SP7030 - Research Methods

The taught content will be delivered and provided in a variety of formats such as lecture, seminars and workshops, and you will be able to access materials on the eLP. There will be the opportunity to work in smaller groups with discipline specific members of staff who will facilitate context driven discussion and learning. You will also be set independent tasks informed by key literature to complete outside of class time to further develop your understanding of the taught content.

Module information, assessment requirements and expectations, and important module announcements will be made through the eLP. Material to support your learning will be uploaded in advance of sessions. You will be provided with content verbally and guided through tasks during timetabled sessions. A dedicated assessment session will afford you the opportunity to ask assessment related questions in class. Practical workshops will teach you how to work with data to generate answers to subject-specific research problems, while also highlighting advantages and disadvantages of different research approaches. The Module Leader is there to support you with any queries that you may have about the module content, and all staff members provide tutorial time outside of class time. Module tutors will provide you with the necessary information on how to arrange a tutorial. You will have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on your development during the module, and you will receive feedback on summative work to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial. There is also further academic skills support available from the University Library services.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

You will be able to demonstrate the appropriate choice and application of advanced research and data analysis techniques to M-level research problems.

You will be able to demonstrate a critical appreciation of ethical concerns as they relate to M-level research and practice.



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

You will be able to design a methodologically and ethically sound research project.



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

You will be able to independently plan a research project of your own.

Summative assessment will comprise a max 30-minute viva examining a research proposal, either fictional or pertaining to your planned dissertation project, which will address all the module learning outcomes.



Your research proposal requires you to justify your plan and map out your planned research, to provide a conceptual framework based on the literature, and to identify and justify the use of an appropriate research approach and data analysis method. The proposal must also show an awareness of ethical considerations relevant to the proposed project.



Formative assessment will take place on a weekly basis in interactive lectures and practical workshops/seminars.



Summative Feedback

You will receive written or audio feedback on your summative assessment to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial.

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In this module, you will acquire a critical understanding of advanced research approaches and data analysis and presentation methods, and a practical knowledge of their application to M-level research problems. You will learn a range of research approaches and data analysis methods applicable to your subject of study as well as a critical understanding of their relative strengths and weaknesses. You will learn how these approaches can be applied in the planning of a methodologically-rigorous and ethically-sound research study.