Course Title: Business Research Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course ID: 011216

Course Title: Business Research Project

Credit Points: 6


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

OMGT1136

City Campus

Undergraduate

325H Property, Constr & Proj Mgt

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2006

Course Coordinator: Ric Lombardo

Course Coordinator Phone: 61-3-9925-3905

Course Coordinator Email: r_lombardo@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 8.8.72

Course Coordinator Availability: To be advised


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

OMGT1135 PCPM Research Methods  (alias Property Research Design)


Course Description

This course provides an opportunity for students to develop the skills required for the reporting of research findings. As there is clearly no single setting in which research is carried out, there can be no single reporting methodology. Accordingly a number of different research-related options are offered. This will enable students to select an option that best suits their planned research activity.

In normal circumstances students execute the Research Design prepared in OMGT1135 Property Research Design. There are some instances where students may wish to modify their research project, in which case a new research plan must be prepared for and approved by the appointed supervisor.

* Whilst there is no formal teaching in this course, students may gain access to feedback and advice from an appointed supervisor.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This major objective of this course is to cultivate the following capabilities in students:

1) The ability to reflect on:

  • the actions and outcomes of professional practice
  • the contribution made to personal and professional practice
  • the strategies of the employer
  • the goals and aspirations of clients and the community.

2) The ability to seek further knowledge & understanding as part of life-long learning.

3) The ability to undertake and apply research in professional activities.

These capabilities are fostered in students by requiring them to implement a coherent research proposal that is both methodologically sound and ethically based. Note: Generally, it will be the case that a student’s implemented research design is one s/he successfully developed in the pre-requisite to this course. (i.e. OMGT1135 Property Research Design).


Students that successfully complete the research project will have learned how to:

  • Employ a research methodology that is appropriate to the chosen investigation.
  • Make use of library collections, archives, databases, and other electronic media to identify both the scope as well as the gaps in the current body of knowledge.
  • Accurately observe, measure and record conditions in the field.
  • Gather, present and analyse data that are pertinent to the nominated research activity.
  • Harness the necessary tools to correctly test propositions and draw sound conclusions.
  • Critically evaluate research articles written by others.
  • Implement ethically based research practices in respect of: the researcher-respondent relationship, the researcher-researcher relationship and the proper interpretation of data.
  • Implement proper citation practices

Such learning outcomes underpin the development of the capabilities alluded to earlier in this section.


Overview of Learning Activities

It is not possible to provide a tight definitive check-list of learning activities. This is because the “learning experience” will vary according to the nature of the student’s chosen research project.

For instance each student’s research project must fall under one of the following optional research categories:

• Production of an academic journal article
• Involvement in the collaborative production of property-related reference material
• Development and execution of a research plan in respect of a designated real estate problem
• Production of an exhaustive literature review article
• Acting as a research assistant
• Other research based activities (approved by the course-co-ordinator)

Clearly there is enormous scope for ‘learning activity’ to vary from one research category to the next. Add to this each student’s choice of: research topic, methodology, data analysis tool, data source and data gathering instrument etc. and the range of learning activities widens again.

What can be said is that learning will arise as the student tackles various tasks that are integral to the completion of his/her larely self-directed research project. Such tasks will be conducted on a time frame to be agreed with the appointed supervisor who will also be the eventual examiner.

It is entirely the student’s responsibility to make initial contact with the appointed supervisor, and to continue regular contacts during the semester. Although regular consultation with the supervisor is neither compulsory or assessable, failure to make contact may well result in a less than satisfactory grade if a student runs off-track, cannot properly implement the research design, or produces a poorly argued or presented piece of work.


Overview of Learning Resources

Since all assessment in this course is focused on a completed research project of the student’s own choosing, there are no prescribed texts. However, students will be provided with numerous resources that will facilitate their chosen research endeavour. These include a reference list as well as an online classroom with links to many useful resources.


Overview of Assessment

100% of the entire assessment in this course is allocated to the completion of a research project chosen by the student. Each student’s supervisor will be responsible for examining the research project submission. To avoid failure in this course the research project must be graded at 50% or more.