2.1 Exams/Quizes: 

• Mid-semester exam (20%)

• Final exam (20%)

30 minute online exams (on iLearn). 20 multiple choice questions each. Exams open for 48 hours.

2.1.2 Mid-semester exam: During mid-semester break. Exact dates to be announced. Testing weeks 1 to 7.

2.1.2 Final Exam: During Week 14. Exact dates to be announced. Testing weeks 1 to 13

2.2 Group Project:

• Pilot Study Report and Presentation (30%) 

• Final Report and Presentation (30%)

This is a group project. Form your own groups of 2 to 6 students in Week 1, and register via link on iLearn. If you don't have a group, please post asking for other group members on iLearn discussion. 

2.2.1 Instructions:

1. Design, analyse, and present a small-scale replication of an academic study by collecting your own dataset.

   * For 'Pilot Study' (Due Week 8) - collect and analyse qualitative interviews (12 per group in total) Interviews must be 10 to 30 mins in length, with fieldnotes and NO RECORDING. * For 'Final Report' (Due Week 13) - collect and analyse quantitative surveys (50 respondents per group in total) Surveys must be no more than 10 questions and 5 minutes in length. Surveys must be done on Qualtrics, and analysed with SPSS.

2. Find social science study to replicate. This study must be a peer-reviewed academic journal article.

3. For week 8 and week 13, you should present:

   * 10 minute presentation, with powerpoint slides (all group members should present for equal time)

4. Details for presentation: 

   1. Internal students will present face to face

   2. External students will present on Skype (or Zoom).

   3. Presentations will be outside class times, in 'Marking Consultations' of 30-60 minutes (depending on group size). Groups will book these online closer to submission date.

5. Bring the following attachments to presentation, and upload to iLearn via Turn-It-In:

   1. A copy of the article you are replicating

   2. Week 13: Dataset as SPSS file + Codebook

   3. Week 8: Fieldnotes for each interview

   4. 1,200 word script of your presentation, with tables and references.

6. Group size and sharing work:

   Sample size and project length is the same no matter how small or large your project group is (minimum size group is 2, maximum size of group is 6).  Why? 

   1. For those who want to work in small groups, you can, but you need to do more of the work of data collection, literature review, analysis, yourself. 

   2. This structure rewards those who cooperate and coordinate with larger group - you get less individual work, but have to spend more time communicating and negotiating with group.

   3. Learning to work in large groups is important, but it can be difficult, with costs of communication, negotiation, and compromise. 

2.2.2 Marking criteria for group project

Group mark (50%): Half your grade will be awarded based on the quality of the total product as a whole.

Individual marks (50%): Half your grade for the group project will be awarded based on the quality of your individual contribution. This will be judged on:

• A description of each individual's work that is attached to be beginning of each report

• A peer evaluation, which will be confidential and completed online after submission of each report (week 8 and 13). 

Grading criteria for reports:

1. WRITING: Clear, straight-forward writing and verbal presentation.

2. MOTIVATION: Identifies and justifies choice of research question.

3. LITERATURE REVIEW: Identifies relevant previous research on the topic, and organises literature into themes based on the different explanations (theories) that answer your research question.

4. METHOD: Clearly articulates a method to collected and analyse data to answer your research question, including:

• 4.1. CONCEPTUALISATION & OPERATIONALISATION: articulates hypotheses (if necessary), conceptualisations of variables/concepts, and operationalisation of variables/concepts,

• 4.2. DATA COLLECTION: Summarizes techniques for data collection, methods of ensuring ethical data collection, and methods sampling.

5. DATA ANALYSIS: High quality data analysis that clearly analyses and presents the evidence for the main findings of your research.

6. CONCLUSION: Summarizes findings and discusses academic and policy implications.

Expectations

In this section I provide an overview of what you can expect of me as your teacher and what I will be expecting of you as a learner.

3.1 What you can expect of me

3.1.1 Before semester starts

Topics, readings, concepts: Before semester starts I will provide weekly topics, weekly readings, and key concepts to identify in your reading.

3.1.2 Communication outside class Messenger or WhatsApp: Outside class you should consult with me via Facebook messenger or WhatsApp. I will also respond to email, but it is not ideal for answering research project questions, as often we need to have a dialogue which is easier on a messaging platform.

3.1.3 Consultations

12-1pm Mondays (after Monday class), and 4-5pm (after Friday class). I will hold a consultation in the one hour after class Weeks 1 to 7, and 9 to 12.

3.1.4  In class, each week:

By 9am Monday (the beginning of Monday's class) I will upload to methods101.com, and iLearn: 

• Script and slides for lecture

• Exercises: optional weekly exercises which provide an opportunity for you to apply the concepts of this week to your group project

3.2 What I expect of you

3.2.1 Buy or borrow the textbook

Neuman, W. L. (2013). Understanding Research: Pearson New International Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education UK. 

Read the ebook for free at the MQ Library here: https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/lib/MQU/detail.action?docID=5175361

Buy ebook from Pearson here ($60):

https://www.pearson.com.au/products/M-N-Neuman-W-Lawrence/Understanding-Research-Pearson-New-International-Edition-eBook/9781292033648?R=9781292033648 

3.2.2 Join a project group in week 1 + register it

Find a project group (internal students we will do this in class, external students can do on the discussion chat on iLearn). Please register it (details to be provided)

3.2.3 Read the required readings each week

Internal students should read readings before coming to class, and external students before watching the lectures.

3.2.4 Do the ethics training before you start collecting data

Week 2 has compulsory ethics training. Everyone in your group needs to do this before you can start collecting data.

3.2.5 Get written ethical approval from me via email before you conduct interviews or collect surveys

I also need to approve your interview and survey questions and informed consent form before you start collecting data. Please email me these, plus your article to be replicated, and wait for my formal approval before you start collecting any data.

3.2.6 Participate in your project group

Participate and contribute to your project group fully and seriously or you will be penalised in your peer review mark. This includes coming to class (for internal students), as we will do significant project work in each class (we will do workshops at the end of each class, applying the knowledge from that week to your project).