Undergraduate Handbook 2026-2027
Module ACCT3071: Research Methods in Accounting
Department: Accounting
ACCT3071: Research Methods in Accounting
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 3 | 20 | Available in 2026/2027 | None. | Durham |
Tied To
- N204: Accounting and Management with Placement Year
- N206: Accounting and Management with Study Abroad
- N302: Accounting and Finance with Placement Year
- N304: Accounting and Finance with Study Abroad
- N311: Accounting and Finance
- N312: Accounting and Finance with Placement Year
- N313: Accounting and Finance with Study Abroad
- N408: Accounting
- N409: Accounting with Placement Year
- N410: Accounting with Study Abroad
- NN42: Accounting and Management
- NN43: Accounting and Finance
Pre-requisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations
- FINN3112 Dissertation in Finance
Aims
- To equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake an independent research project under appropriate supervision.
- To distinguish between research philosophies, identify appropriate research methods, plan a research project and complete a review of relevant literature.
Content
- Research Philosophies including Positivist, Realist, Interpretivist and Pragmatist approaches to research
- Searching for academic literature
- Research methods appropriate to research paradigms
- Project management skills for research
- Ethics in research
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module students are expected:
- To have acquired extended knowledge of a relevant topic of interest and completed a review of relevant literature;
- To have developed their knowledge of approaches to research and be able to distinguish between and apply appropriate research methods to their research objectives.
Subject-specific Skills
- By the end of the module students are expected:
- To have acquired skills of independent research and project management;
- To be able to demonstrate an ability to present and analyse data in a clear and appropriate manner.
Key Skills
- Written communication
- Planning, organising and working to deadlines
- Problem solving and analysis
- Initiative
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Learning is facilitated by weekly workshops designed to explore research ideas.
- Formative assessment is by a research exercise.
- Summative assessment is by means of a 2000 word written assignment.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshops | 10 | Weekly | 2 hours | 20 | Yes |
| Preparation and Reading | 180 | ||||
| Total | 200 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assignment | 100% | Assignment | 2000 words max | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Research exercise
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.