Course Title: Information Management Research Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Information Management Research Project

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

LIBR1070

City Campus

Postgraduate

620H Business IT and Logistics

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 2 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 2 2014,
Sem 1 2017,
Sem 2 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 1 2020

Course Coordinator: Dr 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

Assumed Knowledge
To study in this course it is assumed that you have:

  • basic information literacy skills (including search and retrieval skills, reference and bibliography skills)
  • basic report writing skills
  • basic project management (use of project management software and /or time management strategies)

     


Course Description

This course allows you the opportunity to explore a topic in depth and report the outcomes. The focus is on developing your project management skills as well as your independent research skills and designing solutions or responses to the issues or problems identified. Your project can be related to professional practice, eg a work based project or more research based eg investigation of a topic or issue.  The write-up of the project should be at a standard comparable to that written by a professional consultant and provide a detailed evaluation framework for the investigation being undertaken.
 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

You will gain or improve capabilities in:

  • Responsive practice: demonstrate your ability to creatively respond to problems and design solutions
  • Management Practice: demonstrate the ability to design and manage your project
  • Research Practice: demonstrate the ability identify, locate and use appropriate material within your project framework
  • Reflective analytical practice: demonstrate your ability to successfully reflect on the project management experience as well as the outcomes of the project


At the completion of this course you should be able to:

  • Identify the problem(s) to be explored.
  • Secure the problem definition within the state-of-the art knowledge relevant to the topic explored.
  • Present solution(s) for the problem(s) investigated.
  • Document the evidence on which the proposed project solution is based.
  • Present the findings of this exploration according to the standards set out in an academic style acceptable to the School.

As suggested by these objectives, the Professional Project is not a descriptive essay – that is, simply describing a technology or service will not meet the requirements of this course. To successfully complete this course, you must be able to identify some key questions that you will address through your research, reading or business planning. These questions will form the basis for the written project, with the outcome of the project being a response to these questions and a number of recommendations for solving the issues that you have raised. The final report can be presented as either an academic research paper or as a detailed business/consultancy report. Regardless of presentation style, your report must show detailed knowledge of the problem/issues and must draw on relevant literature. 
 


Overview of Learning Activities

This course is negotiated between supervisor and student and is usually directly related to your work or professional concerns. This major project provides an opportunity for in depth study of a particular issue. You will be responsible for identification of the project, the format of the report and the conduct of surveys or questionnaires or literature reviews etc. with the assistance of your supervisor.

To complete this course, you must commit to the following tasks:

  • Self-directed learning under the advice of a supervisor and course co-ordinator
  • A Topic Proposal must be submitted and approved by the academic supervisor
  • Completion of introductory and background modules of the course
  • A Research Plan must be submitted and approved by the Academic Advisor
  • Regular meetings with the academic supervisor either face to face or online
  • Detailed research and analytical process of data collection. Data may be based on an analysis of the literature, collection of new data through survey or other means, or from professional experience (for example discussion with practitioners). Suitable references must be maintained for all data and material used as the basis of the project.
  • Provision of regular examples of progress - including examples of literature consulted and drafts of project documentation.
  • Submission of the professional project report  which includes a ‘reflection and evaluation’ section which addresses your own evaluation of learning goals and a reflection on the process and the outcomes of your research and what it means to be a practitioner-researcher


Overview of Learning Resources

During the planning and progress of this project, you will be guided to readings on relevant topics by your supervisor. It is expected that you will be able to search for and retrieve your own resources as well. A list of suggested starting points and general references on research in this area is available on the course website.
Please read the following document available at http://mams.rmit.edu.au/s9sx559hurvc.rtf Written Reports And Essays: Guidelines For Referencing And Presentation in Rmit Business for information on the referencing and report writing styles to be used in the project.

RMIT will provide you with the resources and tools forlearning in this course through our online systems.


Overview of Assessment

The assessment in this course is designed for you to demonstrate:

  • The ability to design, manage and report on an identified problem or issue 
  • The ability to write a Literature Review / Environment Scan
  • The ability to design the research and data collection plan.
  • The ability to write a business or research report
  • The ability to reflect and evaluate learning goals as well as the project process and outcomes of your research

Assesment types include assignment reports, project plans and reflective writing tasks.

Feedback on assemssment will be provided throughout the semester in consultations with your Academic supervisor and through feedback on your submission all the elements requried.