Units
Approaches to Honours Enquiry
Unit code: KKP409
Contact hours: 3 per week
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
There are many forms of enquiry suited to the diverse range of disciplines which make up the Creative Industries. These forms of enquiry typically fall within qualitative research traditions, creative practice as research and applied commercial research.
This unit plays a key role in your research degree by introducing you to the most appropriate form of enquiry for your study and providing you with the strategies, methods and protocols for designing, implementing and evaluating that study. You will be undertaking this unit with your Honours cohort and attending certain lectures in the postgraduate mode for this material, KKP601 Approaches to Enquiry in the Creative Industries, as nominated by the Honours Coordinator.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 1 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
This unit will examine the critical framework and design of your Honours project. Key paradigms of critical enquiry research (qualitative, textual, arts media & network analysis) and practice-led research (creative practice in art, writing, design and media) are discussed in order to further support the Discipline-based supervision activity of the project.
This unit plays a key role in your Honours program by directing you at an early stage to the most appropriate form of enquiry for your Honours project and assisting with project design. The lecture and workshop format will provide academic feedback and collegial peer critique. It will also support supervisors in relation to ethics clearance and the administrative management of an Honours project.
Aims
This unit aims to:
1. introduce you to research paradigms, strategies, methods and modes of presentation used in the creative industries;
2. outline and develop the skills necessary for becoming a successful researcher, including academic protocols and advanced information retrieval skills;
3. provide content common across a range of conceptual frameworks and disciplines, as well as connect you to information about specific research approaches related to your particular study.
Objectives
On completion of this unit you should have
1. competencies in identifying the paradigms, strategies and methods associated with research in the creative industries;
2. ability to design and deliver a presentation that outlines your research question and project design at that point of your research;
3. skills in retrieving information using information technology and library resources;
4. skills in articulating specific issues that arise around either critical enquiry or practice-led research;
5. skills in initiating an independent enquiry into a supervised project;
6. the capability to identify your field of enquiry and your contribution to that field.
Content
Sections of this unit may be co-taught with KKP601 Approaches to Enquiry in the Creative Industries (for MAs and PhD candidates). Both units and addresses content such as:
1. Research fundamentals and core issues (what is research? what am I researching? how do I design, conduct and present my research?)
2. Research protocols : (ethics, plagiarism & copyright)
3. Research skills in information retrieval and writing : producing a contextual or literature review; undertaking AIRS (Advanced Information Retrieval Skills)
4. Research strategies and approaches (suited to your research area in of critical enquiry and/or practice-led research)
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
In this unit you will join students from across courses in the Creative Industries Faculty and the emphasis will be on making connections across the diverse discipline areas and obtaining collegial feedback on your work. A series of lectures address fundamentals of research, followed by several weeks of seminar work in relation to your specific project. The unit is delivered via lectures and tutorials with AIRS (Advanced Information Retrieval Skills) delivered on campus or on-line through QUT Library.
Assessment
To access the Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information see the Blackboard site for this unit.At the completion of this unit, you will be awarded a final grade on a 1 to 7 scale.
Assessment name:
Presentation
Description:
(Formative and Summative)
A short oral presentation (strictly 10 minutes only, plus 5 minutes question time in which you introduce your research topic/question, relevant background, context and sources, research design (including timeline and budget as appropriate) and proposed methods. If relevant, you will also raise any ethical or copyright considerations.
Criteria for assessment:
* introduce your research topic/question/area of enquiry
* relevant background context and sources
* research design including timeline (and budget if relevant)
* proposed methods
* ethical or copyright considerations.
NOTE: Your supervisors are invited to attend your oral presentation. They will provide written formative feedback against the criteria, but they will not award a grade - your tutor awards the grade.
Relates to objectives:
1, 2, 4
Weight:
30%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Mid to Late Semester
Assessment name:
Literature Review
Description:
(Formative and Summative)
A 2000-2500 word literature or contextual review. If you wish to submit a theoretical discussion of a conceptual framework related to your study this must be discussed with the project Supervisor and the Honours coordinator.
Criteria for assessment:
* the ability to present an argument, via the review, for the contribution of your research to a field of enquiry
* relation of the review to your Honours project design
* capacity for synthesis and critical analysis
* clarity of expression / structural coherency
* inclusion of at least 15-20 sources, either from books, journals, contextual events or online sources.
* presentation as a formal essay with introduction, body and conclusion.
* correct referencing as per QUT Faculty of Creative Industries conventions.
Relates to objectives:
1, 3, 4
Weight:
40%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
End Semester
Assessment name:
AIRS
Description:
Completion of Advanced Information Retrieval Skills unit delivered through the Kelvin Grove Library
Grade: Unsatisfactory / Satisfactory.
NOTE - a satisfactory grade must be achieved for this assessment item in order to pass this unit.
Criteria for assessment: AIRS will be assessed through QUT Library (65% is required for a satisfactory grade).
Relates to objectives:
3
Weight:
30%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Throughout Semester
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
There are no Resource implications for the students. Should costs be incurred in relation to creative practice or other materials for the delivery of Honours project in general such costs are negotiated with the individual Discipline and supervisor and these items should be flagged in the Oral Presentation.
Risk assessment statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. Students whose projects might require any formal risk or ethics assessment are advised by their Discipline Supervisor to seek clarification via the standard QUT Ethics approval.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 18-Sep-2012
