Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Nicholas Harrigan
Contact via 0490 911 666 (WhatsApp preferred) ; nickharrigan@gmail.com (preferred email - faster response) ; skype:nick_harrigan;
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
12cp at 100 level or above
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Social research is essential in the contemporary world and an important field of employment for graduates in the social sciences and humanities. This unit gives students an opportunity to develop practical skills designing social and organisational research; and in collecting, analysing and presenting data to address research questions. You will consider the best research methods to use and the problems, limitations and traps likely to be encountered by inexperienced researchers. You will also consider the ethical issues in social research, and the impact of new information technologies on social research. A major emphasis in the unit is on the practice of social research. A series of workshops introduces major methodological techniques, basic qualitative and quantitative approaches, including interviewing, focus groups, textual analysis, and participant observation. Students also receive a basic introduction to SPSS. Research methods useful to community generated research are also explored. No knowledge of statistics is required. The unit is suitable for all students in the social sciences, humanities, media, creative arts or business and finance. It is particularly useful for those seeking interesting and meaningful employment after graduation or for anyone wanting to go on to undertake higher degree research.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Weekly Quizes | 30% | No | Before class each week |
Group Project + Presentation | 40% | No | Beginning of Week 7 + Week 13 |
Final Exam | 20% | No | Week 13 |
Participation + Exercises | 10% | Yes | Weekly |
Due: Before class each week
Weighting: 30%
Weekly quizes will test your understanding of key concepts, and provide an incentive to do the weekly required readings.
Quizes will be due BEFORE the first class of the week (so before the Wednesday class, even if you are in the Friday class, or an external student). This will enable us to review the answers to the quiz questions in class.
Due: Beginning of Week 7 + Week 13
Weighting: 40%
Students will work in a group of 5 - 7 students and complete a research proposal (due week 7) and research report (due week 13) and deliver a verbal presentations for each. All groups are required to design and implement their own research project within the general theme 'experiences of work for low wage workers'.
As part of the study, all groups must:
(1) collect EITHER:
(2) analyse that data; AND
(3) get ethical approval in writing from the unit convenor (Nicholas Harrigan) BEFORE data collection.
Core reading: While you are only required to choose a topic within the theme 'experiences of work for low wage workers', you are strongly encouraged to tests a theory or idea proposed in the core reading for this class. This reading is:
Note that you don't need to agree with the arguments in the core reading. You can try to test and disprove the author's ideas. If you decide to not test a theory or idea from the core reading, you should get permission from the unit convenor before Week 7.
Due dates: Assessment is due in weeks 7 and 13 in the actual grading consultation (which will be held outside of class time - see below).
(1) Research proposal and presentation
(2) Final report + Presentation
Note that the research proposal and the final report must both meet a minimum standard, and if they do not, the project group will be expected to revise and resubmit and re-present the proposal/report and presentation in class of Week 7/13. Marks will be deducted for those groups asked to resubmit.
Allocation of marks:
(1) Research Proposal + Presentation: 20% of final grade for subject
(2) Research Report + Presentation: 20% of final grade for subject
Group marks: 50% of marks for this group project will be awarded for the quality of the total product (report and presentation) as a whole - i.e. all members of the group will get the same mark.
Individual marks: 50% of marks for this group project will be awarded for the quality of individual contributions. These will be based on the unit convenor's evaluation of the individual's contribution. To make this judgement, the unit convenor will review the presentations and written reports in light of:
Grading criteria for reports:
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%
The on-line test examines concepts covered in the readings and seminars.
These will be very similar in style and content to the weekly quizes.
This will be accessed via the iLearn page
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
The class is designed around weekly 3 hour seminars.
For each of these, groups will be given exercises to prepare before class, and others that will be presented in class.
Groups will work on these exercises and present their work during the seminar.
Students are required to attend class (unless they are an external or OUA student).
External students, OUA students, and internal students who miss a class must complete the one compulsory exercise each week and post it on the appropriate iLearn discussion page.
In class, students will be picked at random to present their groups answers to exercises.
MARKING CRITERIA: 100% attendance will get a 7/10 for this assessment. 3 additional marks will be allocated to students who demonstrate clear understanding and application of the concepts; students who present high quality answers to the exercises; and students who participate through engaging fully with the class and with other students contributions.
Before class each week you will be expected to:
1. Do the required readings
2. Complete the weekly online quiz/es
3. Meet with your project group to (i) work on your research proposal/final report amd (ii) discuss and prepare for any workshop exercise/s
For internal students the class will consists of a three-hour seminar. This seminar will generally follow the format of:
Make up exercise for not attending seminar: Internal students who miss class will be required to post answers to the compulsory exercise/s to the appropriate iLearn discussion list.
All internal students must either attend class or complete the compulsory online exercise for every week.
For external and OUA students, students are expected to each week:
1. Review the lecture slides + recorded lecture on iLearn
2. Complete the required exercises and post them on the appropriate iLearn discussion list
3. Reply to at least one other student's post on the iLearn discussion list (at least once per week).
All external and OUA students must (1) complete the compulsory online exercise, and (2) reply to one other student's post EVERY WEEK.
Week 1: Choosing a topic + literature review
Week 2: Ethics + research design
Week 3: Fieldwork, interviews, and focus groups
Week 4: The survey + sampling + measurement
Week 5: Analysing quantitative data, part 1.
Week 6: The experiment
Week 7: Student presentations (research proposals)
[Break - Week 1]
[Break - Week 2]
Week 8: Historical-Comparative Research
Week 9: Analysing Qualitative Data
Week 10: Analysing quantitative data, part 2.
Week 11: Analysing quantitative data, part 3.
Week 12: How to write up an academic study.
Week 13: Final project presentations
Textbooks
Neuman, W. L. (2013). Understanding Research: Pearson New International Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education UK.
AND
Strunk, W., & White, E. B. (2000). The elements of style. Elwyn Brooks.
AND EITHER:
Andy P. Field, Jeremy Miles, & Zoë Field. (2012). Discovering statistics using R / Andy Field, Jeremy Miles, Zoë Field. London ; Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.
OR
Andy P. Field, & Andy P Field. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS / Andy Field. (Fifth edition.). London: Sage Publications.
Recommended Books
Ayres, I. (2008). Super Crunchers. John Murray.
Goodson, P. (2016). Becoming an Academic Writer. Sage.
Garrard, J. (2014). Health Sciences Literature Review Made Easy: The Matrix Method. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
Laptops: Internal students will be expected to bring their laptops to class to participate in quizes and exercises.
Software: In this class you will be provided with an introduction to quantitative analysis (i.e. statistical analysis), and brief introduction to qualitative analysis (i.e. thematic analysis of texts or images). You will also be provided with an introduction to software that is used for these analysis.
Quantitative analysis: For quantitative analysis software, you will have the option of learning to use one of two statistical packages. These are (1) SPSS, and (2) R. These two products have pros and cons which will be explained in class (in short SPSS is easier to use for beginners (it is point and click, menu driven), but after you graduate you will need to pay thousands of dollars a year for a licence; in contrast R has a sharper learning curve (it is run through typing commands), but is free open source software. Also, SPSS needs to be accessed through the universities iLab, or a student version purchased for around $70; while R is free to run on your own computer).
Qualitative analysis: For qualitative analysis software, you will have the option of learning to use one of two statistical packages. These are (1) NVivo; and (2) Dedoose. Again these two products have pros and cons that will be explained in class (in short, NVivo is provided free on iLab by Macquarie, but once you graduate will cost around $900/year for a licence; Dedoose is free for the first month and about $10/month after that. Dedoose is all online, and has better/easier to use collaboration features (so you can share data and analysis across your group, located in different places)).
Methods101.com: We have developed a website which hosts training for these analysis software. It can be found at methods101.com, and should be finalised by the first week of term. This website provides relatively straight forward, step by step guides to using the various software, and also to conducting the analysis for your projects and assignments. We hope to also host material on there for other academic skills, like academic writing, literature reviews, and choosing a research topic.
Week
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Topic |
Readings (which are examinable by Weekly Quiz) |
Exercises (External and OUA should write answers to these on iLearn discussion; Internal students will do these exercises in class, but should prepare for Exercise 2 with their group prior to class; Internal students who miss class should post answers to these two exercises on the appropriate iLearn discussion) |
Week 1 |
Choosing a topic + literature review |
Neuman: Ch 1, Why Research |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise: Review a previous example of a student project from a previous class (a set will be provided). What does this project do well? What does it do badly? After reflecting on this project, list five rules you will try to follow in designing your project. Ex 2: Group Project Exercise: Scope out a potential research proposals for your group project this semester. Identify: (1) The research question (underline key variables); (2) What are the competing explanations (theories) or answers to this question? (3) What are your hypothesis/es or expected findings? (4) What method will you use? (sampling, a survey, interviews, etc.) |
Week 2 |
Ethics + research design |
Complete MQ Social Science Ethics Training at https://ethicstraining.mq.edu.au/ Read the (1) guidelines to safe and ethical data collection; (2) guidelines to ethical data storage; (3) the informed consent and participant information sheet; (4) support services for respondants |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise: Review two of the videos (these will be provided) of examples of unethical research in the social sciences. Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of these case studies for you? Ex 2: Group Project Exercise: 1. Briefly outline a potential research proposal (question, theories, hypothese, methods) to refresh our minds about the project you are thinking of studying. 2. Review the standardised informed consent for this course. Is there anything you need to change for your study (note in particular the section on risks)? 3. Review the other ethical guidelines for this course (safe data collection, ethical data storage, list of support services). Identify three issues raised on these guidelines that are of particular importance for your study? Explain how you will address each ethical or safety issue? |
Week 3 |
Fieldwork, interviews, and focus groups |
Neuman: Ch 10, Observing People |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise: Review EITHER (1) the lessons from fieldwork, and example of fieldnotes from Thiago Opperman; OR (2) The first chapter from 'Gang Leader for a Day'. Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of this case study for you? Ex 2: Group Project Exercise: 1. Briefly outline a potential research proposal (question, theories, hypothese, methods) to refresh our minds about the project you are thinking of studying. 2. Develop a set of questions, and prompts for a qualitative interview that will be approximately 20 minutes in length. 3. Internal students will practice their questions on a student from another group in an exercise in class. External students should post their questions online, and then answer the questions of another student (pretending to be interviewed). You can invent a persona if you wish to remain anonymous, but please keep answers realistic. |
Week 4 |
The survey + sampling + measurement |
Neuman: Ch 4, Sampling Neuman: Ch 5, Measuring Neuman: Ch 6, The Survey |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise: Review the example of a real survey provided in class. Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of this case study for you? Ex 2: Group Project Exercise: 1. Briefly outline a potential research proposal (question, theories, hypothese, methods) to refresh our minds about the project you are thinking of studying. 2. Develop questions to test your key concepts/variables in your research proposal. Questions should generate at least one of each type of the following variables/measures: (1) a binary variable; (2) likert scale; (3) an index; (4) a categorical/nominal; (5) a continuous variable. |
Week 5 |
Analysing quantitative data, part 1. |
Methods101.com - all classes on SOC224 for EITHER (1) SPSS or (2) R |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise: Review the case study, which will be an academic article which uses correlation, linear (or logistic regression). Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of this case study for you? Ex 2: Group Project Exercise: 1. Briefly outline a potential research proposal (question, theories, hypothese, methods) to refresh our minds about the project you are thinking of studying. 2. What statistical test/s would be most appropriate for testing your hypotheses/theories? 3. What tables will you include in your final report? 4. What one key statistic - if you find it to be significant (or non-significant) - would proove the key claim of your paper? |
Week 6 |
The experiment |
Neuman: Ch 7, The experiment Methods101.com - a brief introduction to Qualtrics and Google Forms. |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise: Review two of the videos (these will be provided) of examples of experiments in the social sciences. Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of these case studies for you? Ex 2: Group Project Exercise: 1. Briefly outline a potential research proposal (question, theories, hypothese, methods) to refresh our minds about the project you are thinking of studying. 2. Imagine youare going to study your research proposal with an experiment? How would you design it? Remember: Keep It Simple! |
Week 7 |
Student presentations (research proposals) |
No readings + No Quiz |
Groups will meet with the unit convenor for a one hour marking meeting on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday (for Friday class only). Each groups presents their research proposal for 8 minutes in class. All students will complete a feedback form for each group, providing feedback on each group's presentation. |
Break Week 1 | You would be expected to be collecting data during this period. | ||
Break Week 2 | You would be expected to be collecting data during this period. | ||
Week 8 |
Historical-Comparative Research |
Neuman: Ch 11, Across cultures Neuman: Ch 8, Non-reactive measures |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise 2: Review the two case studies of content analysis (Chomsky Video, of East Timor media coverage; and Chomsky book chapter on media coverage of killing of religious figures in Latin America). Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of these case studies for you? Ex 2: Case Study Exercise 2: Review the original UN and US Government documents provided from the Rwandan Genocide. Identify examples of key concepts from this week's readings/topics. What are the key lessons of these case studies for you? |
Week 9 |
Analysing Qualitative Data |
Methods101.com - all classes on SOC224 for EITHER (1) Dedoose or (2) NVivo |
Ex 1: Case Study Exercise 1: You will be provided with a short set of fieldnotes to analyse as qualitative data. Choose one of the provided research questions. Identify the key themes, choose example quotes from the fieldnotes, and provide an answer to the research question. Ex 2: To Be Annouced (TBA) |
Week 10 |
Analysing quantitative data, part 2. |
Neuman: Ch 9, Numbers Field: Ch 6 & 9 (Correlation & Comparison of means) |
Ex 1: TBA Ex 2: TBA |
Week 11 |
Analysing quantitative data, part 3. |
Ayres: Introduction & Ch 1 Field: Ch 7 & 8 (Linear Regression & Logistic Regression) |
Ex 1: TBA Ex 2: TBA |
Week 12 |
How to write up an academic study. |
Strunk & White, Elementary principles of composition (Library) Harrigan, How to write a short paper (on iLearn) Methods101.com - all classes on SOC224 for 'Writing An Academic Paper' |
Ex 1: TBA Ex 2: TBA |
Week 13 |
Final project presentations |
No readings + No Quiz |
Groups will meet with the unit convenor for a one hour marking meeting on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday (for Friday class only). Each groups presents their research proposal for 8 minutes in class. All students will complete a feedback form for each group, providing feedback on each group's presentation. |
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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The course has been completely changed and rewritten this year (2019). The textbook has changed, the assessment has changed.
OUA students who wish to use the previous assessment structure (literature review, and research proposal) may write to the unit convenor to request this. However, it is recommended that you stick with the new assessment structure as the experience of realising data collection and analysis is an invaluable experience you are unlikely to get again at university, and most of the teaching literature suggests that such realistic practice is vital to effective learning.