Students
FOAR7000 – Research Paradigms
2020 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.
Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.
Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Greg Downey
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to BPhil/MRes
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides a broad overview of the research paradigms that characterize the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Through this unit, the Faculty of Arts seeks to provide students with a constructive framework to recognise the possible contribution of diverse theoretical and disciplinary approaches. By concentrating on a core problem that crosses disciplinary boundaries in their final assessment task, demonstrating how that problem might be confronted under different paradigms, students will become conversant in a range of analytical techniques and theoretical perspectives. Students will learn to better recognise the assumptions that underwrite diverse approaches, their strengths, and their relations to each other, especially to facilitate collaboration and the exchange of ideas. Although much of scholarship today requires focused specialisation, being able to communicate our ideas, recognising the significance of new research, and building meaningful collaborations all require an understanding of the diversity of approaches available in the Arts. |
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:
- ULO1: refer to and use key texts and intellectual paradigms in the context of a range of Arts disciplines.
- ULO3: communicate a clear and coherent explanation of ideas to different audiences, including within their own discipline and across cognate disciplines.
- ULO4: analyse a model text and identify broad paradigms being deployed by another theorist.
- ULO5: devise model research projects, on a single topic, demonstrating command of multiple theoretical paradigms.
- ULO6: describe and evaluate diverse theoretical paradigms in general and in relation to a particular research topic.
Assessment Tasks
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.
Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students
Delivery and Resources
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.
Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status
All resources, including readings and lecture recordings, will be made available through the unit's iLearn site and Leganto, a service of the Library Reserve (which is online). Please refer to this site for specific due dates, procedures, and other materials, including the schedule of topics and reading. The unit is offered both externally and internally, and students are encouraged to establish reading groups (like tutorials), but these are not required.
We do strongly recommend that students try to attend physically, both the lectures and the discussions. We know that this can be inconvenient, but most students, in spite of their best efforts, maintain higher motivation, attention and performance if they physically attend classes. Even if you are registered to do the unit externally, please know that you are welcome to attend either the lectures or a tutorial discussion. We believe that, at the MRes level, students are the best judge of how to apply their time and energy to achieving their goals in the program.
Discussion boards will be provided online, and students are encouraged to engage with the texts and assessment tasks, although all students must produce their own work on the two assessment tasks. Discussion of these tasks is permitted and encouraged.
PLEASE NOTE: Students do not need to purchase texts for this unit. All materials will be available through electronic reserves.
As of 2017, a new optional tutorial program has been added for students to provide an opportunity to explore the paradigms in a more interactive, peer-to-peer fashion. These tutorials are headed by highly qualified recent PhDs and late-career PhD students (as well as the unit convenors, on occasion). Although they are not required or assessed, attendance will be recorded and they are strongly encouraged. External students will have an analogue activity available online.
Unit Schedule
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status
Unit schedule for 2020.
Week 1 Introduction to Research Paradigms Overview: Greg with Noah and Nicole
Week 2 Rational Choice Theory. Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: Adam Lockyer (Security Studies and Criminology)
Week 3 Marxisms. Overview: Noah Guest lecturer: Jean-Philippe Deranty (Philosophy)
Week 4 Functionalism, Structural Functionalism, et al. Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: Nick Harrigan (Sociology)
Week 5 Modernisation theory, Weber and the use of ‘ideal types’ Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: Jon Symons (Sociology)
Week 6 Hermeneutics and symbolic approaches. Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: TBA
Week 7 Psychoanalysis and psychodynamics. Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: Kevin Groark (Anthropology)
Midsemester break
Week 8 Narrative theory. Overview & Guest lecturer: Paul Sheehan (English)
Week 9 Microsociology or Interactionism Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: TBA
Week 10 Structuralism, Semiotics, and Cognitive Approaches Overview: Greg Guest lecturer: TBA
Week 11 Poststructuralism Overview: Nicole Guest lecturer: Noah Basil (Modern History, Politics and International Relations)
Week 12 Post-humanism and the Anthropocene Overview: Greg or Nicole Guest lecturer: Ian Collinson (Media, Music, Communication, and Cultural Studies)
Week 13 Wrap up, evaluations, synthetic discussion: Noah and Greg
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.