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MN50551: Principles and skills of management research

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2015/6
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: School of Management
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 70%, OT 30%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 70%)
  • Portfolio (OT 30%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The unit aims to:
* critically introduce the epistemological and methodological traditions in social research and the basic principles of social research design;
* critically introduce key epistemological aspects of the relationship between measurement and meaning;
* critically introduce the ethical and policy issues surrounding the practice of social research;
* introduce key skills for organising a research project and collecting data; conducting critical reviews of published research; and disseminating and communicating research.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit students are expected to:
in terms of Knowledge and Understanding:
* understand the significance and rationales of alternative epistemological paradigms and modes of social scientific enquiry;
* understand the principles of alternative research designs and corresponding techniques of social analysis;
* understand the social, political and ethical context of the social research process;
* be aware of several significant developments in methods including hermeneutics, the analysis of metaphor and standardisation of methods; the rise of statistics, bureaucracy and trust in numbers.
in terms of Intellectual competence:
* have developed their capacity in problem solving, conceptualising the dimensions of a problem and operationalising its key parameters;
* understand the contextual character of methods and how they become established as definitive of a disciplines or of research fields within a discipline.
in terms of Professional and Practical competence
* be able to evaluate research, including undertaking refereeing and book reviews;
* be able to organise a research project and collect data using a variety of methods including using Internet-based tools, as well as generate data;
* understand issues posed by social research in relation to ethics, confidentiality and legality;
* respect, consider and attend to the rights of other researchers and research participants;
* develop their competence in formulating research proposals for external funding and complete end-of-award reports to sponsors.
in terms of transferable/Key skills:
* develop their competence in critical oral argumentation, particularly in terms of the application of complex general principles to particular practical situations;
* develop their competence in effective writing, presentation and dissemination of research findings to practitioners and lay audiences;
* develop career management skills, including skills in using new technologies for obtaining information about new career opportunities, evaluation of personal and career development needs, self-promotion and marketing.

Skills:
During the course students are expected to develop their skills in the following areas:
* Comprehensive and scholarly written communication (e.g. essays) (Taught/Facilitated/Assessed);
* Ability to select, summarise and synthesise written information from multiple sources (T/A);
* Ability to develop rigorous arguments through precise use of concepts and models (T/F/A);
* Ability to produce work to agreed specifications and deadlines (T/F/A);
* Ability to work independently, without close supervision of guidance (T/A).

Content:
Part 1 - The Principles of Social Research
* Science, objectivity, subjectivity and reflexivity
* Paradigms of Enquiry - positivism; hermeneutics and phenomenology; post-empirical perspectives
* Modes of enquiry - inductive and hypothetico-deductive of scientific approaches
* conceptualisation and operationalisation, levels of measurement, transforming qualities to quantities, techniques of collecting and generating quantitative data, types of quantitative data analysis
* conceptual frameworks, techniques of collecting and generating qualitative data, types of qualitative data analysis
* The use and analysis of Metaphors in scientific discourse
* Ethical issues in social research
Part 2 - The Skills of Social RResearch
* key skills in organising and executing a research project,
* critically reviewing published research
* disseminating and communicating research
Practical Session - Using the internet as a research tool
Computer lab session introducing the tools for disciplined web-based research.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

MN50551 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

School of Management
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2015/16 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2016/17 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2015/16.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.