Students

MKTG202 – Marketing Research

2013 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Tutor
Abas Mirzaei
abas.mirzaei@mq.edu.au
Contact via abas.mirzaei@mq.edu.au
Tutor
Claudius Singh
claudius.singh@mq.edu.au
Contact via claudius.singh@mq.edu.au
Unit Convenor
Hume Winzar
hume.winzar@mq.edu.au
Contact via hume.winzar@mq.edu.au
E4A 633
Mondays: 2:00pm to 4:00pm or by appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
MKTG101 and (STAT122 or STAT170 or STAT171 or PSY122)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit teaches students to review the quantitative research techniques acquired in earlier units and introduces some qualitative methods. The purpose of the unit is to concentrate on the application of research techniques to problems confronting marketing managers in strategic and operational situations. While the emphasis is on applications, students will be expected to be able to appreciate the differences in techniques and to be able to select appropriate methodologies that will produce relevant information sets for decision making. The focus will be on placing research methodology into a decision-making context.

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:

  • Understand the need for, and uses of, marketing research.
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Group Research Report 30% Week 4, 7, 12 No
Peer Assessment Tasks 8% Weeks #6, #8, No
In-Class Quiz 15% Week 9 No
PeerWise 7% Every Two Weeks No
Final Examination 40% University Examination Period No

Group Research Report

Due: Week 4, 7, 12
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach:

Submission

Online submission through group submission link in iLearn in three parts:

  1. Progress report A: 5% Results of Qualitative Research exploratory study

  2. Progress report B: 5% Plan for Quantitative Survey study

  3. Final report: 20% Integrated complete report as for a client

Extension:

None permitted

Penalties

Zero for late submission of progress reports,
standard penalty for late submission of Final report.

Marking guides and templates are available on the unit site on iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.

Peer Assessment Tasks

Due: Weeks #6, #8,
Weighting: 8%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach:

Peer Assessment of Progress Reports requires students to evaluate other groups' progress reports and offer suggestions for improvement.

This is an in-class exercise, in tutorials. No extension or postponement can be granted.

In-Class Quiz

Due: Week 9
Weighting: 15%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach:

Online quiz, in tutorial period.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the need for, and uses of, marketing research.
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

PeerWise

Due: Every Two Weeks
Weighting: 7%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach:

PeerWise as a place for you to create, share and evaluate assessment questions with your classmates. Start by visiting PeerWise.

Students are assessed on the number of questions posted and answered throughout the semester, and the quality of those questions posted. Details are on iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the need for, and uses of, marketing research.
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

Final Examination

Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach:

A combination of Short-Answer and MCQ designed to test your understanding of all parts of the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the need for, and uses of, marketing research.
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

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
  • 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:

  • Cengage Bundle: Zikmund, Ward, Winzar, Lowe & Babin (2011) Marketing Research: 2nd Asia-Pacific Edition Cengage, AND Emerson, L. (2013), Writing Guidelines for Business Students, 5ed. Cengage, ISBN: 9780170170987

or

  • Zikmund, Ward, Winzar, Lowe & Babin (2011) Marketing Research: 2nd Asia-Pacific Edition Cengage ISBN-10: 0170183343 | ISBN-13: 9780170183345

Recommended texts:

  • Kirkpatrick, L.A. (2011), A Simple Guide to IBM SPSS® for Version 20.0, 12ed. Cengage: ISBN-10: 1285086015
  • Emerson, L. (2013), Writing Guidelines for Business Students, 5ed. Cengage: ISBN-10: 0170216381

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. 

Unit Schedule

 

Week

Topic

Reading

Notes/ tutorial activities

1

Course introduction

The research process

Ch. 1, 3

 

 No tutorials this week.

2

Aiming for the Goal: the Research Report

Exploratory research and qualitative analysis

Ch. 16, 2, 4

 

Introduction and group formation.

Observation and interview techniques.

PeerWise submissions weeks #1 & #2.

3  

Survey Research techniques

Ch. 5 & 6

Interviews & Focus Groups

4

Survey Methods

Experimental Research & Test Marketing

Ch. 4, 7, 8

 

Projective techniques

PeerWise submissions weeks #3 & #4.

5   

Measurement Issues

Ch. 1 - 8

No Tutorials this week: Good Friday Public Holiday

Progress Report (A, Qualitative findings) due Thursday 28 March.

6   

Questionnaire Design

Ch. 9 & 16

 

Linking research questions and hypotheses with measurement.

Peer assessment of Progress Report A in tutorials.

PeerWise submissions weeks #5 & #6.

 

7

Sampling

Editing & coding

 Ch. 10 & 11

Progress Report (B, Questionnaire draft) due Friday, 27 April.
  Semester Break    15-26 April

8  

 Data preparation

Ch. 4 – 11

 

Peer assessment of Progress Report B in tutorials.

PeerWise submissions weeks #7 & #8.

9    

Data Analysis

Ch. 12 & 13

In-Class Quiz in tutorials

10  

Data Analysis (cont.)

 

Ch. 13 & 14

Univariate statistics: Qualtrics output

Summarising data with SPSS and Excel

PeerWise submissions weeks #9 & #10.

11  

Data Analysis (cont.)

Ch. 15 & 16

Bivariate statistics in SPSS.

12  

Data Analysis (cont.)

Review of semester to date.

Ch. 9 - 16

Multivariate statistics in SPSS.

Group Research Report due Friday, 31 May.

PeerWise submissions weeks #11 & #12.

13  

Examination preparation

 

PeerWise submissions week #13.

 

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://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

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

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

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

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/

Special Consideration Policy

The University is committed to equity and fairness in all aspects of its learning and teaching. In stating this commitment, the University recognises that there may be circumstances where a student is prevented by unavoidable disruption from performing in accordance with their ability. A special consideration policy exists to support students who experience serious and unavoidable disruption such that they do not reach their usual demonstrated performance level. The policy is available at:

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

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at: http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

UniWISE provides:

  • Online learning resources and academic skills workshops http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/
  • Personal assistance with your learning & study related questions.
  • The Learning Help Desk is located in the Library foyer (level 2).
  • Online and on-campus orientation events run by Mentors@Macquarie.

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

Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/ses/.

IT Help

If you wish to receive IT help, we would be glad to assist you at 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 and it outlines what can be done.

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

  • Understand the need for, and uses of, marketing research.
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Research Report
  • In-Class Quiz
  • PeerWise
  • Final Examination

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

  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Research Report
  • PeerWise
  • Final Examination

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

  • Understand the need for, and uses of, marketing research.
  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Research Report
  • In-Class Quiz
  • Final Examination

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

  • Understand and design many of the various data-gathering techniques relevant for marketing decisions.
  • Understand and design processes involved in transforming raw data to usable marketing information.
  • Critical evaluation of research methods and reporting.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Research Report
  • PeerWise
  • Final Examination

Research and Practice

  • This unit uses research by Macquarie University researchers (Zikmund et al., 2011 and other resources on iLearn).
  • This unit uses research from external sources (Zikmund et al., 2011 and other resources on iLearn).
  • This unit gives you opportunities to conduct your own research.