Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit aims to introduce designers to the principles and procedures of qualitative and quantitative research. Design, by its very nature, is a complex activity. In dealing with this, designers draw upon their discipline's body of knowledge, generated through research from within the design disciplines, from other design disciplines, and from non-design disciplines. Within an educational setting, it is considered highly valuable for you to have an understanding of how design knowledge is generated and how you can better inform your design practice through research skills which will encourage the systematic, rigorous and ethical integration of thought and action.

Aims

This a core unit common to architectural studies, industrial design, interior design and landscape architecture. It is project based and introduces you to research philosophies, methodologies and methods that have relevance in design practice. It covers the fundamentals of designing and conducting qualitative and quantitative research projects, providing a foundation for higher degree research.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to demonstrate:
1. understand the nature and process of design research in general philosophical, theoretical and methodological terms, developing the knowledge and skills to evaluate research techniques.
2. Undertake information retrieval and review in an advanced way developing effective and critical, creative and written and verbal communication.
3. collect and analyse data in a systematic, rigorous and ethical way.

Content

The content covered in this unit includes:
- philosophical context of research in, of and through design;
- quantitative and qualitative research incorporating methodologies and methods of relevance to design;
- research rigor and ethics
- developing a research plan
- literature searching and review
- data gathering and analysis
- research dissemination and reporting

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Mode: Hours per week:
Lecture: 1 hour
Tutorial: 2 hours

Learning Approaches:
Learning approaches will cover the following:
Your learning in this unit will be fostered predominantly by project-based learning supported by formal lectures (flexible delivery), workshop-based tutorials and self-directed study.

Assessment

Your performance in the unit will be assessed through assignments due at specified times in the semester. The assignments will contribute to the overall summative grade for the unit.Assessment will be formative, through an emphasis on constructive and progressive feedback using a criterion referencing approach.

Assessment name: Written Discoureses - Critique
Description: Critique of Journal Article - conduct a critical written review of a journal article, communicating your understanding of the article's main points and a critical analysis of its strenghs, weaknesses, gaps and opportunities.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Early semester

Assessment name: Research Paper
Description: Research Paper - the aim of this assessment is to provide you with firsthand experience designing, conducting and writing up a small research project. There are three components:
i) Research Proposal Presentation (a brief oral presenatation of your Research Proposal, outlining literature analysis, knowledge gap, aim of the proposed project and method (including interview questions, procedure & potential participants).
ii) Research Interviews - conduct and transcribe a minimum of four to six research interviews
iii) Research Paper - a written report of the research process and outcomes, following traditional journal article layout with introduction, method, results and discussion section.
A peer-rating tool is utilised in this assessment item.
Submission: Early (Research Proposal Presentation) and Mid Semester (Paper)
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Late 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 is no textbook required for this unit, due to the breadth of content covered and the extent of material available. However, it is important to note readings for each lecture are highly recommended-these readings will help you a great deal with understanding the content of lectures and with your assessments. Please do the readings before each week's lecture. Key journal articles have been placed on the unit's BLACKBOARD site; this will be continuously updated during the semester. In addition, QUT holds a number of research and design related texts. The recommended reading will include such references as:

de Vaus, D. A. (2002). Surveys in Social Research. 5th edition, Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (Eds). (2000). Handbook of Qualitative Research. 2nd edition, London: Sage.
Groat, L. & Wang, D. (Eds). (2002). Architectural Research Methods. USA: John Wiley & Sons.
Liamputtong, P & Ezzy, D. (2005). Qualitative research methods. Melbourne: Oxford University Press
Neuman, W. L. (2003). Social Research Methods. 5th edition, Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Pallant, J. (2001). SPSS Survival Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide to Data Analysis Using SPSS for Windows. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Silverman, D. (1993). Interpreting Qualitative Data. London: Sage Publications.
Straus, A & Corbin, J (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. London: Sage Publications.

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Risk assessment statement

In this unit, you will be attending lectures, involved in tutorials and conducting empirical research. With respect to the lectures and tutorials these will be attended on campus, for which there are no out-of-the-ordinary health or safety risks. You are reminded to familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and other associated study and with other procedures relating to your safety and the security of your possessions. You are also reminded of your obligations to make yourself aware of your responsibilities under the Workplace, Health and Safety Act. Because you will be undertaking research involving other people, you will receive appropriate instruction on your ethical and legal responsibilities.

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: 05-Oct-2012