INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
ASSESSMENT TASK 3 THREE: Major Assignment
Aligned subject learning outcomes ? Critically review issues relating to key social and educational research designs and methods;
? Develop a position on important ethical and political issues in social and educational research;
? Develop skills in using research techniques chosen from a range of research methods
Group or individual Individual
Weighting 50%
Due date Week 11 of Study Period
ASSESSMENT TASK 3: Major Assignment Description
Due date: WEEK ELEVEN (extensions must be requested by week 10)
Weighting: 50%
Format: Justification of research methodology, or preliminary literature review for a planned small-scale research project; or a literature review of an educational topic of professional interest to you; or an alternative negotiated assessment task
Word count: 3,000 ? 3,500 words excluding references and appendices
We cannot do research without drawing on theory. This does not mean however, that we must simply find and use some line of theory in order to research something we are interested in ? although this is legitimate. Ideally, however, our research will also contribute something to enhancing the theory it has drawn upon. (Lankshear & Knobel 2004, p. 61)
The principles of elegance and economy is concerned with getting the greatest amount of high-quality data from the minimum use of resources with the least possible complexity in the operation ? The principles of practicality and realism are about aligning what one plans to do in the way of data collection with the resources and opportunities that are actually available or likely to be available. (Lankshear and Knobel 2004, p. 187)
Purpose: Over the study period you have been learning how to undertake education and social science research. You may be taking this subject as it is core to the Master of Education and you are interested in pursuing more knowledge about a professional educational topic or question either in a formal setting or informal or community setting. You may be actively refining your likely research question or questions to investigate for a small-scale research project as you are planning to continue to ED5094 (Research Proposal and Ethics) and ED5095 (Research Dissertation).
The purpose of this assignment is twofold: The first purpose is to consider matters of theory and design in social and educational research; the second purpose is to learn how to locate, read, analyze, summarize and evaluate published research literature deploying a formal academic writing genre such as a literature review or an extended argument or other negotiated, formal genre.
It is assumed that over the course of time, your understanding of research will change in light of new circumstances and practicalities. That?s okay. This assignment is about what you are able to consider and justify at this point in time.
You have three choices in this assignment:
(1) Write a full justification for your proposed research methodology (which must include a discussion of theory):
(2) Write a preliminary literature review around a research question or research topic related to your research problem or area of professional interest.
(3) Negotiate a suitable assessment task with your lecturer.
If choices (1) or (2) do not fit your particular situation you may negotiate an equivalent assignment with the subject lecturer. This option is available to meet student need.
Choice One: Justification of Research Methodology will include:
? A title page

? An introduction that specifies the nature of the study and sets out a rationale that argues the relevance and significance of the proposed research, setting out the context for the research, the identified research problem and the research question(s) derived from that problem;

? A description of and full justification of the research methodology to be employed and why this choice is appropriate for answering the research question(s), the theoretical considerations for research conduct and data analysis and its applicability to the social (educational) context for your research (a discussion of similar research is useful here).

Who are the major authors/ theorists/practitioners you will be using? What kind of contributions does your chosen methodology make to generating new social and educational knowledge? What does this methodology let us know or see or do? Why are you excited by this methodology?

? A discussion of how your chosen methodology has been effectively employed in related studies and of the benefits and limitations in comparison with other possible methodologies or research approaches. You can choose a highly contemporary methodology or a well-established methodology. The purpose of this assignment is to enable you to learn more about it, and to read more deeply into the relevant research literature.

? A discussion of your researcher stance

? A reference list using appropriate conventions (APA 6) and an additional bibliography as necessary.

Choice Two: Preliminary Literature Review (narrative, or systematic or other) will include:
? A title page

? An introduction to your literature review. If you are writing a literature review for a proposed small scale study you need to write an introduction that specifies the nature of the study and sets out a rationale that argues the relevance and significance of the proposed research, setting out the context for the research, the identified research problem and the research question(s) derived from that problem.

If you are writing a literature review on a topic of professional interest you need to write an introduction that sets out a rationale for why you chose to review this particular topic and define and limit the parameters for the review (e.g. current research into student achievement levels in regional and rural communities in Australia; international research into the learning benefits of school gardens).

This is a small review, so concentrate of recently published literature as relevant.
? An analytical or other type of review proper of not less than ten and up to twenty published works germane to your research topic and question(s) (your choice of review genre).

Please refer to the Assistance folder in Assessment in the Learn JCU site for further advice on how to research, and write your literature review. It helps a great deal if you can first find a literature review of recent research in your proposed research area.

Please emphasize quality over quantity in your choice of literature.

? A succinct summary of findings and conclusion(s) drawn from the review.

? A full reference list according to appropriate conventions (APA 6).

Your major assignment will be judged by the following criteria:
? The viability and coherence of the research methodology / literature review / alternative;

? The depth and relevance and timeliness of the research on which the completed assignment is based;

? Evidence of the ability to think critically, to analyze and evaluate claims;

? Evidence of the ability to synthesize a selection of published studies;

? Marshaling of published data, analyses and viewpoints in a considered, professional way;

? Evidence of the ability to adapt knowledge to a unique research situation;

? Logical, clear and effective writing in the chosen genre of a literature review;

? Correct use of referencing conventions throughout;

Evidence of effective means for retrieval of information.

INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
ASSESSMENT TASK 3 THREE: Major Assignment
Aligned subject learning outcomes ? Critically review issues relating to key social and educational research designs and methods;
? Develop a position on important ethical and political issues in social and educational research;
? Develop skills in using research techniques chosen from a range of research methods
Group or individual Individual
Weighting 50%
Due date Week 11 of Study Period
ASSESSMENT TASK 3: Major Assignment Description
Due date: WEEK ELEVEN (extensions must be requested by week 10)
Weighting: 50%
Format: Justification of research methodology, or preliminary literature review for a planned small-scale research project; or a literature review of an educational topic of professional interest to you; or an alternative negotiated assessment task
Word count: 3,000 ? 3,500 words excluding references and appendices
We cannot do research without drawing on theory. This does not mean however, that we must simply find and use some line of theory in order to research something we are interested in ? although this is legitimate. Ideally, however, our research will also contribute something to enhancing the theory it has drawn upon. (Lankshear & Knobel 2004, p. 61)
The principles of elegance and economy is concerned with getting the greatest amount of high-quality data from the minimum use of resources with the least possible complexity in the operation ? The principles of practicality and realism are about aligning what one plans to do in the way of data collection with the resources and opportunities that are actually available or likely to be available. (Lankshear and Knobel 2004, p. 187)
Purpose: Over the study period you have been learning how to undertake education and social science research. You may be taking this subject as it is core to the Master of Education and you are interested in pursuing more knowledge about a professional educational topic or question either in a formal setting or informal or community setting. You may be actively refining your likely research question or questions to investigate for a small-scale research project as you are planning to continue to ED5094 (Research Proposal and Ethics) and ED5095 (Research Dissertation).
The purpose of this assignment is twofold: The first purpose is to consider matters of theory and design in social and educational research; the second purpose is to learn how to locate, read, analyze, summarize and evaluate published research literature deploying a formal academic writing genre such as a literature review or an extended argument or other negotiated, formal genre.
It is assumed that over the course of time, your understanding of research will change in light of new circumstances and practicalities. That?s okay. This assignment is about what you are able to consider and justify at this point in time.
You have three choices in this assignment:
(1) Write a full justification for your proposed research methodology (which must include a discussion of theory):
(2) Write a preliminary literature review around a research question or research topic related to your research problem or area of professional interest.
(3) Negotiate a suitable assessment task with your lecturer.
If choices (1) or (2) do not fit your particular situation you may negotiate an equivalent assignment with the subject lecturer. This option is available to meet student need.
Choice One: Justification of Research Methodology will include:
? A title page

? An introduction that specifies the nature of the study and sets out a rationale that argues the relevance and significance of the proposed research, setting out the context for the research, the identified research problem and the research question(s) derived from that problem;

? A description of and full justification of the research methodology to be employed and why this choice is appropriate for answering the research question(s), the theoretical considerations for research conduct and data analysis and its applicability to the social (educational) context for your research (a discussion of similar research is useful here).

Who are the major authors/ theorists/practitioners you will be using? What kind of contributions does your chosen methodology make to generating new social and educational knowledge? What does this methodology let us know or see or do? Why are you excited by this methodology?

? A discussion of how your chosen methodology has been effectively employed in related studies and of the benefits and limitations in comparison with other possible methodologies or research approaches. You can choose a highly contemporary methodology or a well-established methodology. The purpose of this assignment is to enable you to learn more about it, and to read more deeply into the relevant research literature.

? A discussion of your researcher stance

? A reference list using appropriate conventions (APA 6) and an additional bibliography as necessary.

Choice Two: Preliminary Literature Review (narrative, or systematic or other) will include:
? A title page

? An introduction to your literature review. If you are writing a literature review for a proposed small scale study you need to write an introduction that specifies the nature of the study and sets out a rationale that argues the relevance and significance of the proposed research, setting out the context for the research, the identified research problem and the research question(s) derived from that problem.

If you are writing a literature review on a topic of professional interest you need to write an introduction that sets out a rationale for why you chose to review this particular topic and define and limit the parameters for the review (e.g. current research into student achievement levels in regional and rural communities in Australia; international research into the learning benefits of school gardens).

This is a small review, so concentrate of recently published literature as relevant.
? An analytical or other type of review proper of not less than ten and up to twenty published works germane to your research topic and question(s) (your choice of review genre).

Please refer to the Assistance folder in Assessment in the Learn JCU site for further advice on how to research, and write your literature review. It helps a great deal if you can first find a literature review of recent research in your proposed research area.

Please emphasize quality over quantity in your choice of literature.

? A succinct summary of findings and conclusion(s) drawn from the review.

? A full reference list according to appropriate conventions (APA 6).

Your major assignment will be judged by the following criteria:
? The viability and coherence of the research methodology / literature review / alternative;

? The depth and relevance and timeliness of the research on which the completed assignment is based;

? Evidence of the ability to think critically, to analyze and evaluate claims;

? Evidence of the ability to synthesize a selection of published studies;

? Marshaling of published data, analyses and viewpoints in a considered, professional way;

? Evidence of the ability to adapt knowledge to a unique research situation;

? Logical, clear and effective writing in the chosen genre of a literature review;

? Correct use of referencing conventions throughout;

Evidence of effective means for retrieval of information.