Learning Partnerships, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
AS10101: Research skills |
 Credits: |
5 |
| Level: |
Certificate |
| Period: | This unit is available in... |
| Academic Year at Cirencester College | |
| Academic Year at City of Bath College | |
| Academic Year at Weston College | |
| Academic Year at Wiltshire College |
| Assessment: |
CW 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites: |
|
| Description: | Aims: The unit will equip students with the skills to: * Define a research plan; * Identify and cite relevant sources of information; * Indentify and practise primary and secondary research methodologies; * Collate, interpret, evaluate and present research findings. Learning Outcomes: On completion of the unit the students will be able to: * Produce a research plan to demonstrate the design stages of academic and work place research; * Design research methodologies; * Carry out primary and secondary research to collect qualitative and quantitative data; * Interpret and present pilot research findings. Skills: * The planning and piloting of workplace research. * The identification, selection and referencing of appropriate information sources. * The use of appropriate sampling methods for work place research. * The design and practice of appropriate primary research methods to gather data. * The design and practice of appropriate secondary research methods to gather data. * The analysis and interpretation of research data to form conclusions and recommendations to meet workplace needs. * The ability to present and defend initial research findings. Content: An introduction to research skills in context. * The need for accurate research and practical research skills. Research skills in practice. * 21st Century effective informal research : blogs, mapping, eBooks, speed reading * Research methodologies: For example, case studies, surveys, experiments, longitudinal studies, ethnographic * work, narrative, triangulation and action research * Introduction to ethical research considerations * Web based tools and information * Time planning The Research Process * Topic research and creating a hypothesis * Literature reviewing * Primary and secondary data collection and analysis Sampling methods: random, quota * Questionnaire design: open and closed questions. Likert and semantic scales. * Interview techniques and pilot surveying * Data analysis, (including the statistical analysis of data) and interpretation: Presentation of research data. * Reliability of data collection methods - validity and avoidance of bias. Research published sources to locate information - electronic and printed. * Using library classification schemes and catalogues. * Searching the internet for validated information using appropriate search criteria on organisations, companies, IT-related media, learning materials, eBooks, articles and papers * Evaluating and selecting appropriate information, through judgement of currency, accuracy and authorial perspective. * Recording references, using approved citation methods for both print and electronic media, including online citation sites. * Plagiarism avoidance Presenting, evaluating and defending research findings. * How to record findings in acceptable formats: formal written report format, power point presentation skills * Defending the research plan, methodology and findings. |