Students

MKTG202 – Marketing Research

2017 – S2 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor/Lecturer
Dr. Jun Yao
Contact via Email
E4A 653
Friday 3:00pm to 4:00pm or by appointment
Tutor
Alex Belli
Contact via Email
E4B Tutors' Room
Wednesday 5:00pm to 6:00pm or by appointment
Tutor
Jennifer Lai
Contact via Email
E4B Tutors' Room
Wednesday 11:00am to 12:00pm or by appointment
Tutor
Trisha Koslow
Contact via Email
E4B Tutors' Room
Friday 11:00am to 12:00pm or by appointment
Tutor
Pingtzir Sam
Contact via Email
E4B Tutors' Room
Friday 4:00pm to 5:00pm or by appointment
Tutor
Muhammad Alam
Contact via Email
E4B Tutors' Room
Wednesday 4:00pm to 5:00pm or by appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
MKTG101
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The aim of this unit is to equip students with marketing research knowledge and skills. This unit reviews quantitative research techniques and introduces qualitative methods, as well as new and emerging research methods. The unit concentrates on the application of primary research techniques to problems confronting organisations in strategic and operational situations. While the emphasis is on applications, students will be expected to be able to evaluate different techniques and to be able to select appropriate methodologies that will produce relevant information for decision making. Thus, the focus is on placing research methodology into a marketing decision making context. In particular, the unit will develop graduate capabilities in problem solving and research operating.

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:

  • Problem Solving: Understand and demonstrate the process for problem solving (identify problem, gather facts, generate options, evaluate and implement, monitor results) in the context of Marketing Research
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.
  • Teamwork: Understand and demonstrate theory of working in teams and team processes. Demonstrate commitment to achieving the teamwork task.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Group Project 40% No Week 4, Week 7 and Week 13
Class test 10% No Week 8
PeerWise Quiz Game 10% No Week 12
Final Examination 40% No University Examination Period

Group Project

Due: Week 4, Week 7 and Week 13
Weighting: 40%

This assessment is for group of 4 to 5 students. 

Submission

A Marketing Research project to be conducted and submitted through iLearn in three parts:

  1. Progress Report A (individually): 10% results of qualitative research - exploratory study. Suggested topics and marking guide on iLearn (Progress Report A due by 11:59pm Friday of Week 4, maximum 400 words).
  2. Progress Report B (by group): 10% (5% group + 5% individual) proposal for quantitative survey study (Progress Report B due by 11:59pm Friday of Week 7, maximum 1000 words). Marking guide available on iLearn. The 5% individual component of this research proposal is based on the group members' peer evaluations (Peer Evaluation for Progress Report B due by 11:59pm Tuesday 3 October).
  3. Final Report (by group): 20% (10% group + 10% individual) Integrated complete report as for a client (Final Report due by 11:59pm Friday of Week 13, maximum 3000 words). Marking guide available on iLearn. The 10% individual component of this research proposal is based on the group members' peer evaluations (Peer Evaluation for Final Report due by 11:59pm Tuesday 14 November).

Please note: Submit your reports through the Turnitin link on iLearn, no hard copies or soft copies via email, will be accepted. The documents MUST be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, submissions in other formats will NOT be marked. 

Important note on Late Submission

  • Progress Report A provides input for Progress Report B, which is the roadmap for your Final Report. You can't work on one without completing the earlier task. That makes it difficult or impossible to postpone the two Progress Reports.
  • No extensions will be granted for the Progress Report A  (individual task) and Progress Report B (group task). Students who have not submitted the tasks prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task, except for cases in which an application for Disruption of Studies is made before the due date and approved.
  • No extensions will be granted to the Final Report (group task). There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission - 4 marks penalty on a 20% assignment). Application for Disruption of Studies by an individual student cannot apply for a group submission.

No transfer of marks from these assessments to the final exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Problem Solving: Understand and demonstrate the process for problem solving (identify problem, gather facts, generate options, evaluate and implement, monitor results) in the context of Marketing Research
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.
  • Teamwork: Understand and demonstrate theory of working in teams and team processes. Demonstrate commitment to achieving the teamwork task.

Class test

Due: Week 8
Weighting: 10%

  • In-class online quiz (Week 8), in tutorial period (10%). The quiz is in the format of MCQs and covers topics studied in weeks 1 to 7 inclusive.

Late Submission

  • No extensions or postponements will be granted. Students who have not completed the task prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the quiz, except for cases in which an application for Disruption of Studies is made beforehand and approved.

No transfer of marks from this assessment to the final exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.

PeerWise Quiz Game

Due: Week 12
Weighting: 10%

  • PeerWise is a place for students to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with their classmates. This service is external to iLearn, and requires a separate log-in procedure.

  • 10 marks are awarded for contribution to the PeerWise service by writing, answering, commenting, rating questions that are related with the theories and practices in marketing research. Students earn "badges" their contributions in PeerWise, and marks are awarded for the variety of badges earned. More details are provided on the unit website.

  • Irrelevant or inappropriate questions and comments will be deleted.

  • Due by 11:59pm Friday of Week 12

Late Submission

  • Peerwise is an ongoing activity throughout the semester. Disruption to study, extensions and late submission do not make sense in this context. Students who have not participated in the PeerWise task by the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task.

No transfer of marks from these assessment tasks to the final exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.

Final Examination

Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 40%

  • A combination of Short-Answer and MCQ designed to test your understanding and application of all parts of the unit. More information on the final examination will be provided in Week 13.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Problem Solving: Understand and demonstrate the process for problem solving (identify problem, gather facts, generate options, evaluate and implement, monitor results) in the context of Marketing Research
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.

Delivery and Resources

Classes

  • 3 hours face-to-face teaching per week consisting of for example; 1 x 2-hour lecture and 1 x 1-hour tutorial/lab exercises
  • The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials

Prescribed text:

  • D’Alessandro, Lowe, Winzar, Zikmund, Babin (2017) Marketing Research: 4th Asia-Pacific Edition with Student Resource Access. Cengage: ISBN 9780170369824

Recommended texts:

  • Kirkpatrick & Feeney (2016) A Simple Guide to IBM SPSS Statistics - version 23.0. Cengage: ISBN 9781305877719 

  • Allen, Bennett, and Heritage. (2014), SPSS Statistics Version 22- A Practical Guide, 3ed. Cengage: ISBN-10: 0-17-034897-0

  • Emerson, L. (2013), Writing Guidelines for Business Students, 5ed. Cengage: ISBN-10: 0-17-021638-1

These texts can be purchased from the Macquarie University Co-op Bookshop.

They are also available in the Macquarie Library.

Technology Used and Required

  • Students will need to have access to a personal computer, with access to the Internet and word processor software.
  • In laboratories, we will use MS-Word, MS-Excel, and SPSS statistical software.

Unit Web Page

  • The web page for this unit can be found at: iLearn http://ilearn.mq.edu.au
  • All announcements and resources will be available on the web site. Resource materials include lecture slides, practice questions, case studies and practice exam questions for both the within-semester and final exams. There is also a forum for student interaction and contact with faculty. You should consult the course Website several times per week for messages and updates.

Learning and Teaching Activities

This unit is taught using lectures and tutorials.

  • Lectures serve to highlight key topics and elaborate on important or difficult topics. They are not a summary of, or a substitute for, the textbook or other resources.
  • Tutorials serve to give students practice in applying concepts and developing skills in critical and logical thinking, information gathering and analysis.

Students are expected to read in advance of lectures, and participate in all lecture presentations. There is also an applied marketing research project assisting students to apply concepts introduced in course to the marketing environment. This will be introduced within the lecture presentations. 

Weekly Progress

The unit website, iLearn, is divided into weekly sections. Students will need to pass a mini-quiz based on previous weeks' content in order to progress to the next week's section. The mini-quizes do not count towards a grade, but require students to keep up.

Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

Reading

Notes/tutorial activities

1

Course Introduction

Marketing Research

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch. 1

No tutorials this week, tutorials commence in Week 2.

2

Problem Definition and Research Process

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch. 2

Introduction and group formation.

3

Qualitative Research

Secondary Research

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch. 3, 4

Define marketing research problem.

4

Survey Research

Observation

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch. 5, 6

Interview and focus group.

Individual Task: Progress Report A - Qualitative Research Summary due in iLearn: 11:59pm Friday 25 August.

5

Measurement and Scaling

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch. 8

Survey research methods.

Print and bring your Progress Report A to tutorial for feedback.

6

Questionnaire Design

Sampling Technique

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch. 9, 10

Linking research questions and hypotheses with measurement.

7

Causal Research and Experiment

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch.7 

Sampling techniques. 

Group Task: Progress Report B - Quantitative Research Proposal is due in iLearn: 11:59pm Friday 15 September.

 

Mid Session Break

   

8

Data Editing and Coding

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch.11

In-Class Quiz in tutorials: 2-6 October.

Peer Evaluation for Progress B is due by 11:59pm Tuesday 3 October.

9

Data Analysis Part I: Univariate Analysis

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch.12 

Online questionnaire design using Qualtrics.

Print and bring your Progress Report B to tutorial class for feedback.

10

Data Analysis Part II: Bivariate Analysis - Test of Difference

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch.13

Summarising data with SPSS (data cleaning and coding before analysis).

Cross-tabulation and Chi-square test.

11

Data Analysis Part III: Bivariate Analysis - Test of Association

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch.14

Hypothesis testing related to difference: t-test and ANOVA.

12

Data Analysis Part IV: Multivariate Analysis

Report Presentation

Zikmund et al., 2017 Ch.15, 16

Hypothesis testing related to association: correlation and regression.

PeerWise activities close 11:59pm Friday 3 November.

13

Examination Review and Preparation

Zikmund et al., 2017 All chapters

Exam preparation Q&A

Group Project- Final Research Report due in iLearn: 11:59pm Friday 10 November.

Peer Evaluation for Final Report is due by 11:59pm Tuesday 14 November.

 

Learning and Teaching Activities

Tutorial exercises

In-tutorial activities are designed to help students experience qualitative and quantitative research tasks and gain immediate feedback.

Weekly mini-quizes

To progress to next week's section on iLearn, students must first pass a mini-quiz based on previous weeks' content.

PeerWise

PeerWise is a place for students to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with their classmates. We find that students learn well when they help others to learn.

Qualtrics

Qualtrics is the #1 online questionnaire tool in the world.

SPSS

SPSS is the standard statistical package used in Marketing and Social Research.

Group Project

Students work in teams to design, carry out, and report on a marketing problem of their choosing.

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_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

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/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Academic Honesty

The nature of scholarly endeavour, dependent as it is on the work of others, binds all members of the University community to abide by the principles of academic honesty. 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:

  • all academic work claimed as original is the work of the author making the claim
  • all academic collaborations are acknowledged
  • academic work is not falsified in any way
  • when the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged appropriately.

Further information on the academic honesty can be found in the Macquarie University Academic Honesty Policy at http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Grades

Macquarie University uses the following grades in coursework units of study:

  • HD - High Distinction
  • D - Distinction
  • CR - Credit
  • P - Pass
  • F - Fail

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Grading Policy which is available at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grading Appeals and Final Examination Script Viewing

If, at the conclusion of the unit, you have performed below expectations, and are considering lodging an appeal of grade and/or viewing your final exam script please refer to the following website which provides information about these processes and the cut off dates in the first instance. Please read the instructions provided concerning what constitutes a valid grounds for appeal before appealing your grade.

http://www.businessandeconomics.mq.edu.au/new_and_current_students/undergraduate_current_students/how_do_i/grade_appeals/

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Problem Solving: Understand and demonstrate the process for problem solving (identify problem, gather facts, generate options, evaluate and implement, monitor results) in the context of Marketing Research
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.
  • Teamwork: Understand and demonstrate theory of working in teams and team processes. Demonstrate commitment to achieving the teamwork task.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Project
  • Class test
  • PeerWise Quiz Game
  • Final Examination

Learning and teaching activities

  • In-tutorial activities are designed to help students experience qualitative and quantitative research tasks and gain immediate feedback.
  • To progress to next week's section on iLearn, students must first pass a mini-quiz based on previous weeks' content.
  • PeerWise is a place for students to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with their classmates. We find that students learn well when they help others to learn.
  • Qualtrics is the #1 online questionnaire tool in the world.
  • SPSS is the standard statistical package used in Marketing and Social Research.
  • Students work in teams to design, carry out, and report on a marketing problem of their choosing.

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.
  • Teamwork: Understand and demonstrate theory of working in teams and team processes. Demonstrate commitment to achieving the teamwork task.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Project
  • PeerWise Quiz Game
  • Final Examination

Learning and teaching activities

  • In-tutorial activities are designed to help students experience qualitative and quantitative research tasks and gain immediate feedback.
  • To progress to next week's section on iLearn, students must first pass a mini-quiz based on previous weeks' content.
  • PeerWise is a place for students to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with their classmates. We find that students learn well when they help others to learn.
  • Students work in teams to design, carry out, and report on a marketing problem of their choosing.

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Problem Solving: Understand and demonstrate the process for problem solving (identify problem, gather facts, generate options, evaluate and implement, monitor results) in the context of Marketing Research
  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.
  • Teamwork: Understand and demonstrate theory of working in teams and team processes. Demonstrate commitment to achieving the teamwork task.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Project
  • Final Examination

Learning and teaching activities

  • In-tutorial activities are designed to help students experience qualitative and quantitative research tasks and gain immediate feedback.
  • PeerWise is a place for students to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with their classmates. We find that students learn well when they help others to learn.
  • Qualtrics is the #1 online questionnaire tool in the world.
  • SPSS is the standard statistical package used in Marketing and Social Research.
  • Students work in teams to design, carry out, and report on a marketing problem of their choosing.

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critical Thinking: Synthesise, analyse and evaluate the quality of information and connections in an applied situation, recognising inconsistencies, gaps in logic and unexplored ideas, including their own and others. Can form good, clear arguments that include various perspectives.
  • Communication: Understand and demonstrate appropriate communication skills across settings, purpose and audiences. Apply appropriate language and structure / etiquette to the execution of an effectively presented and targeted discipline-specific task / audience.
  • Teamwork: Understand and demonstrate theory of working in teams and team processes. Demonstrate commitment to achieving the teamwork task.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Project
  • PeerWise Quiz Game
  • Final Examination

Learning and teaching activities

  • PeerWise is a place for students to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with their classmates. We find that students learn well when they help others to learn.
  • Qualtrics is the #1 online questionnaire tool in the world.
  • Students work in teams to design, carry out, and report on a marketing problem of their choosing.

Changes from Previous Offering

The following changes have been made since last offering in S1 2017:

  1. In-Class Quiz is scheduled in week 8 instead of week 6, to evenly spread the assessments throughout the semester.
  2. There are minor changes in the Unit Schedule - teaching activities have been updated in accordance with the group project.
  3. The word limit of "Group Project - Progress Report B" is increased from maximum 750 words to maximum 1000 words.
  4. The open book examination is changed back to closed book examination, due to the issues with e-book raised in S1 2017.

Research & Practice, Global contexts & Sustainability

Research & Practice

  • This unit uses research by Macquarie University researchers (Zikmund et al., 2017 and other resources on iLearn).
  • This unit uses research from external sources (Zikmund et al., 2017 and other resources on iLearn).
  • This unit gives you opportunities to conduct your own research and to refine your interest in consumer research or other contemporary marketing practices in different contexts.

Global contexts & Sustainability

  • This unit enables students to understand the new generation consumers and their patterns, preferences, and behaviours in global marketing context in Internet era through the research project.
  • Students are expected to attain higher level of awareness of sustainability by investigating into the characteristics, market size, profitability, potential, variation of market and lifelong value of consumer groups and understanding business's commitment to the protect consumer wellbeing, environmental and social benefits.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
08/08/2017 Muhammad Alam‘s email address has been updated by using his staff email address.
03/08/2017 Teaching staff update.