Course Title: Research Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Research Project

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BUSM2393

City Campus

Undergraduate

620H Business IT and Logistics

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 2 2006,
Sem 2 2007,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 2 2009

ISYS2442

City Campus

Undergraduate

620H Business IT and Logistics

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013

Course Coordinator: Huan Vo-Tran

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 1699

Course Coordinator Email:huan.vo-tran@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

You should have satisfactorily completed all of the following prerequisite courses before you commence this course:

  • ISYS2438 Information and Knowledge Environments 1
  • ISYS3289 Investigations and Intelligence
  • ISYS2440 The Intelligent Organisation

Alternatively you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course. Contact your course coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. For further information go to Recognition of prior learning (RPL) in Higher Education.

Note it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT University that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the pre-requisite courses before enrolling in a course. For your information the RMIT University Course Requisites policy can be found at Course requisites – 7.29.1.6.


Course Description

This course is taken in the final year of study and is designed to give you an opportunity to investigate a particular area of information and knowledge management in great depth. You will research an area of interest to you and produce a substantial research paper or critical review of the literature on an agreed upon topic. It is anticipated that the better papers produced in this subject would be of a publishable standard.
You will draw upon skills and capabilities developed in earlier stages of the program to produce a well-researched paper, based on understanding of issues in the knowledge environment and supported by in-depth analysis of the published literature. The information literacy capabilities attained to this point underpin the course to a substantial degree, and are critical to its successful completion. Peer-review of your work will be based on a formal presentation of the research topic and the resulting analysis in a research seminar. An academic supervisor will be appointed for each student to act as mentor for the research process.

If you are undertaking this course in Melbourne from semester 2, 2012 onwards your teacher will advise you if you require access to a computer for the course. It is recommended that you have access to a mobile computing device to allow greater flexibility in terms of where you can work on campus outside class times.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Development of the Information Technology Capability underlies all the courses in the Information Management Program

Specific Capabilities and the associated abilities to be developed in this course are:

  • Socially and culturally responsible practice (Level 3)
    • Ability to value professional ethical standards
    • Ability to interact with individuals and organisations across geographic and cultural boundaries
    • Ability to recognise and resolve values conflicts
  • Interpersonal and communication capability (Level 2)
    • Ability to write persuasive business reports and submissions
    • Ability to communicate data and information in a range of forms – graphic, electronic, written and oral


At the conclusion of this subject you should have developed the ability to:

  • Identify tasks and apply information needs analysis 
  • Scan the environment for technological trends relevant to information services Identify and evaluate information sources relevant to information needs 
  • Select appropriate information from a wide variety of relevant sources 
  • Draw on alternative ideas and perspectives 
  • Evaluate the quality and appropriateness of information 
  • Add value to information through analysis and synthesis 
  • Disseminate information and knowledge through a variety of media 
  • Write persuasive business reports and submissions 
  • Self-reflect on their learning 
  • Set and reach learning goals 
  • Employ ethical and legal decision-making 
  • Value professional ethical standards 
  • Think creatively
     


Overview of Learning Activities

Learning activities in this course will require you to research the latest available literature on your topic in print and electronic forms using information literacy skills developed in earlier courses. Knowledge of information sources (including commercial, proprietary, self or organisation generated); together with effective researching and information retrieval skills and the ability to scan the environment for technological trends relevant to information services to identify and evaluate suitable information sources is expected. Further development of analysis and synthesis skills is expected so that you will know how to add value to information and disseminate it in appropriate formats, including oral, written and graphical media.

You will attend tutorials on how to conduct a literature review for a project, methods that are suitable, collection of data and its analysis, and writing skills for research projects.

You will consult with your academic supervisor to review progress and time management strategies, resolve any difficulties concerned with setting and reaching your own learning goals, setting appropriate ethical and legal boundaries to your research and responding creatively to your chosen topic.
 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT university will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

As this is an individual research project, you will be expected to define your own search areas and compile a suitable list of resources.

As part of the research process, you will identify and locate specific resources relevant to your research topic.
 


Overview of Assessment

Assessment is via the submission of a Research Paper on a topic devised by you in consultation with your allocated academic supervisor and the presentation of a seminar which will describe the process of research and present the nature, findings & outcomes of the research.

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester by individual consultation.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to the RMIT university assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which are described and referenced in a single document Assessment Policies and Procedures manual. An 1.2.4 Assessment Charter section of this document summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.