Explanation and Understanding

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

non standard - truncated semester

An average of 10 hours each week.

None.

None.

Students who enrol in this subject must have completed a bachelor of Arts degree.

Students who have completed 121-446 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject focuses on the skills entailed in qualitative research projects that seek to understand and explain social and cultural phenomena. It introduces students to various approaches to socio-cultural research and their ethical and methodological implications, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. Students will workshop specific projects, as well as examining a range of qualitative research methods. On completion of this subject students should have the ability to design an original research project of their own, justifying the methodological and ethical approach to be taken.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• understand the relationship between the aims, objectives, rationale and methodology of qualitative research projects
• appreciate ethical implications of social research, and how these may be accommodated within research design
• acquire awareness of issues relating to cross-cultural research and communication
• have experience of different research methods and an appreciation of their differing potentials and limitations

A 1500 word research proposal (30%) due in week 4, a 500 word report on ethical implications (10%) due in week 6, and a 3000 word written assignment (60%) due during the examination period.

Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 75% of classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed.Students who fail to meet this hurdle requirement will be deemed ineligible to submit the final piece of assessment for this subject.Regular participation in class is required.

Assessment that is submitted after the due date and up to 10 working days late without an approved extension will be marked on a pass/fail basis only. Assessment that is submitted later than 10 working days will not be accepted or marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Set readings will be provided online through LMS

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• show initiative in self-directed research.
• demonstrate an ability to critically analyse and evaluate research strategies.
• be able to communicate the aims and anticipated outcomes of research intelligibly and economically.