TRADE 7013 - Research Project in International Trade

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

This research project is designed for students of the MITD to undertake independent research on a trade and development related topic of their own choice. It provides students with a set of research and analytical skills to improve critical thinking in way that it prepares for possible future research studies, such as a PhD, or a career in research. In five structured workshops (for which attendance is required) students will be prepared for the three key elements of the research component in this course: (i) a research proposal, (ii) a dissertation/research paper, and (iii) two presentations. Four workshops are scheduled at the beginning of the course. The first three are primarily aimed to introduce students to the course, the research process, the writing and presenting of the research proposal and to enhance general research and analytical skills as well as to improve critical thinking. Students will then be asked to present their research proposal in the fourth workshop to staff from llT and other interested researchers. The fifth workshop will be held at the end of the term in which students will be asked to present their research findings to their peers and academic staff of llT, the Faculty and other interested researchers. Throughout the course, students are required to meet with their supervisor(s) and course coordinator on a regular basis to ensure a successful completion of the research project

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Course Details

Course Code	TRADE 7013
Course	Research Project in International Trade
Coordinating Unit	Institute for International Trade
Term	Semester 1
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	12
Contact	Up to 144
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange
Incompatible	TRADE 7014A; TRADE 7014B and TRADE 7015
Assumed Knowledge	TRADE 7003; TRADE 7012

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Uwe Kaufmann

Name:	Dr Uwe Kaufmann
Role:	Course Coordinator
Location:	Level 6 - Nexus 10
Phone:	8313 6900
Email:	uwe.kaufmann@adelaide.edu.au

Name:	Hannah Adams
Role:	Course Advisor
Location:	Level 1 - Nexus 10
Phone:	8313 1788
Email:	hannah.adams@adelaide.edu.au

Course Timetable

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

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Apply their understanding of the research process from initiation, design, implementation to completion, and including the appropriate use of primary and secondary resources, and their deep understanding in one’s chosen area of focus/research to the design of a research project.

2. Develop and articulate a trade and development related problem/issue into a research topic suited to the task of writing a dissertation.

3. Produce and present a research proposal and dissertation.

4. Identify and critique key theoretical works and relevant literature and resources.

5. Proficiently use research techniques including computer-based research and analysis.

6. Recognise and address the ethical, social, global and cultural issues in relation to a research topic.

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)	1,2,4,6
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	2,3,4,5,6
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	2,3
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	1-6
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	2,6
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	1,2,6

Learning Resources
Required Resources

There are no required text books for this course.

The course will be supported by e-Learning modules on MyUni which may include modules developed for other TRADE courses of the Institute that are relevant to this course to support the student’s research projects.

Recommended Resources

N/A

Online Learning
Useful Online Resources:
- World Trade Organization: www.wto.org
- World Bank: www.worldbank.org/research/trade
- Organization forEconomic Cooperation and Development: www.oecd.org
- International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development: www.ictsd.org
- International Trade Centre: www.intracen.org (and use of the ITC trade map)
- Food and Agriculture Organization: www.fao.org
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: www.unctad.org
- United Nations Development Programme: www.undp.org (see Human Development Reports)
- United Nations Millennium Project: www.unmillenniumproject.org
- Asian Development Bank: www.adb.org
- African Development Bank www.afdb.org
- Inter-American Development Bank www.iadb.org
Other online references will be given during the course.

Learning & Teaching Modes

In this course, there are structured face-to-face workshops and presentations for which attendance is compulsory:

1. Three workshops at the start of the term to introduce and discuss:

A workshop on introducing and discussing the course and course expectations, the research process from design,implementation to completion (including revisiting basic research and analytical skills and critical thinking)
A workshop on the research proposal structure
A workshop focused on literature review

2. In the fourth workshop, students are to present their research proposal

3. A fifth workshop at the end of the semester where students are to present their final project.

Workload

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

1. Students are expected to prepare and present a research proposal (3,000-4,000 words) to staff from the Institute.

2. Students are expected to meet with their supervisor(s) on a weekly-basis to discuss and develop their project. Meeting times to be negotiated between each student and the coordinator.

3. Students are expected to meet at once a month with the Course Coordinator, unless the Course Coordinator is also the supervisor, on a regular-basis during the term to discuss their progress. Meeting times to be negotiated between each student and the coordinator.

4. Students are expected to develop and submit a substantial research project (12,000-13,000 words) and present this to staff from the Institute and other interested researchers.

Below is a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements:

Workload	Total Hours (per term)
5 x 3 hour workshops	15 hours
Required reading for the worshops	30 hours
Weekly meetings with supervisor (approx. 1-1.5 hours average)	18 hours
3 x 1 hour meetings with course coordinator (monthly)	3 hours
23 hours required reading and research per week	279 hours
23 hours of writing per week	279 hours
TOTAL	624 hours

Learning Activities Summary

In this course, there are 5 structured face-to-face workshops for which attendance is compulsory:

1. Three workshops (at the start of the term) to introduce and discuss:

           - the course and course expectations

           - the research process from design, implementation to completion (including revisiting basic research and analytical skills and          critical thinking)

           - the research proposal to be designed with the help of their supervisor and presented to staff from IIT.

2. Development of a research proposal.

3. A presentation on the research proposal within the first four (4) weeks of the term at a date agreed between student, supervisor and course coordinator.

4. Submission of the research proposal which takes into account comments provided at the presentations.

5. A presentation (at the end of the them) where students are to present the main findings of their final project.

6. Submission of the final research project which takes into account feedback and comments provided at the presentation of the main findings.

Specific Course Requirements

Throughout the term, students are expected to spend significant time working independently on their projects under the guidance of their designated supervisor(s).

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

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

Assessment Summary

ASSESSMENT TASK	COLLABORATIVE / INDIVIDUAL	WEIGHTING	WORD COUNT/TIME	DUE DATE	LEARNING OUTCOME
Presentation 1 - The Research Proposal	Individual/Collaborative (with peer-feedback)	5%		TBA	1,3,4,5,6
Research Proposal	Individual	20%	3,000-4,000	TBA	1,3,4,5,6
Presentation 2 - Final Presentation on Research Project	Individual/Collaborative (with peer-feedback)	10%		TBA	All
Research Project	Individual	65%	12,000-13,000	TBA	All

Assessment Detail

Under the guidance of a supervisor, students are expected to design, develop and undertake a research project on a topic of their choice.

The course will have four summative assessment items:

A. THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

- Presentation 1 – the Research Proposal [5%]

- Research Proposal (3-4,000 words) [20%]

In the first 4 weeks of the course, students will have commenced work on their research topic, the research methodology and the structure of their project with their supervisors. Students are expected to present the outcome of the work they have undertaken in the form of a research proposal – written and presentation.

B. THE RESEARCH PROJECT

- Presentation 2 – Research findings and the overall Research Project [10%]

- Research Proposal (12-13,000 words) [65%]

Submission

All written assessment must be submitted via Turnitin on MyUni.

All assignments must be presented professionally with clear headings, appropriate referencing and using one and a half spacing.

Extensions will only be granted if requests are received in writing to the course coordinator at least 24 hours before the final due date unless they are requested on medical or compassionate grounds and are supported by appropriate documents.

Your assignment must include the IIT assignment cover sheet which can be downloaded from MyUni under “Assignments”. Each page must be numbered with your student ID and name.

Please contact the course coordinator, preferably by email, at any time to make an appointment for assistance or guidance in relation to course work, assignments or any concerns that may arise. Assignments will normally be returned two weeks after they have been submitted.

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.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator