Year
2019
Units
4.5
Contact
1 x 2-hour workshop fortnightly
1 x 1-hour on-line lecture weekly
Prerequisites
9 units of any Level 1 topics
Enrolment not permitted
SOCI2025 has been successfully completed
Assessment
Assignment(s), Examination(s), Project, Test(s)
Topic description
This topic will provide students with a basic understanding of the process of conducting research, starting with framing research questions and research design, through to methods of data collection and data analysis. Students will also gain an appreciation and knowledge of the different epistemological and methodological approaches to research design and practice. They will also be introduced to the main principles of ethical research practice.
Educational aims
In this topic, students will develop:

  1. An understanding of the process of research design

  2. A critical understanding of the main criteria for assessing research quality

  3. An appreciation of the different epistemological and methodological approaches to conducting social science research

  4. The skills to be able to apply basic research methods to the collection and analysis of social science data

  5. An understanding of the main principles that underlie ethical research practice.
Expected learning outcomes
On completion of this topic, students will be expected to be able to:

  1. Critically evaluate research design and apply standards for assessing research quality

  2. Analyse different epistemological and methodological approaches to the collection and analysis of social science research data

  3. Recognise the main ethical principles of social science research practice.