32144 Technology Research Preparation

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Handbook description

This subject provides postgraduate technology students with professional communication skills appropriate to their course. The subject begins with the techniques necessary to develop a literature review and professional ethics is taught in the research context. The class breaks into two streams. Those undertaking research degrees take the Research Stream and produce a complete literature review. Those undertaking coursework degrees take the Professional Stream and produce a project proposal, suitable for implementation in 32933 Research Project.

Subject objectives/outcomes

Students will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Conduct research at a level appropriate to the student's program of studies.

2. Search effectively for industry and academic texts (Professional Stream), or academic texts (Research Stream).

3. Critically evaluate textual sources of information.

4. Demonstrate research ethics by drawing upon other's words and ideas fairly and honestly with appropriate citation and referencing.

5. Construct a research report based on a review of the literature which demonstrates synthesis of information, critical thinking and the logical arguing of the students' point of view.

6. Present clearly, both formally and informally, on their research.

7. Produce a project proposal (Professional Stream).

8. Demonstrate professional research skills, including the keeping of a research journal, the maintenance of a database of scholarly articles using bibliographic software, critical note-taking, and the provision of constructive support for fellow researchers (Research Stream).

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

This subject provides students with literature-based research skills and builds students' written and oral communication skills (E1). It does this through participation in lectures and tutorials, through presenting their research to their fellow students, and by conducting a literature search on a chosen topic, evaluating the quality and suitability of the literature, and writing a literature review. Students acquire an appreciation of ethical behaviour in the research context (F2) by applying good ethical practice in their assessments.
This Subject contributes to the following Graduate Attributes:
B6. Research skills, E1. Communicate effectively and F2. Ethics.

A complete list and description of Graduate Attributes for the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology can be found at
http://feit.uts.edu.au/faculty/graduate-attributes.html

Teaching and learning strategies

Each student will attend between nine and thirteen one-and-a half-hour lectures (depending on their Stream), and eleven one-and-a half-hour tutorials, in addition to a hands-on session in the Library. The first six lectures will be common to all students. The later lectures will be in two streams.

Tutorial groups will be streamed throughout. Each tutorial will focus on work either prepared beforehand by students or completed in class, using concepts taught in the previous lecture.

Self-study: Students will be expected to produce written work each week, for tutorials, based upon their reading and searching.

Content

The various aspects of IT industry or scholarly reading and writing will be integrated into the creation of a full project proposal or a complete literature review, according to the stream. Common topics include: search strategies; evaluating sources of information; reading critically; reference lists and citation; writing critically and making an argument; producing a literature review; research ethics; and oral presentations.

The Professional Stream will also cover development of a proposal, including: aims; background; significance; methodology; editing; and proposal integrity (or consistency of the various parts of the proposal). The Research Stream will also cover: stating and arguing a thesis; identification of research questions from gaps in the literature; significance of the research; and editing.

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Building Research Skills

Assessment Item 2: Literature-Based Report

Assessment Item 3: Research Presentation

Assessment Item 4: Professional Stream: Project Proposal; Research Stream: Literature Review

Minimum requirements

Students must submit all Assessments in order to pass this subject. Failure to submit an Assessment will result in automatic failure of the subject.

To pass the subject students must also attain a final mark of 50% or more. If students have obtained a mark of >= 50% for the subject, but have failed to submit any assessment task, they will be awarded a Fail (X) grade for the subject.

Required texts

There are no set textbooks for this subject. Useful links and resources are available on the subject's UTSOnline site. Resources required for the preparation of assignments will be selected by students from those available in UTS library databases, and in the case of Masters by coursework students, additionally from industry and government white papers and reports of a high standard.

References

Zobel, Justin. 2004, Writing for computer science, Springer-Verlag, London. (UTS Library Open Reserve)

Rugg, G. & Petre, M. 2010, The unwritten rules of PhD research, Open University Press, Maidenhead, UK. (UTS Library online)

Hart, Chris. 2002, Doing a literature review: Releasing the social science imagination, Sage, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi. (UTS Library Open Reserve)

Other resources

Useful links and resources are available on the subject's UTS online site. Other learning materials will be provided in class. For further information regarding your candidature: my.feit.uts.edu.au/modules/myfeit/downloads/StudentGuide_Online.pdf