Course Title: Industry Research Project 3

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2010

Course Code: OENG5193

Course Title: Industry Research Project 3

School: 130T Engineering (TAFE)

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6016 - Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology (Principal Technical Officer)

Course Contact : Leon Mattatia

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4668

Course Contact Email:leon.mattatia@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

George Zouev

9925 4935

george.zouev@rmit.edu.au 

Nominal Hours: 120

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

EB020 Report Writing & Presentation Skills for Managers

Course Description

The purpose of this module is to provide participants with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to undertake industry based research. The module also assists in drawing together the studies that have been undertaken within the Advanced Diploma program. This Industry Research project has a nominal duration of 120 hours and as such, should have a level of complexity and/or detail commensurate with the allocated time.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBH634 Industry Research Project 3


Learning Outcomes


On completion of this module the learner should be able to:
1. Plan a research project
2. Apply appropriate investigation techniques
3. Analyse data generated by research
4. Identify conclusions/outcomes of research
5. Present final report in appropriate format


Details of Learning Activities

The total number of scheduled hours of teaching, learning and assessment involved in this course includes all planned activities


Teaching Schedule

Session Topic Content Delivery
Including Learning activities
Performance Criteria Assessment
task
1-4 Outline of IRP. Identifying a suitable project. Discussions with potential hosts. Communications with hosts. Project acceptance. Agreement signing with hosts and RMIT. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Production of report and presentation of report at industry forum
5 Reporting of final project design. Establishing research parameters. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Production of report and presentation of report at industry forum
6-25 Research project, data collation/analysis 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Production of report and presentation of report at industry forum
26-33 Writing project 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Production of report and presentation of report at industry forum
34-36 Presentation before School of Engineering Industry Forum, staff, students and invited Industry representatives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Production of report and presentation of report at industry forum


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

None specified


References


Other Resources

Student Network Drive ’S’-Drive

S:\Mechanical and Manufacturing Students\OENG5193 Industry Research Project 3\George Zouev\


Overview of Assessment

The assessment for this module will consist of the following:
1 x written industry based project proposal
1 x project activities diary
1 x major industry research project report and presentation


Assessment Tasks

Assessment 1 – Report

Delivery of this project will involve the active participant of the training provider, a workplace or enterprise and the participant. The intention of the project is to allow a participant to obtain detailed insights into the practices and issues affecting current enterprises. To that end, the project should be carefully determined in tri-partite consultation to ensure that it is if maximum benefit to the participant and to the enterprise.

Supervision should be provided throughout the duration of the project by a workplace mentor or provider supervisor to assist the participant with appropriate research methodologies and resources.

Reports may be presented in any means that is appropriate to the subject matter and audience. The use of electronic data gathering, analysis and presentation is encouraged.

This assessment will focus on your ability to research and write a technical report focusing on the following criteria:

Locating (finding)


Once the purpose, scope and requirements of the assignment have been defined, the process of locating relevant resource material begins. This involves:
• identifying what to look for and where to find it
• determining search terms and research parameters
• consulting library catalogues, databases, bibliographies, search engines, recommended texts, knowledgeable experts
• considering a range of sources, including books, journals, websites, people, images
• collecting and managing resources
• recording all relevant bibliographical details.


Selecting (sifting/choosing)


The information collated during the location stage may generate a redefinition or refocusing of the research project. Selection and evaluation of resources takes place to a certain extent during the location stage, but it is often better to collect more information than you need, at least initially. Careful evaluation of the assembled resources is necessary to ensure they are appropriate, authoritative and relevant. Selecting resources involves:
• identifying the source of the information
• focusing on the assignment topic to determine the objectivity, accuracy, currency, suitability and academic merit of the information
• skimming and scanning resources to sort information into categories
• taking brief notes and observing how different sources may relate to one another
• identifying questions or areas which may require further research
• establishing which are your principal and supplementary resource materials.


Organising (sorting/structuring)


This step of the research process requires a more detailed reading of the resource material and the development of a structure for the assignment. Here, the skills of notetaking and arranging information are necessary, as is:
• keeping your notes focused on the topic
• writing in your own words
• sorting information into categories
• considering how various elements of the topic connect to one another
• establishing a detailed plan or outline of the assignment
• developing an argument
• integrating sources and quotations effectively.

Presenting (synthesising/communicating)


Following the plan established in the organising stage, the task now is to write the assignment. Presentation of the research entails:
• pulling all the information together
• checking that information relates to the original question
• considering the sequence in which the information is arranged
• drafting and editing the assignment
• considering the purpose and audience for the assignment
• writing concisely, clearly and accurately
• proofreading
• following all appropriate academic conventions.


Evaluating (reflecting)


Although many people consider the research process to be over as soon as the assignment is submitted, it is important to reflect on what has taken place, in order to consider what has been learnt and improve next time. The evaluation stage involves:
• thinking about performance at each step of the process
• analysing how research skills or techniques could be improved
• reflecting on knowledge gained
• considering how this knowledge may be applied in other contexts.
The process of researching is iterative: this means that what you find will help determine what more you need to do. You will find that you collect information, think about it, return to it, discard it, add to it in the process of developing your response to an assignment topic. This process involves organising your approach.

This component will have a weighting of 80% of the final overall assessment mark.


Assessment 2 – Formal Presentation of Report at Industry Forum

This assessment will focus on your ability to make an oral presentation of this report. Time taken will be in the order of five minutes with one minute for questions and conclusion. This forum will be held in a lecture theatre and full use of audiovisual aids will be available.

This presentation will have a weighting of 20% of the final overall assessment mark.






Assessment Matrix

Competency / Module Assessment 1
Report
80%
Assessment 2
Report Presentation
20%
Performance Criteria 1 Yes Yes
Performance Criteria 2 Yes Yes
Performance Criteria 3 Yes Yes
Performance Criteria 4 Yes Yes
Performance Criteria 5 Yes Yes

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