| Unit name | Research Methods 3 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ACHSD0007 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | D/8 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Dan O'Hare |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Research Methods 1 & 2 |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The unit builds on the work of previous units Research Methods 1 & 2. The primary focus is on data analysis and is based on the expectation that students will be in the process of data collection for their dissertation. The Unit will provide qualitative and quantitative research approaches to the treatment of data and will give the students hands-on work on certain educational psychology datasets. The Unit will prepare students for both analysis and the drawing of conclusions, the limits of the data and the requirements for clear reporting of the work. The emphasis of this Unit will be on use of on-line facilities and all of the Unit content will be accessible at a distance and on-line.
Aims:
To provide support to the students in maximising the use of data, whether qualitative or quantitative by exploring and giving direct experiences of, current techniques for data analysis. This will include experience of SPSS and other programs for dealing with larger data sets, on-line facilities for handling non-parametric analysis and tools available for quantitative data bases of text and in other forms. Other online sources of research information and research analysis will also be explored.
To provide guidance on the preparation of reports and the rational appraisal of research studies as a basis for self examination of students’ own research projects.
This unit will be delivered through blended learning and will involve a range of on campus and remote teaching appropriate for the circumstances at the time.
Completion of a 4000 word assignment which will consisti of the analysis of two data sets - one qualitative and the other quantitative and a comparative discussion of their effectiveness for the respective research questions.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ACHSD0007).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
