Faculty of Business: Leisure, Sport and Tourism
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Undergraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Handbook description

Students in this subject are introduced to the research process and each of its elements. It aims to develop understanding of the diverse approaches to the collection and interpretation of data and information about leisure and tourism. Students are introduced to a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods used in the leisure and tourism industries and develop skills in analysing and presenting data using standard software packages, e.g. SPSS-PC. The emphasis of this subject is on developing and understanding how research is conceptualised, actioned and reported.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental research processes in leisure and tourism.
2. Explain the strengths, weaknesses and applications of a range of data gathering and analysis techniques employed in leisure and tourism research.
3. Identify and discuss basic statistical concepts and procedures related to leisure and tourism research.
4. Understand ethical considerations associated with conducting leisure and tourism research.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject is a core unit in the Bachelor of Management in Tourism, Bachelor of Management in Tourism and Hospitality and Bachelor of Management in Leisure degrees. It introduces students to the skills necessary to conduct research in leisure and tourism contexts. It will provide an essential understanding of the research process, procedures and statistical concepts and techniques applicable to professional practice and critical inquiry in the leisure and tourism fields.

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies include role plays (e.g., interview simulations), workbook exercises, computer-based learning exercises and case studies. Content for this subject will be supported by UTSOnline.

Content

• Introduction to research - methods of problem solving, identifying research issues and framing research questions, ethical considerations
• Sources of information - the literature review, sourcing and interpreting secondary data, using web based interfaces
• Methods - quantitative and qualitative methods used in research
• Concepts in statistics - descriptive and inferential techniques, variance, nonparametric data analysis, SPSS-PC applications
• Measurement procedures - validity and reliability; standard error

Assessment

Research process analysis (Individual)	25%
This addresses objectives 1 and 2.
Research methods strategy (Individual)	35%
This addresses objectives 1, 2 and 4.
Examination (Individual)	40%
This addresses objectives 1-4.

Examinations will be conducted under University examination conditions and, hence, thoroughly address the concerns regarding secure assessment. The other individual assessment of the research process analysis and the research methods strategy are part of a process learning assessment, which changes each year. As a further method of security, plagiarism detection software it is also utilised for these assessments.

Recommended text(s)

Veal, A.J. (1997). Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism: A Practical Guide, 2nd edition. London: Pitman.

Indicative references

Anderson, J. & Poole, M. (1998). Assignment & Thesis writing, 3rd edition. Brisbane: John Wiley & Sons.

Brotherton, B. (1999). The Handbook of Contemporary Hospitality Management Research. Chichester: John Wiley & Son.

Clark, M. (1998). Researching and Writing Dissertations in Hospitality And Tourism. London: International Thomson Business Press.

Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (eds) (1998). Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.

Jennings, G. (2001). Tourism Research. Milton, Qld.: Wiley.