CODE | IOT1022 | ||||||||||||
TITLE | Academic Research Methods, Tools and Proposal Writing | ||||||||||||
UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||||||
DEPARTMENT | The Edward de Bono Institute for Creative Thinking and Innovation | ||||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will examine different approaches to research methods including qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies. It will introduce students to the methodology and methods used in the planning and design of research projects in order to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct a literature search and critically evaluate literature relevant to their research interests. Students will explore the research process with particular focus on the formulation of research questions and identifying the appropriate research methodology. They shall apply their learning of academic research methods and tools to formulate a research proposal for a study that could be carried out at Undergraduate level. Study-unit Aims: - To familiarise students with a range of research methods and provide a basic foundation in research design and methods, data collection and analysis necessary for planning and writing a long essay or dissertation; - To provide students with practical knowledge to carry out a literature review; - To emphasize how to choose between different research methodologies and how to justify one's choice; - To enable students to prepare a research proposal. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Explain basic terminology used when conducting academic research; - Describe and explain the main components of a research proposal; - Demonstrate an understanding of research ethics; - Describe quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods; - Describe and explain a range of qualitative data collection tools. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Demonstrate the ability to quote and cite in a correct manner when writing a research proposal; - Create a bibliography for a research topic constituted of sources appropriate for academic work; - Identify the components of a literature review; - Critically analyse academic articles when writing a literature review; - Compare a range of data collection methods and explain how to apply these in different research contexts; - Prepare a research proposal in one of the research pillars of the Institute. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Text: Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. 4th Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Supplementary Reading: American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Petra Caruana Dingli Lisa Pace |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |