week 3.
Part B - Conceptual Framework
Consider which Conceptual Framework(s) would be appropriate for your proposed research project. Use the Conceptual Framework Classification Table to consider the purpose of your research, what kind(s) of research question(s) you are asking, and which research techniques you could employ. Prepare a half- to one-page document explaining your thinking.
Part B will be due Friday of Week 5.
Part C - Ethics Considerations
Explore some of the ethical issues that might relate to your proposed research project. Prepare a paragraph on each detailing how your project may be affected, and how you will work to address these potential issues.
Part C will be due Friday of Week 7.
Part D - Skills Analysis
For this assessment task, consider the research-related skills that have been explored in the tutorial sessions and which you will need to successfully carry out a research project related to your area of specialisation. Perform a gap analysis with regard to your own capabilities and past experiences to determine areas for further preparation before commencing your project.
Part D will be due Friday of Week 9.
Part E - Presentation
You will present an outline of a potential research project idea, including background and context within your specialisation. You will deliver your presentation via Zoom to a special conference session of your peers and various staff from the Transport and Safety Sciences group in Review/Exam Week. As part of this presentation, you will prepare a set of slides which will also be uploaded to Moodle in either Powerpoint or PDF format.
This presentation will be informed by your Literature Review in Assignment 2.
The presentation for Part E will be undertaken in Week 12. The slides for this presentation are due Friday of Week 12.
Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Each part of this portfolio is due in a different week of term, as per the schedule above.
Exam Week Friday (23 Oct 2020)
Feedback will be provided throughout the term following submission of each part of this portfolio.
Part A - Targeting Journals
5 appropriate journals have been considered, with at least one paragraph written (for each) identifying their aims, objectives and publication and authorship requirements.
Part B - Conceptual Framework
An exploration of your proposed project's purpose and research questions has been provided which leads towards one or more relevant conceptual frameworks and associated research techniques. Submission is between a half-page and one-page A4, typed, size 12 font.
Part C - Ethics Considerations
A serious consideration of important ethical issues has been provided, with potential remedial actions identified. A minimum of one paragraph per ethical issue is expected, with most projects having a minimum of four issues to consider.
Part D - Skills Analysis
A serious reflection of your research-related skills is evident from your submission, and you have provided some ideas for ways that your capacity in these areas can be improved. A minimum of a half a page is expected for this reflection.
Part E - Presentation
The presentation will be assessed against the following criteria:
- Presentation gives a clear explanation of the proposed project idea
- Explains the context of the project idea, situating it within the current practices/strategies/approaches in the selected area of specialisation
- Displays evidence of informed reasoning to justify the need for the proposed project, and its potential contribution to the area of specialisation
- Presentation is well-structured and uses appropriate visual aids which are professionally formatted
- Appropriate use of supporting sources that are consistent with the current version of Harvard referencing style.
- Critically analyse contemporary principles, theories, paradigms, models and methods relating to your selected area of specialisation
- Evaluate the effectiveness of current approaches in the selected area of specialisation
- Develop strategies and approaches that challenge or extend existing models and methods in your selected area or specialisation
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Written Assessment
You are required to submit a literature review relating to your area of specialisation. The review should be structured in a manner to incorporate the following:
- Background to the topic including relevance to specialisation
- Theoretical base/framework of the topic
- Important studies/reports in the area
- Critical analysis of the related topic.
Ensure that your review addresses both the context & methods of your specific specialiation, and that you draw from reliable Australian and international sources.
As a guide, submissions of 3500-4000 words are more likely to be successful.
Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Monday (19 Oct 2020)
Feedback will be provided to students two academic weeks following the due date.
Literature review submissions will be assessed against the following criteria:
- Identify and assess the context and key issues relevant to the selected area of specialisation
- Interpret, discuss and apply contemporary principles, theories, paradigms, models and methods relevant to the selected specialisation
- Analysis, interpretation and evaluation of the literature/evidence is objective
- Presentation is clear and well structured and writing style is impartial, logical and scholarly
- Appropriate use of quotations and citations that are consistent with the current version of Harvard referencing style.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of current approaches in the selected area of specialisation
- Justify changes in perspective and practice in your selected area of specialisation through evidence informed reasoning and critical reflection.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
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?
