Students
SOC 849 – Professional Internships in Social Research
2014 – S2 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Maria Amigo
Contact via maria.amigo@mq.edu.au
By appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
SOC830 or SOC831
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides students with experience undertaking applied or policy related research as part of a program of working within a research team or project in the field. Through on-campus workshops and a period of practical internship of approximately three weeks, students learn first-hand about social research and gain valuable experience undertaking social inquiry. Students should have completed at least one research methods unit prior to undertaking this unit, and enrol at least three months prior to the relevant study period in order to allow adequate preparation time. Students who enrol after teaching begins will not be guaranteed a place.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Engage professionally in an organisation through a social, quality assurance, or policy related research project. Demonstrate critically reflective practice on the experience of the work placement and the research process. Produce a critically reflective account of the work experience.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills, creativity, and independence to make informed judgements in relation to the research project.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
- Assess how current ethical, social and environmental challenges present themselves at the workplace, and demonstrate through your work how you can contribute towards these.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management Plan | 20% | see description |
| Engagement | 20% | ongoing |
| Supervisor's feedback report | 20% | n/a |
| Final Report | 40% | 21 November 2014 |
Project Management Plan
Due: see description
Weighting: 20%
Produce a Project Management Plan (PMP) within the first 20 hours of placement. The PMP should have a title, should state the background, scope and purpose of the project, a detailed schedule of tasks to be completed, a plan for monitoring the project, an identification of stakeholders and an identification of risks and issues. Detailed guidelines will be available on iLearn. The criteria used to assess this assignment will be based on how well planned and detailed the PMP is, and on evidence that it has been discussed with the host supervisor.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
Engagement
Due: ongoing
Weighting: 20%
Engagement throughout the semester will be assessed based on the a) Class attendance and associated tasks b) Participation during workshops and online discussions c) Presentation to class and partners in workshop 4
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Engage professionally in an organisation through a social, quality assurance, or policy related research project. Demonstrate critically reflective practice on the experience of the work placement and the research process. Produce a critically reflective account of the work experience.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills, creativity, and independence to make informed judgements in relation to the research project.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
- Assess how current ethical, social and environmental challenges present themselves at the workplace, and demonstrate through your work how you can contribute towards these.
Supervisor's feedback report
Due: n/a
Weighting: 20%
Your workplace supervisor will be requested to complete a form at the end of your placement to provide detailed feedback on your performance.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Engage professionally in an organisation through a social, quality assurance, or policy related research project. Demonstrate critically reflective practice on the experience of the work placement and the research process. Produce a critically reflective account of the work experience.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
- Assess how current ethical, social and environmental challenges present themselves at the workplace, and demonstrate through your work how you can contribute towards these.
Final Report
Due: 21 November 2014
Weighting: 40%
The final assignment will consist of a report on the internship which must be submitted via turnitin through iLearn. Detailed guidelines for this assignment will be available on iLearn. This task will be assessed based on the following criteria: engagement with key concepts discussed during the semester, presentation and writing style, quality of the examples presented, depth of reflection, referencing.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills, creativity, and independence to make informed judgements in relation to the research project.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
- Assess how current ethical, social and environmental challenges present themselves at the workplace, and demonstrate through your work how you can contribute towards these.
Delivery and Resources
Unit Requirements
During the unit students will be required to:
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Submit the required assessment tasks in a timely manner.
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Complete all the required readings for the unit.
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Contribute to online discussions and activities.
Assignemnt Submission and retur of marked work
All work is to be submitted via the Turnitin function inside the ilearn site. Likewise, marked work will be returned to students electronically via ilearn.
Late submissions, Special Consideration and Extensions
Please email the unit convenor if you find yourself unable to meet the submission dates for assessments.
For all written assessment tasks, the Sociology Department applies the following penalties for late work (without an extension):
5% for the first day, then 1% for each subsequent day late.
Technology
SOC 301 iLearn Site. Learning and Teaching resources, assessment guidelines, and links to individual learning modules will be on SOC301’s ilearn page. You will also use the discussion boards to keep in touch with other students and share your experiences of your internship placement.
Academic Honesty Policy
Academic honesty is an integral part of the core values and principles contained in the Macquarie University Ethics Statement (http://www.mq.edu.au/ethics/ethic-statement-final.html). Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:
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All academic work claimed as original is the work of the author making the claim.
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All academic collaborations are acknowledged.
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Academic work is not falsified in any way
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When the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged appropriately.
The link below has more details about the policy, procedure and schedule of penalties that will apply to breaches of the Academic Honesty policy.
http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
University Grading Policy
http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
The grade a student receives will signify their overall performance in meeting the learning outcomes of a unit of study. Grades will not be awarded by reference to the achievement of other students nor allocated to fit a predetermined distribution. In determining a grade, due weight will be given to the learning outcomes and level of a unit (ie 100, 200, 300, 800 etc). Graded units will use the following grades:
HD High Distinction 85-100
D Distinction 75-84
Cr Credit 65-74
P Pass 50-64
F Fail 0-49
REQUIRED READINGS
The works listed below are required for specific workshops. All readings, except the first one (available via iLearn) will be available through e-Reserve.
CDRI (2013). Research Project Development and Management: A Handbook. Phnom Penh, Cambodia CDRI. Chapter One: Conceptualising the Research Project, pages 9-24.
Guillemin, M. & Gillam, L. (2004) “Ethics, reflexivity, and “ethically important moments” in research”, Qualitative Inquiry, 10(2): 261-280.
Thorpe, K. (2004): “Reflective learning journals: From concept to practice”, Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 5:3, 327-343.
RECOMMENDED READINGS
The following readings will enahnce your understanding of the topics that underpin this unit. Except for the first resource listed which will be made available on iLearn, all readings can be otained via e-Reserve.
CDRI (2013). Research Project Development and Management: A Handbook. Phnom Penh, Cambodia CDRI.
Ghaye, T. (2010). "In what ways can reflective practices enhance human flourishing?" Reflective practice 11(1): 1-7.
Kolb, A. and David A. Kolb (2005). “Learning Styles and Learning Spaces: Enhancing Experiential Learning in Higher Education”. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4:2, 193-212.
Moon, J.A. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning: Theory and practice. London: Routledge. (Chapters 6, 8; and Resource 2 –p187-189-, and Resource 7 –p 210-211)
Mooney, L.A. & Edwards, B. (2001) “Experiential learning in sociology: service-learning and other community-based learning initiative”, Teaching Sociology, 29(2):181-194.
Russell, T. (2005): “Can reflective practice be taught?” Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 6:2, 199-204
Unit Schedule
his unit is a participation (PACE) participation unit, and you will be working between 100 and 150 hours for an organisation. Some students will be based at the host organisations, others will be able to complete part of their work from home or campus.
The internship is supported by 5 compulsory on-campus two-hour workshops. This component of the internship is as important as the professional work-based component.
There are two workshops you can choose from, Fridays 9-11 AM or Fridays 4-6 PM. It doesn't matter if you signed in for one or the other, you can come to the one that suits you the most, and this may vary from workshop to workshop. For example, you can come to the 9 AM slot for workshop 1 and to the 4 PM slot for workshop 2. I will ask you to sign in for each workshop beforehand so that I know who will be coming. The dates, times and locations listed below.
9-11 AM WORKSHOPS: E3A 244 Seminar Rm
4-6 PM WORKSHOPS: W5A 201 Tutorial Rm
Workshop 1 |
8 August |
Managing a Research Project |
Workshop 2 |
22 August |
Reflective Practice |
Workshop 3 |
29 August |
Ethics in Research and at the Workplace |
Workshop 4 |
7 November |
Communicating Research |
Workshop 5 |
14 November |
Pursuing a Career in Social Research |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
Assessment tasks
- Project Management Plan
- Supervisor's feedback report
- Final Report
PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Engage professionally in an organisation through a social, quality assurance, or policy related research project. Demonstrate critically reflective practice on the experience of the work placement and the research process. Produce a critically reflective account of the work experience.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills, creativity, and independence to make informed judgements in relation to the research project.
Assessment tasks
- Project Management Plan
- Final Report
PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills, creativity, and independence to make informed judgements in relation to the research project.
Assessment tasks
- Project Management Plan
- Final Report
PG - Effective Communication
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Engage professionally in an organisation through a social, quality assurance, or policy related research project. Demonstrate critically reflective practice on the experience of the work placement and the research process. Produce a critically reflective account of the work experience.
Assessment tasks
- Project Management Plan
- Engagement
- Final Report
PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Engage professionally in an organisation through a social, quality assurance, or policy related research project. Demonstrate critically reflective practice on the experience of the work placement and the research process. Produce a critically reflective account of the work experience.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
- Assess how current ethical, social and environmental challenges present themselves at the workplace, and demonstrate through your work how you can contribute towards these.
Assessment tasks
- Engagement
- Supervisor's feedback report
PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Employ and critically assess knowledge and research methodologies learned in other units (SOC830/SOC831) to a real work scenario. Produce a report that shows your ability to appraise, analyse, interpret, justify and evaluate the information handled during the internship. Manage a research project following project management guidelines, and show problem solving skills during the life of the project.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills, creativity, and independence to make informed judgements in relation to the research project.
- Appraise ethical research practices and ethical conduct at the workplace. Engage in ethical practices during the internship.
- Assess how current ethical, social and environmental challenges present themselves at the workplace, and demonstrate through your work how you can contribute towards these.