This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2019-2020 (archived)
Module BUSI49M15: METHODS OF INQUIRY (TAUGHT)
Department: Management and Marketing
BUSI49M15: METHODS OF INQUIRY (TAUGHT)
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 4 | 15 | Available in 2019/2020 | None. | Durham |
Tied To
- N1KR17: Business Administration (Finance) (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2010 - Apr 2013) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2016-2017 for details)
- N1KS17: Business Administration (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2010 - Apr 2013) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2018-2019 for details)
- N1N317: Business Administration (Finance) (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2013 - Apr 2015) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2018-2019 for details)
- N1N417: Business Administration (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2013 - Apr 2015)
Pre-requisites
- None.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- METHODS OF INQUIRY (ONLINE) - BUSI42R15
Aims
- To equip students with the necessary training both to be able to assess the academic research and literature in the fields of business and management and to prepare them to undertake the dissertation.
Content
- Understanding Quantitative Research
- Discrete-Choice Scales
- Behavioural Coding
- Performance Outcome Metrics
- Understanding Qualitative Research
- Interview and Focus Group Techniques
- Management Research Ethics
- Developing Management Research
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module, students should:
- have a critical appreciation of how empirical research is conducted in a business context;
Subject-specific Skills
- By the end of the module, students should:
- be able to conduct advanced literature searches to identify important literature and outstanding research questions;
- be able to write an evaluative review of the literature;
- be able to conduct a Masters-level research project from beginning to end. This involves the following: identifying an interesting and practical research question at an appropriate advanced level; developing a method for answering the question; conducting the research, including managing all aspects of the research project.
Key Skills
- Written communication; planning, organising and time management; problem solving and analysis; using initiative; computer literacy.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Learning outcomes will be met through a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion, supported by guided reading and specially-written self-study material.
- The summative assessment of the module is designed to test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge and critical understanding, and skills of application and interpretation within the business context.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshops (a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion), timetabled in blocks | 3 | 1 per day | 8 hours | 24 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 126 | ||||
| Total | 150 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assignment | 100% | Essay | 4,000 words maximum | 100% | Same |
Formative Assessment
The formative assessment is to contribute and present, in a group, a research project proposal.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.