Course Title: Undertake research and analysis
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2013
Course Code: MATH5332C
Course Title: Undertake research and analysis
School: 650T TAFE Business
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6102 - Advanced Diploma of Business (Public Relations)
Course Contact : Sally Parrott
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175
Course Contact Email:sally.parrott@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Alain Grossbard
99255522
Nominal Hours: 40
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
Nil
Course Description
This unit covers research and analysis to develop advice and recommendations. It includes identifying and undertaking research, analysing information and applying the results of analysis, maintaining information systems, and compiling reports from information. In practice, undertaking research and analysis may overlap with other generalist or specialist public sector work activities such as acting ethically, complying with legislation, providing client service, developing policy, preparing for community engagement, initiating projects, developing procedures for service delivery, undertaking scientific research, detecting fraud, identifying contaminated sites, assessing security risks, undertaking court listing activities, determining liability, etc.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
PSPGOV504B Undertake research and analysis |
Element: |
1. Initiate research efforts 2. Identify and acquire resources 3. Supervise research being undertaken 4. Interpret and act on analysis of research |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Information needs are defined based on work objectives and client and organisation requirements. 2.1 Information from various sources is examined, compared and evaluated for content, structure and logic. 3.1 Information systems are maintained, validated and reconciled so that data and system integrity are assured. 4.1 The findings from analysing information are used to meet client/organisational needs and organisation standards.
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Learning Outcomes
This unit covers research and analysis to develop advice and recommendations. It includes identifying and undertaking research, analysing information and applying the results of analysis, maintaining information systems, and compiling reports from information.
Details of Learning Activities
A major assignment either done by an individual or pair that covers a workplace environment or one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered when undertaking research and analysis, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and breakdowns in routine. Involves research and analysis undertaken in a range of (3 or more) contexts (or occasions, over time).
Activities combine, but are not limited to, a combination of 2 or more of:
• case studies
• portfolios
• projects
• questioning
• scenarios
• simulation or role plays
• authenticated evidence from the workplace and/or training courses.
Teaching Schedule
Week 1 Introduction to the course, assessment, activities to be completed.
What is Research? Why research?
Week 2 Research contexts: Policy, strategic planning, service development and delivery, public relations.
Research & Ethics. Develop a Proposal: Formality and variety.Week 2 Research Brief & Proposal
Week 3 Research concepts, design & delivery
Week 4 Literature Review
Week 5 Student Study Week
Week 6 Literature Review
Week 7 Allocating Resources
Mid Semester Break (student Vacation)
Week 7 Allocating Resources
Week 8 Business Research
Week 9 Survey Development
Week 10 Presentation methods for communicating research results
Week 11 Assessment – Research & Analysis Report
Week 12 Writing final Report
Week 13 Writing final Report
Week 14 Workshop/Lab Participation
Assessment - Presentations
Week 15 Presentations on the Reports
Week 16 Resubmission
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.
Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Assessment Tasks
Thi scourse is co-delivered and co-assessed with MKTG7829C Manage Fundraising and Sponsorship Activities
The student will be required to undertake research and assessment practice in the form of workshop activities or laboratory activities. Assignment exercises are provided to the student to facilitate their learning and form part of the overall achievement of the competencies in this course. Students are reminded that they are expected to conduct an equal amount of time outside of class, research and furthering their understanding of the concepts being taught, as they do in class to be deemed competent in this course.
Participation at each workshop/laboratory is expected.
More detailed assessment sheets for each assessment task will be disseminated throughout course delivery.
Submission Requirements: All assessment tasks need to be submitted via Blackboard.
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms is available at http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz website.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available from the Student forms website.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.
SECTION 1: Research Brief
This stage of the assessment is for students to identify and describe the situation, the activities and people involved in the situation and the key issues
This stage is designed to prepare you to develop a research brief that will be used by the group conducting the research on your behalf. You will need to provide the appropriate background information (Part A – Review) and the questions / issues that you want answered.
1. Background
• A brief history of the situation
• A description of the current situation
2. Problem/ Opportunity
• What is the problem /opportunity facing the decision maker
• How the research will fit into the business and public relations strategy
• Distinguish symptoms from a problem
• What goals are they to achieve
The target audience: the specific people the advertising will address the detailed description of target audiences:
a) Relationship of target audience to target market
b) Benefits sought
c) Demographics
d) Psychographic
e) Behaviourists
Target Audiences:
i) Primary
ii) Secondary
3. Other relevant Information
• Key Information required
• Reporting requirements such as how the report needs to be supplied
• Timeline such as deadlines for reporting
• Contact for project management
Length: 800 words
SECTION 2 – Research Proposal
In this phase of the assessment you will prepare a research proposal. The proposal will be to select appropriate research methods for determining the effectiveness of the communication / PR research you want to review.
Students will utilise market research to develop appropriate means of collecting primary and secondary data to provide the required information.
As a result you will know what information is required and how to collect primary data in order to provide guidance on how the product concept might be improved or refined.
Students will design a Research Proposal identifying:
1. Research objectives
2. Management decision criteria
3. Methodology
4. Reporting requirements
5. Required materials
6. Budget (If needed)
7. Time schedule
8. Indication of information to be collected
Research Objectives
• A restatement in research terms of what needs to be known to make a decision.
(Remember: Objectives are stated as specific and unambiguous as possible in terms of the precise information necessary to address the problem / opportunity.
Hypothesis
• Make an assumption regarding the market you are researching. This will be your theory about what is happening and why.
• In order to test this theory, you will need to conduct some form of research.
Length: 800 words
Your Literature Review should cover:
 An overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review
 Research works under review (e.g. those in support of a particular position, those against, and those offering alternative theses entirely)
 Explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others
 Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of their area of research
In this assignment, the research group will develop a sample survey instrument (questionnaire).
Based on the information / questions that the ‘client’ wants answered, the research group will identify the information that needs to be collected to answer the client questions and prepare a draft survey questionnaire.
Key Issues for the research:
• The length/ layout
• Fully structured, semi-structured, or unstructured.
• Collecting quantitative and/or qualitative data.
• Open ended questions
• Dichotomous questions
• A choice of answers, including the use of rating scales
• Wording of your questions
• Simple and clear
• The layout should be easy to follow
• The use of filter and demographic questions (if applicable)
Research & Analysis Report
Students (research group) will conduct research in response to their research brief. This will include:
• Secondary data collection;
• Primary data collection;
• An analysis of the research findings;
• Interpreting research findings into recommendations;
• Identifying areas where further research may be required or which could support the ongoing management of the communication / public relations program.
This report must contain the following:
1. Cover Page
2. Executive summary
3. Table of Contents
4. A small background section
5. Methodology
6. The Main Body of Analysis
7. Conclusions
8. Recommendations
The use of graphs and charts to explain results will make the report easier to read.
1 Executive Summary
• No more than one page.
• Will summarise the whole report (research objectives, major findings, conclusions and recommendations)
2 Table of contents
• include tables and graphs in TOC
3 Background Section
• No more than half a page
• Briefly describes the background to the report such as the problem (background and statement of the problem)
4 Methodology
• The type of data collected, e.g. Qualitative and/or Quantitative.
• The Sample Used (include sample size)
• The Data Collection Method
• The Analysis Approach, e.g. Cross Tabulation, Conjoint Analysis.
5 Main Body of Analysis
• You will provide descriptive statistics including frequency tables and charts for each question. You will also include cross tabulations, perceptual maps and/or attribute lists.
• A brief summary of your critical interpretation (not mere description) will accompany each table and/or diagram
6 Limitations to the report
7 Your Conclusions and recommendations
• You need to critically analyse as to what the results of your analysis are actually saying. This infers transferring findings from the body of your report to support your conclusions.
Appendices - include here questionnaires and forms used, statistical outputs and any lists that you believe your client would want to see.
Oral Presentation of the Research Report
The “research group’ will present the results of their research to the class.
Time allowed for each presentation is 20 minutes and not more than 15 slides.
The ‘research group’ will provide a copy of the presentation to the lecturer.
Note: Failure to present the research findings will result in the overall assessment being marked at a maximum of 40 %.
Key Issues to be presented:
• Brief profile of your respondents (sample size, demographics)
• Conclusions and research findings
• Outline of your recommendations
• There must be a logical link in your report, directed by your research objectives
Assessment Matrix
Full details on how this course is assessed against the Unit elements and performance criteria plus critical aspects of evidence can be found in the Learning and Assessment Tool available from your course teacher.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview