Course Title: Research Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Research Project

Credit Points: 24.00

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
MANU2137	City Campus	Postgraduate	115H Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering	Distance / Correspondence or Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009, Sem 2 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 2 2014
MANU2137	City Campus	Postgraduate	115H Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016

Course Coordinator: Dr Arun Kumar

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 4328

Course Coordinator Email: a.kumar@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 57.05.010

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

After completing successfully two full time semesters

Course Description

The subject is designed to assist students to develop their research skills, broaden their technical outlook and apply integrated logistics concepts to real work situations. Areas of investigation may include: design, construction, production, implementation, commissioning, support and control.

A professional workplace environment will be encouraged, since the project definition and planning must be carried out to the highest standard and to assist students in developing their professional careers. In this case confidentiality control will be implemented to ensure security of commercial and business information.

Specific research project defined as a formal research proposal prepared jointly by the supervisor and student, in many cases in consultation with industry or employers.  All students will gain feedback from industry during their final project presentations.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

* The key objective is to demonstrate experience and knowledge of logistics systems engineering in the conduct of practical, problem centred research and investigation.
Other objective are:
* Prepare rigorous, complete and concise research proposals.
* Document and present the research results accurately, effectively and in concise manner.
* Apply appropriate qualitative and
quantitative research methodologies to a problem.
* Develop a research plan incorporating all the research activities.
* Collection and comparison and organising field data.
* Knowledge to perform field surveys.

The broad learning outcomes for this course are ability to undertake and lead their own research independantly, with minimum guidance, and to present their findings to a professional standard.  Specific projects will lead to individual specific learning outcomes that are project-related.

Overview of Learning Activities

Students are required to produce:

1. A formal research proposal.
Limit 3500 words.
You should submit the proposal for approval in week 5, if you are a full time researcher.

2. A thesis/project report, BOTH
HARD COPY and a SOFT version on CD

Overview of Learning Resources

Doukas, L., Course Guide Notes, SE 800 Guidelines for Systems Research Project Planning, Department of Aerospace Engineering, RMIT University, 2005.

* SE 800 RMIT Library Resource File.

* Kumar, R., Research Methodology - a step by step guide for beginners, Addison Wesley, Australia, 1996.

* Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G., Williams, J.W., The Craft of Research, University of Chicago Press, 1995

* Blaikie, N, Approaches to Social Enquiry, Polity Press, Cambridge, UK, 1993.

* Anderson, J., Poole, M., Thesis and Assignment Writing, 2nd edition, John Wiley and Sons, Brisbane, 1994.

* Leedy P.D. & Ormrod J.E. Practical Research Planning and Design,7th Edition, Macmillan Publishing Co, 2001

* Zikmund W.G. Business Research Methods, 7th Edition, Thomson/south-western Co,2003


Students are required to search for resources and produce a comprehensive list of bibliography related to their selected research project.

RMIT UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
supports the Distance Students by providing the following ONLINE RESOURCES:

* access to online data bases
* library catalogue searching
* document delivery service
* online question and answer service
* guides and tutorials for information literacy including referencing
* complete textbooks and journals

For more information visit the RMIT web sites:
* http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/info-trek
* http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/assistance
* http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/contacts

Overview of Assessment

Students are required to produce:.
* A formal research proposal.
* A thesis/project report.

The assessment is based on the demonstration of capabilities in the following criteria:
1 Description of Background
2 Problem Definition
3 Objectives to be fulfilled
4 Literature survey and Baseline Knowledge
5 Formulation of the problem and methodology
6 Investigation Methodology and data
7 Analysis of Data
8 Presentation of solutions
9 Conclusions and Summaries
10 Identification of further work
11 Appearance
12 Report Cohesion
13 Reference List
14 Communication of Knowledge and Ideas
15 Rigorous and consistency