Course Title: Research Methods and Impact

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Research Methods and Impact

Credit Points: 12.00

Important Information:

Note: This course is taught fully online for this teaching period, and not face-to-face. 


Flexible Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

OMGT2374

City Campus

Research

610P BUS Portfolio Office

Face-to-Face

RSCHYr2022 (RI23)

OMGT2374

City Campus

Research

625H Economics, Finance and Marketing

Face-to-Face

RSCHYr2023 (RI31),

RSCHYr2023 (RI33)

Course Coordinator: Lisa Farrell

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99255891

Course Coordinator Email: lisa.farrell@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 080-11-079

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None.  

Candidates will be expected to have qualified for provisional entry to the RMIT College of a Business and Law PhD or Masters by Research.  


Course Description

This course aims to introduce candidates to alternative research methodologies and impact frameworks to the study of business and law issues. 

The focus is on equipping candidates with capabilities for undertaking qualitative/quantitative/mixed method research and for critically evaluating research methods used by others.  

Candidates will also be equipped to critically analyse research ethics, integrity and impact considerations associated with research methodology.  

The course will be modular in structure allowing candidates to complete the components they need to prepare for their research project and to enable more granular recognition of prior learning. 

This course is:

  • Compulsory for all PhD candidates prior to CoC  
  • Optional for MRes prior to 2MR 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course will develop candidate capabilities of: 

a. Critical thinking through analysis of qualitative, quantitative or mixed method research applications. 

b. High-level communication skills through oral and written presentations. 

c. Collaboration skills through working with groups in the presentation of at least one critical case study analysis/ research design. 

d. Creativity and problem-solving skills in the design of qualitative research study for a less well-structured or complex problem in a business and law context. 

e. Research integrity and ethical considerations in the design, data collection and analysis of data from human subjects.  

f. Independent analysis of at least one relevant tool, case study or research design case and its impact. 


On successful completion of the course, candidates will be able to: 

1. Analyse and critique different methodological approaches used in Business and Law research. 2. Evaluate a range of quantitative or qualitative methods of research in creating an impactful business and law knowledge.  3. Assess the research ethics, integrity and impact considerations that govern advanced, evidence-based research and knowledge translation. 4. Develop a justification for choosing research method(s) applicable to novel and important Business and Law research questions and articulate this with reference to the implications for research design and impact.


Overview of Learning Activities

The course will be conducted in seminar style. Candidates will be provided with readings and be required to independently research topics around different quantitative or qualitative research methods. Discussion groups will analyse, synthesise, discuss and report on these readings. Candidates will be expected to independently explore at least one research method. Candidates will also be required to independently analyse a research case and interpret and present the process and the outcomes in oral and written communications.  


Overview of Learning Resources

Candidates will require access to research case studies and completion of relevant micro-creds. Involvement of supervisors will be helpful in guiding the case studies relevant to the candidate’s topic area.  


Overview of Assessment

The assessment tasks, their weighting and the course learning outcomes to which they are aligned are as follows.  

Assessment Task 1: 50% 
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4   Assessment Task 2: 50%
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4