Separation of Lanthanides/ Lanthanides and Actinides
Business
1. Course information - Internal
BUSS5059 (2009)
Research Methods in Business and Management G
Course Coordinator: Dr Brianne Hastie
2. CONTENTS
Introduction
Course overview
Learning resources
Assessment
Feedback form
Course calendar (see inside back cover)
This Course information needs to be read in conjunction with Extra course information available at:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/about/service-framework/course-information/extra.asp . It can also be
accessed through myUniSA at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/myUniSA/ .
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME
Your pursuit of higher studies in academic research places you in a very select group. Very
few university students, and even fewer in Business disciplines, complete higher research
degrees. Despite its select nature, however, the research community is always welcoming of
new members, because of the additional insights they bring and the new ways they
contribute to knowledge.
You will find that this course is different from earlier courses you have taken. While you
were previously required to gain knowledge about a particular topic, this course will help
you to understand how such knowledge is developed; and how you can add to knowledge
within your discipline. The knowledge and skills acquired here will prepare you for a lifetime
of further learning through understanding of research conducted by others and by engaging
in further research yourself.
People become good, and passionate, researchers through three processes: reading, or
reading about, research; talking to others about research (their own or other people’s); and
doing research. Hopefully, by the end of this course you will be ready to do research, having
prepared a research proposal as the major piece of assessment. The course also provides
opportunities for people to read about and to talk to others about research. Diverse
research methodologies and methods exist, as do diverse opinions about them. It is
expected that students will have the opportunity to experience this diversity within this
course.
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3. Course Coordinator
Dr Brianne Hastie
Location: DP 2‐37
Email: Brianne.Hastie@unisa.edu.au
Telephone: (08) 83020289
Course Coordinator homepage:
www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/staff/homepage.asp?Name=Brianne.Hastie
Information regarding this course is available through myUniSA:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/myUniSA/
SCHOOL CONTACT DETAILS
Division of Business
University of South Australia
Level 2, David Pank Building
North Tce.
Adelaide, SA, 5000
Telephone: (08) 83020289
Fax: (08) 83020904
Email: Brianne.Hastie@unisa.edu.au
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4. COURSE OVERVIEW
COURSE STATEMENT
This course is designed to develop students’ knowledge and application of scholarly research
methods and associated data analysis that is relevant to research in business, management, and the
wider social sciences.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND GRADUATE QUALITIES
On completion of this course, students should be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
• Identify alternative methodological approaches to empirical research in the social sciences
• Identify alternative methods of research design and their various elements
• Evaluate alternative ways of collecting data
• Demonstrate skills in analysing quantitative and qualitative data
Problem Solving and Life‐long Learning
• Demonstrate skills in preparing a research proposal
Including: reviewing literature; identifying a contribution; and selecting and
o
justifying a research methodology, method of data collection, and method of data
analysis
Ethical action and social responsibility
• Explain the ethical and social responsibilities of researchers in conducting and disseminating
research
Communication
• Demonstrate skills in communicating, both orally and in writing
PREREQUISITE(S)/ ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE
None
TEACHING AND LEARNING ARRANGEMENTS
BUSS5059 is taught in Study Period 2 through internal mode only.
Each week there is a:
• Three (3) hour seminar. The seminar will involve a mix of activities, including lectures, small
group work on applied issues, and whole class discussion.
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6. LEARNING RESOURCES
TEXT(S)
You will need continual access to the following text(s) in order to complete this course. The library
may hold only one copy of the nominated text books and therefore you will need to acquire the
book(s).
Neuman, W.L. (2006). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (6th ed.).
Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
MATERIALS TO BE ACCESSED ONLINE
Course homepage and myUniSA
www.unisa.edu.au/myUniSA
http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/courses/course.asp?Course=011742 (BUSS5059)
Extra course information
This booklet provides important information relevant to the study of all your courses. This can be
accessed at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/about/service-framework/course-information/extra.asp , from
the course homepage and myUniSA.
OTHER RESOURCES
Students will be provided with various additional readings, including journal articles as
well as other documents, for use in in‐class small group activities.
Additional general resources include:
Research Methods:
Babbie, E. (2007). The Practice of Social Research (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Denzin, N.K. & Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds.) (2008). Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
Sapsford, R. & Jupp, V. (Eds.) (2006). Data Collection and Analysis (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
Quantitative data analysis:
Coakes, S.J., Steed, L.G., & Price, J. (2008). SPSS Version 15 for Windows: Analysis without Anguish.
Milton, Queensland: John Wiley & Sons.
Field, A. (2005). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS: (and sex, drugs, and rock and roll) (2nd ed.).
London: Sage.
Qualitative data analysis:
Silverman, D. (2004). Doing Qualitative Research: A practical handbook (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
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7. ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
Maximum Graduate Quality/Qualities
Form of assessment Weighting Due date
Length being assessed
12th April 1; 3; 5; & 6
Outline of research 1500 words 15%
proposal (Week 6)
7th June 1; 3; 5; & 6
Research proposal 3500 words 50%
(Week
12)
1; 2; 3; 5; & 6
Exam
Examination 2 hours 35%
period
ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Details of assessment submission and return are listed under each assessment task. Assessment
pieces will be returned to you within two to three weeks of submission.
All assignments must use the Assignment cover sheet (available from your Course homepage and in
myUniSA)—whether submitted electronically or in hard copy.
Please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as practicable to organise variations to
assessment pieces or due dates.
Resubmissions, remarking and extensions may all be available subject to negotiation with the Course
Coordinator. Supplementary assessments are not available for this course.
Please note that assignments submitted after the due date, without an authorised extension, will
receive a 5% late penalty per day. After two weeks without an extension the assignment will not be
accepted.
ASSESSMENTS
Assessment 1— Outline of Research Proposal
Marks: 15%
Due: Sunday, 12th April, 11:45pm (end of Week 6)
Max Length: 1500 words
This task relates to the following graduate qualities:
• Body of knowledge – by demonstrating knowledge of relevant theory and research within
students’ disciplines
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8. • Problem solving – by developing a strategy to investigate their chosen topic
• Ethical action and social responsibility – by demonstrating an awareness of potential ethical
issues in their research and by explaining how their research will have practical impacts
• Effective written communication – by presenting their research proposal in a clear and
concise manner
The purpose of this assignment is to help you develop a plan for a research project. The research
proposal will be for an issue or problem of relevance to your discipline and it will be an empirical
research project.
With the research proposal outline, you have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on your
research proposal, so that you can improve it before submitting the full proposal (second
assignment).
Hopefully, this project will be part of your program of study, in which case you should discuss the
details with your supervisor. However, you do not have to implement the research proposal exactly
as is, and even if you are not planning to undertake a research project, developing a proposal should
still be a useful exercise for you.
Structure
While weightings are indicative of relative importance of sections within the proposal, final grade is
derived from holistic evaluation of assignment.
The relevance of particular sections may vary, depending on the specific research design and type
of data used. This will be taken into account when marking each proposal.
The structure of the Assignments 1 and 2 (outline and full proposal) differ because of the variation in
material covered in the course prior to the submission date. The outline is designed to get students
thinking about the major issues early on, particularly around how their research will make a
contribution, whereas the full proposal should be close to implementation stage.
1. Introduction (10%)
• Research problem statement – what is the issue or problem addressed by your study
and why is it important?
• Aim of research – how will your research contribute to knowledge by addressing the
issue/problem?
2. Critical review of literature (20%)
• Outlines major previous findings and relevant theories
• Not just a summary but a critical review – focus on identifying problems and gaps in
the literature as well as the past research on the topic of interest
3. Methodology (10%)
• What methodology or research approach will you use?
• Justify approach, considering its strengths and limitations
4. Theoretical/conceptual model and research propositions/hypotheses (15%)
• Which theories and/or concepts will you use?
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9. • What are the key constructs? Define these.
5. Contribution to knowledge (10%)
• Originality and significance of research
6. Research design (10%)
• Participants: who/what will sample be?
• Measures: how will the constructs be measured?
• Procedure: how will data be collected?
7. Expected implications (10%)
• Given likely findings:
Implications for theory?
o
Implications for knowledge in your discipline?
o
Implications for practice or the ‘real world’?
o
8. Expected limitations (5%)
• How might your research design limit the generalisability of your results?
• Consider possible issues with sample, measures and procedure
9. Reference List (5%)
• Up‐to‐date and relevant?
• Presented in appropriate format?
10. Communication and presentation (5%)
• Well‐written and clearly argued
• Decisions are justified throughout
Formatting
The proposal should be typed, double‐spaced and equivalent of 12‐point Times New Roman font in
size. This is so that written feedback can be provided directly onto the assignment.
Referencing
Referencing style must be consistent throughout the proposal. Students should use the referencing
style most prevalent in their academic discipline (e.g., APA, Harvard, Chicago). To identify the most
prevalent referencing style, check the “instructions to authors” (submission guidelines) in the top
journals in your discipline or sub‐discipline.
Submission and Return of Assignments
All assignments should be submitted via AssignIT. Assignment cover sheets must be included within
the same document as the assignment (not as separate documents).
8
10. Assignments should be returned to students within two weeks of submission in hard copy. Students
can collect their assignments directly from the Course Coordinator during subsequent classes or
from her office.
Feedback on this assignment will be provided on the Feedback form, a copy of which is included at
the back of this booklet.
Assessment 2— Research Proposal
Marks: 50%
Sunday, 7th June, 11:45pm (end of Week 12)
Due:
Max Length: 3500 words
This task relates to the following graduate qualities:
• Body of knowledge – by demonstrating knowledge of relevant theory and research within
students’ disciplines
• Problem solving – by developing a strategy to investigate their chosen topic
• Ethical action and social responsibility – by demonstrating an awareness of potential ethical
issues in their research and by explaining how their research will have practical impacts
• Effective written communication – by presenting their research proposal in a clear and
concise manner
The purpose of this assignment is to help you develop a plan for a research project. The research
proposal will be for an issue or problem of relevance to your discipline and it will be an empirical
research project.
Before completing the full research proposal, you will have had the opportunity to receive formative
feedback on your research proposal outline from the lecturer and your classmates.
Hopefully, this project will be part of your program of study, in which case you should discuss the
details with your supervisor. However, you do not have to implement the research proposal exactly
as is, and even if you are not planning to undertake a research project, developing a proposal should
still be a useful exercise for you.
Structure
While weightings are indicative of relative importance of sections within the proposal, final grade is
derived from holistic evaluation of assignment.
The relevance of particular sections may vary, depending on the specific research design and type
of data used. This will be taken into account when marking each proposal.
The structure of the Assignments 1 and 2 (outline and full proposal) differ because of the variation in
material covered in the course prior to the submission date. The outline is designed to get students
thinking about the major issues early on, whereas the full proposal should be close to
implementation stage.
9
11. 1. Introduction (10%)
• Research problem statement – what is the issue or problem addressed by your study
and why is it important?
• Aim of research – how will your research contribute to knowledge by addressing the
issue/problem?
2. Critical review of literature (20%)
• Outlines major previous findings and relevant theories
• Not just a summary but a critical review – focus on identifying problems and gaps in
the literature as well as the past research on the topic of interest
• Originality and contribution – what will your research do that hasn’t been done
before?
3. Theoretical/conceptual model and research propositions/hypotheses (15%)
• Which theories and/or concepts will you use?
• What are the key constructs?
• What do you expect to find, based on the proposed model?
4. Research design (15%)
• Participants: who/what will sample be?
• Measures: how will the constructs be measured?
• Procedure: how will data be collected?
5. Data analysis (10%)
• Suitable for answering the research question?
• Appropriate given research design, particularly the measurement of data?
• How will results be presented?
6. Expected implications (10%)
• Given likely findings:
Implications for theory?
o
Implications for knowledge in your discipline?
o
Implications for practice or the ‘real world’?
o
7. Expected limitations (5%)
• How might your research design limit the generalisability of your results?
• Consider possible issues with sample, measures and procedure
8. Potential ethical and social issues (5%)
• Potential ethical issues during research?
10
12. • Potential ethical or social issues arising from research results?
9. Proposed timeline (2.5%)
• When will you start and end each phase of research?
• Is this reasonable?
10. Reference List (2.5%)
• High quality, up‐to‐date and relevant?
• Presented in appropriate format?
11. Communication and presentation (5%)
• Well‐written and clearly argued
• Decisions are justified throughout
Formatting
The proposal should be typed, double‐spaced and equivalent of 12‐point Times New Roman font in
size. This is so that written feedback can be provided directly onto the assignment.
Referencing
Referencing style must be consistent throughout the proposal. Students should use the referencing
style most prevalent in their academic discipline (e.g., APA, Harvard, Chicago). To identify the most
prevalent referencing style, check the “instructions to authors” (submission guidelines) in the top
journals in your discipline or sub‐discipline.
Submission and Return of Assignments
All assignments should be submitted via AssignIT. Assignment cover sheets must be included within
the same document as the assignment (not as separate documents).
Assignments should be returned to students within two weeks of submission in hard copy. Students
can collect their assignments directly from the Course Coordinator during subsequent classes or
from her office.
Feedback on this assignment will be provided on the Feedback form, a copy of which is included at
the back of this booklet.
Assessment 3 - Examination
Marks: 35%
Due: Exam period
Max Length: 2 hours
This task relates to the following graduate qualities:
• Body of knowledge – by demonstrating knowledge of research process
11
13. • Lifelong learning – by demonstrating knowledge of research process, which can be used for
creating knowledge throughout the lifetime
• Problem solving – by producing answers to questions
• Ethical action and social responsibility – by demonstrating an awareness of potential ethical
issues in the research
• Effective written communication – by communicating ideas through written essay responses
The exam will assess material from all weeks of the course.
The duration of the exam will be two (2) hours, plus 10 minutes reading time and an extra 20
minutes for NESB students.
It will contain both multiple choice and essay questions.
Multiple choice items will be designed primarily to assess knowledge of specific concepts in research
methodology, and research methods. Essay questions will be designed to assess in depth
understanding of the research process – including methodology and methods.
Examination will reflect material covered in the seminars and assigned reading.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ALL ASSESSMENT
All students must adhere to the University of South Australia’s policies about assessment. Key
information can be found in the Assessment section of Extra course information at:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/about/service-framework/course-information/extra.asp
Students with disabilities
Students with disabilities may be entitled to a variation or modification to standard assessment
arrangements. Policy for students with disabilities is available at:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/about/teams/disability.asp
VARIATIONS TO ASSESSMENT TASKS
Students may request a variance to assessment methods, tasks and timelines based on medical,
compassionate or religious observance grounds, or community services. Such variations must be
requested within the first two weeks of the course (or equivalent for accelerated or intensive teaching).
Alternative arrangements due to unexpected circumstances should be discussed with the Course
Coordinator as required.
Resubmissions, remarking and extensions may all be available subject to negotiation with the Course
Coordinator. Supplementary assessments are not available for this course.
Please note that assignments submitted after the due date, without an authorised extension, will
receive a 5% late penalty per day. After two weeks without an extension the assignment will not be
accepted.
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14. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The university aims to foster and preserve the scholarly values of inquiry, experimentation, critical
appraisal and integrity, and to foster these values in its students. Academic Integrity is a term used at
university to describe honest behaviour as it relates to all academic work (for example papers written
by staff, student assignments, conduct in exams, etc) and is the foundation of university life. One of
the main principles is respecting other people’s ideas and not claiming them as your own. Anyone
found to have used another person’s ideas without proper acknowledgement is guilty of Academic
Misconduct and the University consider this to be a serious matter.
The University of South Australia wants its students to display academic integrity so that its degrees
are earned honestly and are trusted and valued by its students and their employers. To ensure this
happens and that students adhere to high standards of academic integrity and honesty at all times,
the University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage
academic misconduct for all students.
More information about Academic Integrity and what constitutes academic misconduct can be found
in Section 9 of the Assessment policies and procedures manual at:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/policies/manual/ or on the Learning & Teaching Unit website at:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/student/studying/integrity.asp
SUBMISSION AND RETURN OF ASSESSMENT PIECES
See above under Assessment details.
Refer also to Extra course information at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/about/service-
framework/course-information/extra.asp
Note: information on submission and return of assessment pieces in Extra course information is very
important. Please read it before submitting assessments.
EVALUATION OF THE COURSE
Evaluation of both the course itself (CEI – Course Evaluation Instrument) and teaching (SET – Student
Evaluation of Teaching) will be conducted at the end of Study Period 2.
Students will receive details for accessing the evaluation via email.
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15. FEEDBACK FORM
Assessment feedback
BUSS5059 Research Methods in Business and Management G
Assessment 1 – Research Proposal Outline.
Due 12th April, 2009. Worth 15%. Maximum of 1500 words.
Key Assignment criteria Performance on this component Comment
Very Poor Fair Good Excellent
Poor
Introduction
Critical literature review
Methodology
Theoretical model and hypotheses
Contribution to knowledge
Research Design
Expected implications
Expected limitations
Reference list
Communication and presentation
Summary comment
The Graduate qualities being assessed by this assignment are indicated by an X:
X GQ1: operate effectively with and upon a GQ5: are committed to ethical action and
X
body of knowledge social responsibility
X GQ3: are effective problem solvers GQ6: communicate effectively
X
Assignment grade/mark
14
16. Assessment feedback
BUSS5059 Research Methods in Business and Management G
Assessment 2 – Research Proposal.
Due 7th June, 2009. Worth 50%. Maximum of 3500 words.
Key Assignment criteria Performance on this component Comment
Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
Introduction
Critical literature review
Theoretical model and hypotheses
Research Design
Data analysis
Expected implications
Expected limitations
Potential ethical issues
Proposed timeline
Reference list
Communication and presentation
Summary comment
The Graduate qualities being assessed by this assignment are indicated by an X:
X GQ1: operate effectively with and upon a body of GQ5: are committed to ethical action
X
knowledge and social responsibility
X GQ3: are effective problem solvers GQ6: communicate effectively
X
Assignment grade/mark
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17. COURSE CALENDAR—STUDY PERIOD 2, 2009
Seminars
Study Period 2 Topic Neuman Chapter Assessment
Week 1 2 March What is research? 1
Week 2 9 March Public Holiday
Research Process -
Week 3 16 March 2–4
Overview
Week 4 23 March Research Process cont. 5–6
Week 5 30 March Measurement and sampling 7–8
Assessment 1:
Week 6 6 April Experimental research 9
12th April, 2009
13 April Mid-break
20 April Correlational designs - I 10
Week 7 27 April Correlational designs - II
Interviews and focus
Week 8 4 May 13
groups
Week 9 11 May Case studies 11
Grounded theory and Post-
Week 10 18 May
structuralist approaches
Week 11 25 May Ethical issues in research 5 & 16
Assessment 2: 7th
Week 12 01 June Writing up research 16
June, 2009
Week 13 08 June Public Holiday
15 June Review
Assessment 3:
Note: mid-year examinations
Exam Examination.
22 June – 03 commence Saturday June 20 and
weeks include Saturdays throughout the
July Date and time
exam period
TBA
Course calendars are not set in stone; it is a guide only.
Some topics may be lengthened or reduced to ensure relevance to the particular needs
of the students involved in the course.
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