CS132-6 Developing Independent Research Assignment 1 Brief

Unit learning outcomes of CS132-6

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1.Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding 

a.Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of what goes into a research proposal and application, the rudiments of good research design at master's level and beyond.

b.Of the principles behind the circulation of academic knowledge through print publication and other digital forms 

2.Demonstrate the following skills and abilities a.Learn to write an academic literature review. Understand what peer-reviewed literature is and how to find it. Access resources on how to write an academic literature review.

b.To produce work of a standard consistent with research publications in your field of study and communicate your conclusions clearly to a specialist and non-specialist audience.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Submit 1500-word document with your name, student ID course and the answers to the assignment questions in your own words. The questions to be answered are:

The exercise is to write a literature review essay that analyses academic, peer-reviewed literature relevant to your chosen topic. The essay should be 1500 words (typed, double-spaced) not including the bibliography. 

Your essay will review the key themes, debates, methods, data (or lack of data), outline existing research in the area used in the scholarly literature that you have found that relates in some way to your course (100%). 

Include every material used in the assessment as references using the Harvard bibliographical style

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

In order to pass the Assessment you will need to: 

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of what goes into a research proposal and application, the rudiments of good research design at master's level and beyond. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of what peer-reviewed literature is and how to find it. Access resources on how to write an academic literature review.
• Demonstrate the ability to produce work of a standard consistent with research publications in your field of study and communicate your conclusions clearly to a specialist and non-specialist audience.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

• Follow the presentations carefully and do the activities. Ask questions at the seminars 
• Show an excellent understanding of research cycle
• Try skimming through a few recent issues of the top journals in your field of study, as well as looking at their most-cited articles. For inspiration, you can also search Google Scholar, subject-specific databases, and the university library's resources.
  One of the best ways to choose a topic for the assessment is to consider the areas in which you already have some existing knowledge. That's not to say you have to be an expert on the topic already but having some familiarity with it will save you a lot of time looking for materials. How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

We have covered 

1. The journal title, editors, periodicity (quarterly etc)
2. Peer review status
3. Parts of a research structure and tips for drafting and communicating your research idea
4. Choosing an interesting research topic
5. Strategies for bridging the gap between coursework/beginning research and thesis writing
6. Understanding the common elements of a good research and research proposals
7. Basic academic principles of writing effective research.
8. Referencing system required

You will be assessed on

• Understanding of what peer-reviewed literature is and how to find it. Access resources on how to write an academic literature review.
• Identification of your research topic 
• Coverage, content and structure of your literature review 
• Inclusion of relevant keywords
• Accuracy of your application of the reference style

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.