Students

SOCI7001 – Readings in Social Research

2020 – Session 2, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Dr Shaun Wilson
Contact via Email
C344 New Arts Building
By email or phone appointment
Senior Lecturer and seminar leader
Dr Justine Lloyd
Contact via Email
By email or phone appointment
Senior Lecturer and seminar leader
Dr Nicholas Harrigan
Contact via Email
By email or phone appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to BPhil/MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This discipline-specific unit is designed as an advanced reading seminar in sociology. It will introduce students to seminal works known for their conceptual and methodological innovation and theoretical sophistication. The aim is to give students the opportunity to build on their disciplinary knowledge by way of enabling critical engagement with different research areas and methodologies at the cutting edge of social research, and to reflect on their own research processes.

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: analyse and critically assess key readings in social research within their historical, social and discursive contexts
  • ULO2: understand and critically evaluate key concepts in social research
  • ULO3: understand and explain a range of methodologies and their ethical implications
  • ULO4: evaluate the conceptual and empirical yield of research methodologies with respect to original research
  • ULO5: lead discussions on a range of research issues in a collegial context

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Annotated bibliography 2 40% No Monday 16 November @ 9pm
Annotated bibliography 1 40% No Sunday 27 Sept at 9pm
Online Participation 20% No Weekly

Annotated bibliography 2

Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Monday 16 November @ 9pm
Weighting: 40%

Students are required to annotate a set number of readings and to reflect on their impact on original research


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • analyse and critically assess key readings in social research within their historical, social and discursive contexts
  • understand and critically evaluate key concepts in social research
  • understand and explain a range of methodologies and their ethical implications
  • evaluate the conceptual and empirical yield of research methodologies with respect to original research

Annotated bibliography 1

Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Sunday 27 Sept at 9pm
Weighting: 40%

Students are required to annotate a set number of readings and to reflect on their impact on original research


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • analyse and critically assess key readings in social research within their historical, social and discursive contexts
  • understand and critically evaluate key concepts in social research
  • understand and explain a range of methodologies and their ethical implications
  • evaluate the conceptual and empirical yield of research methodologies with respect to original research

Online Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 26 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%

Actively participate in seminar discussions


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • analyse and critically assess key readings in social research within their historical, social and discursive contexts
  • understand and critically evaluate key concepts in social research
  • understand and explain a range of methodologies and their ethical implications
  • evaluate the conceptual and empirical yield of research methodologies with respect to original research
  • lead discussions on a range of research issues in a collegial context

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

At this stage, we're planning a weekly meeting on Mondays from 2pm. Covid-19 restrictions mean that we will restrict face to face meeting time to 90 minutes. 

Unit Schedule

Week Topic Lecturer
1 (27 July) Introductions, review of Unit program, thesis plans Shaun W
2 (3 Aug) Researching Social Practice 1  Justine L
3 (10 Aug) Researching Social Practice 2 JL
4 (17 Aug) Researching Social Practice 3 JL
5 (24 Aug) Researching Social Practice 4 JL
6 (31 Aug) Developing and Testing Theories 1 : Puzzles in the Social Sciences  Nick H
7 (7 Sept) 2: Middle Range Theories  NH
 

Mid semester break Sat 12 Sept to Sun 27 Sept 

First annotated biblio due Sun 27 Sept @ 9pm 

 
8 (28 Sept) 3: Theory and Evidence: Explaining HIV/AIDS in Africa  NH
9 (5 Oct) 4: Theory and Evidence: Mass Media as Propaganda System NH
10 (12 Oct) Closely reading scholarly work 1  SW
11 (19 Oct) Closely reading scholarly work 2 SW
12 (26 Oct) Closely reading scholarly work 3 SW
13 (2 Nov) Closely reading scholarly work 4 SW
  Second annotated biblio due Monday 16 November @ 9pm   

 

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:

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.

Your Unit in 2020

We are thrilled to offer you this Unit in Semester 2, 2020. 

This year, you will have three lecturers who will lead weekly seminars focused on the research of social practice, the unwritten rules of thesis writing, and close reading of scholarly texts. 

Our goals are simple: intensive discussion of diverse research methods, writing and researching high standard thesis documents, and encountering big new books in the broad field of sociology. We want you to use the Unit to ask questions about preparing for 2021 and to use the time to go into areas of social research that will matter next year. 

We will also discuss the kinds of employment and careers that social research prepares you for.

Shaun, Justine and Nick