EDUC 1013 - University Research

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019

This course is the second core course of the University Preparatory Program, and can be considered the capstone course of the Program in that it gives students a final preparation for their degree studies. It is also available for students who already have entry into their degree program or have started it, as it builds their capacity to undertake secondary research in a variety of disciplines. This course revolves around a single major research project which draws in all the facets of research activity at the University of Adelaide. Students will build on their skills in critical analysis, note-taking and the systematic collection and analysis of data in the form of scholarly written sources. They will conduct a solo guided enquiry with assignments which build incrementally towards a major research essay in response to a partly self-defined research question.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code EDUC 1013
    Course University Research
    Coordinating Unit School of Education
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Assumed Knowledge Students should have completed EDUC 1008 prior to enrolling in the course
    Restrictions Available to University Preparatory Program or Wirltu Yarlu Preparatory Program students only
    Assessment Research activity portfolio; Essay plan; Draft paragraphs; Major research essay
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Ms Amy Robinson

    Tutor: Amy Kay Robinson amy.k.robinson@adelaide.edu.au 
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    2014 Timetable

    Lecture: 9am-10am Tuesdays, SmartE Room, Level 8 Nexus 10
    Tutorial: 2pm-4pm Fridays UB361R, Basement, Nexus 10
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
    1. Approach a major research area by exploring its explicit and implicit aspects, and by developing secondary research questions;
    2. Identify a series of keywords to form a basis for research, and develop broader and narrower search terms in case of insufficient findings;
    3. Effectively use the University Library, with a focus on electronic databases, to find sources which inform an approach to the broad area of research;
    4. Use Firefox as an alternative browser to Internet Explorer, as well as Zotero or an alternative bibliographic management tool for collecting reference information
    5. Read and critically analyse a large number of sources for credibility, reliability and relevance to the research question;
    6. Develop a thesis argument comprised of a claim linked to evidence, and organise this argument using a plan or outline;
    7. Compose an effective introduction and conclusion for an essay, as well as body paragraphs that fully develop a main point using evidence;
    8. Complete a major Research Essay from conception to communication with a systematic and structured strategy for the process of research;
    9. Assess thier own work and that of other students, and provide appropriately constructive feedback on how to develop each stage of the research process.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    9
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1, 5, 6
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    1, 3, 5, 6
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    1, 8, 9
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Required Texts

    It is highly recommended that student purchase 'They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing' by Gerald Gaff & Cathy Birkenstein (2006).

    This text is an extremely useful guide for identifying arguments and introducing sources
    as well as integrating your own perspective in a written piece. 

    This text will likely be very useful for other course assessments and essays. 

    You can purchase this text from websites such as https://www.bookdepository.com/ or www.abebooks.com

    It is also available through Dymocks; however, can take up to several weeks for it to arrive. 

    During this University Research course, we will focusing on the 'I Say' component of
    this text to help you establish and build your own ideas, argument and
    understanding. 

    A key activity of this course requires systematic and collaborative research methods using online resources. In particular, students will be required to use article databases to find high-quality, scholarly journal articles on a broad area of research and then a more defined research question.
    Recommended Resources
    This course has a strong focus on researching scholarly sources using online databases through the University of Adelaide Library. This will be covered in class, but success in this area depends on persistence, determination, and sound strategy, so it is strongly recommended that you familiarise yourself with the resources that are available to you. The databases are available at http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/databases/  

    For this course you may wish to use databases that have been tagged on the “Education” page: http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/content.php?pid=316606&sid=2590774

    The Library provides excellent support for the use of databases in scholarly research. Begin with the online training that is available: http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/home. In particular try the “What is a database and how do I use one?” video.

    If you require more one-to-one support, the Library has an excellent help contact form: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/help/fbquery.html There is a Research Librarian for the School of Education who can provide direct assistance with developing your article database research skills. This is one of the best support services available at this University, so make use of it.
    Online Learning
    MyUni will be used for essential communication including via email, so please check your University email regularly (at least three times a week). If you have a smartphone it is strongly recommended that you set up your email on it for easy and regular access to your University email. For guidance on how to do this, visit:

    https://www.adelaide.edu.au/its/networks/mobile/support/config/#mobile

    Remember, the most useful portal for all University online activities is Unified:
    https://auth.adelaide.edu.au/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Funified.adelaide.edu.au%2Fc%2Fportal%2Flogin 

    Lecturers in this Program will be largely online, meaning that your can do your own preparation for tutorials without having to come in at the specified lecture timeslot. The system to be used will be Articulate Storyline: this is an interactive system for online tutorials whichinvolves watching videos on the lecture material and completing activities. It is very important that you undertake the online lecture before the tutorial,as it gives you a baselineof knowledge and essential preparation foer the class that week.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The teaching and learning in this course provides a scaffolded, enabling approach to the development of research capacities using innovative technologies and collaboration. Lectures will be replaced with online lectures which can be completed at the student's own pace, at home or on campus, using an online delivery method. It is essential that these online lectures are completed, and monitring will be undertaken to ensure that students completed them. Classes will consist of workshops of 2 hours long, which require completion of the online lecture beforehand for students to get the most out of the class. Although there are no group-work assignments per se, students will work collaboratively and engage in ongoing peer review of work.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    See MyUni/Canvas for details. 

    Learning Activities Summary
    Week 1: Introduction to University Research (Physical Lecture only - there are no tutorials in this first week). 
    Week 2:
     Course introduction; What is research?; Qualitative and quantitative research
    Week 3:
    Critical reading strategies for scholarly sources and exploring Self Efficacy. 
    Week 4:
    Search strategies and Library databases
    Week 5:
    Primary research: A brief introduction
    Week 6:
    Critically analysing arguments and developing your own

    Mid-semester break

    Week 7:
    Annotated bibliographies and the rest of your Research Portfolio
    Week 8:
    Developing your research question through mindmapping
    Week 9:
    Developing your essay plan through mindmapping
    Week 10:
    Integrating sources into academic writing
    Week 11:
    Drafting paragraphs: body and introduction
    Week 12:
    Redrafting, Editing and proofreading

    For clarification on which dates correspond to which weeks, please visit: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/dates/ 

    Please note that the weekly topics may above may change depending on student interest, delivery and student needs. 
    Specific Course Requirements
    To pass this course, students must attend at least 75% of tutorials; in cases of absence for medical or compassionate reasons, documentation must be provided and students must still attend at least 50% of classes. If students fail to attend the minimum required number of tutorials, they will be considered to have not completed an assignment (see below).
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    The University of Adelaide has committed to a pedagogical approach termed the “Small Group Discovery Experience”, indicating that the SHDE will be a core component in a credit-bearing course of every undergraduate program, and that it will be part of every first-year level from 2014. Since the UPP is not an award-based program, it is not strictly required to include an SGDE in the UPP.

    However, since the UPP is designed to prepare students for first-year study, and the SGDE will be a core component of all first-year study, it is important for the UPP to provide some preparation in Small Group Discovery. These should be of a scaffolded, preparatory nature as befits each course within the program, and the philosophy and program objectives of the UPP. The Program has been designed to include preparation for small group work and research activity in many of its courses.

    More specifically, this course aims to prepare students for their small-group discovery experience by providing a scffolded inquiry learning experience which leads students towards greater autonomy. Importantly, students are led to explore factors around success and failure in higher education by an academic with expertise in this area, and who has extensive experience teaching in higher education contexts, including the UPP. Students learn to define and develop their own area of research interest and to critically engage with scholarly literature to inform their self-defined research question.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Due Length Weighting Learning Outcome
    Critical Review Formative

    Wednesday
    Week 2 
    11:59pm

    500 words 5% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9
    Research Portfolio Formative

    Wednesday
    Week 5
    11:59pm

    4 - 5 pages 15% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9
    Viva Presentation Formative

    First week back after mid-sem break in tutorials

    5 minutes 10% 1,2,3,4,5,9
    Essay Plan Formative Friday
    Week 8
    11:59pm
    3-4 pages 10% 6
    Draft Introduction and Paragraph Formative Friday
    Week 11
    11:59pm
    Approx. 400 words 10% 7
    Major Research Essay Summative Friday
    Week 13
    11:59pm
    2000 words 40% 5, 6, 7, 8
    Exam Summative Examination period 2 hours 10% 6, 7
    Assessment Related Requirements
    See MyUni/Canvas for details. 
    Assessment Detail
    See MyUni/Canvas for specific assignment details. 
    Submission
    See MyUni/Canvas for details. 
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    This course (and the UPP itself) is still quite new, and so there is not a lot of long-term data on which to base evaluations. However, SELTs so far have shown broad agreement with most of the important points. Open-ended responses have been very useful and deserve some comment, as
    follows:

    • All students commented that they would recommend the course to other students, indicating a perception of value;
    • Some comments indicated that the expectations regarding assignments could be made clearer earlier on; this has been responded to in the Course Profile for “University Research” with much more detail on assignments, and rubrics to be made available on MyUni;
    • Some general comments and anecdotal feedback indicate that some people would prefer more groupwork, and more time in class to work on assignments due to conflicting priorities in life. There are several aspects of a response to this:
      • Time to actually work on assignments in class is unlikely to be expanded; this is because much of the workload for University courses in general is comprised of independent study time (the statement on workload is available in course profiles to clarify this). In regular University courses no class time at all is given to working on assignments and it is expected that this will all be done independently; therefore the UPP will reflect this.
      • Having said this, we acknowledge that it is important to allow time for discussion of assessment requirements and questions to be answered in a face-to-face setting. This will be established at the beginning of the course and time given to it several (2-3) weeks before each assignment is due.
    • Groupwork certainly is important for learning, and although “University Research” has no groupwork component itself, lots of opportunities for collaborative learning will be built in. In particular, feedback has suggested the value of critical discussionof journal articles, and there will be multiple opportunities for peer review and feedback on major assignments.
  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.