Research Project II

Learn to monitor, analyse and evaluate a common process (or processes) relevant to their stream studies.(For the purpose of this unit, a "process" is defined as any distinct series of events or changes over a period of time, and which is directly related to the area of study).

Lesson Structure

There are 6 lessons in this course:

1. Identifying research issues
   • The nature of research
   • Finding research ideas
   • Experience
   • Literature
   • Requests for research
   • Curiosity and imagination
   • Considering all options
   • Formulating a research project
   • Is the research topic feasible
   • Terminology
   • Types of questions: descriptive, rational, causal
   • Units of analysis
   • Validity
   • Conclusion validity
   • Internal validityConstruct validity
   • External validity
   • Fallacies
   • Variables
   • Structure of a research project
   • Components of a research project
   • Nature of a relationship
   • Patterns in relationships
   • Timing of research
   • Ethics in research
2. Acquisition of technical information
   • Literature review
   • Research methods
   • Methods of collecting information
   • Experimental methods
   • Correlation methods
   • Questionnaires, surveys, tests
   • Interviews
   • Document reviews
   • Focus groups
   • Case Studies
3. Specialised research techniques
   • Specialised research
4. Research planning and designing
   • Introduction
   • The scientific method
   • Testing hypotheses
   • Common mistakes when applying the scientific method
   • Hypotheses, models, tyheories and laws
5. Statistics
   • Types of data: quantitative vs qualitative
   • Overview of statistics for research
   • Sources of statistics
   • Statistical data (Plural sense)
   • Statistical Method (Singular sense)
6. Conducting research
   • Analyzing and interpreting information
   • Start with research goals
   • Analysis of quantitative information
   • Analysis of qualitative information
   • Interpreting information
   • Example of a report
   • Pitfalls to avoid
   • Evaluation
   • Evaluation strategies
   • Types of evaluation
   • Evaluation questions and methods

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Develop evidence of your ability to collect, collate and interpret data and prepare reports in ways relevant to the work environment;
• Monitor and evaluate one’s own work in order to develop a responsible attitude to workplace performance and quality assurance;
• Discuss areas where there is a valid need for research which are relevant to area of study;
• Explain research methods, including experimental techniques, commonly used in your area of study;
• Undertake basic statistical methods used for research;
• Locate, collect and evaluate information for a specific research purpose;
• Prepare a research report in a format which conforms to normal industry procedures.