Course Title: Research Workshop A

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Research Workshop A

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COMM2150

City Campus

Undergraduate

335H Applied Communication

Face-to-Face

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

Course Coordinator: Adrian Miles

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3157

Course Coordinator Email:adrian.miles@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 4.5.2

Course Coordinator Availability: Thursday 1-2pm


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Communication degree (minimum distinction average in final year), or equivalent.


Course Description

This is a compulsory course in the coursework component of the Bachelor of Communication (Honours). This course is intended to introduce students to the methods and strategies appropriate to successfully initiating and planning a sustained research project (whether by thesis or practice). It will provide the opportunity to develop the research skills and activities relevant to your honours outcomes, and is intended to foster creative critical reflection around your proposed topic and/or projectCommunication Studies Honours program. Its purpose is to assist you in your studies during the program as a whole and, more particularly, to facilitate research for the Research thesis and Research Project. The course does not offer a formal instructional program in research methodology: you must possess the basic research skills relevant to your topic to enter the program. But it does provide an opportunity for you to refine your skills, to clarify your topic, to discuss your problems and to encounter examples of completed research projects as models for your own research practice. The course will include presentations on different aspects of communication research and on the theoretical, methodological and ethical protocols of scholarly enquiry.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

You will learn applied skills relevant to quantitative and qualitative research, investigate a range of research activities and gain understandings in research as a professional and scholarly activity. This will be documented electronically, allowing you to participate and contribute to your knowledge community. A key outcome of this course is to become an active researcher whereby you become a knowledge producer, rather than consumer.


Development of applied research skills.
Development of reflective practice methodologies.
Introduction to innovative and creative approaches to research publication and dissemination.
Participation as a peer in relevant knowledge communities.


Overview of Learning Activities

Problem based learning is the major learning activity undertaken in this course. In practice this means you will work individually, and in small teams, investigating specific problems, developing responses to these and in turn undertaking new investigations. This will include the development of a research bibliography relevant to your research, documenting your research electronically, and participating in a variety of specific research activities, including library research, interviews, and creative research.


Overview of Learning Resources

A dedicated web site will be provided for each student, this will contain an electronic journal (blog), a description of your research activities and interests, and an area where you can store and share files.
A research studio is provided for use by all students, and this will provide all the technical resources (internet access, computers, scanner, printer) necessary for your work.
Additional A/V resources are available, subject to negotiation.
A course dossier is not provided, however relevant resources will be compiled for students to source as appropriate.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will consist of:
• 5000 word essay
• collaborative research project
• research blog