7001ENG
Research Methods for Engineers Assignment 1:ResearchDesign Semester 2-2014
COURSEASSIGNMENT
ReportDueDate: 17h00 PMAEST,Thu28August (Week 5)
SubmitReportto: Library – Assignment Services
Length ofReport: 3000–4000words (6 –8pages,excludingreferencelist)
Weighting: 25%
OverallObjective
Thiscoursehasa totalofthreeassignments.Eachassignment correspondswiththe other assignmentsinthateachsucceeding assignmentbuildsuponthe completion ofthepreceding assignments.Inotherwords,theresearchdesignofAssignment1formstheconstructupon whichtheresearchmethodologyofAssignment2canbebased,whichinturn forms thecontext andcontentuponwhichtheresearchverificationandvalidationofAssignment3canbebased toachievethe essentialcontinuity,conclusionandcompletionoftheselectedresearch topic. Each assignmentwill beprimarily assessedonthestudent’sproficiency indescribing and explainingtheskills required for eachoftherelevantstagesofthescientific research process.
Eachassignmentcontributesinparttoatotalunderstandingofthescientificresearchprocess, frominitialdefinitionoftheresearch problem, generationofresearchquestionsand hypotheses, to verification of the research hypotheses and validation of the research results for final conclusion(s)andcompletionoftheselectedresearchtopic.Typicallysuchascientificresearch process can have duration of several years. Consequently, the overall objective of these assignmentsissimplyforthestudenttogiveacomprehensive,wellstructured,andmethodical approach, with adequate supporting literature references, on HOWthe particular selected research topic needs to be researched, with specific reference to the research problem, research questions, research hypotheses, research methodology and validation, including theoretical andempirical examplesthroughout allthestagesofthescientific research process. The student isNOTexpected to conductactualresearch intheselected topic.
ResearchTopic
StudentsmayselectANYresearchtopic forcompletionoftheir assignments.However,in accordancewiththerequiredadherencetospecific ethicalconsiderationsinconducting certain research,thestudentisrequiredtosubmita one-pagesummary ResearchProposalthatonly includestheproposedResearchTopicas atitle,andashortsynopsisofWHATisintendedto beresearched.Submittalofthesummary ResearchProposalshouldnot belaterthanweek3. Thecourseconvener willassess each ResearchProposal fromtheperspectiveofwhetherthe studentwill be abletoadequatelycomplete allthe assignmentsinthe allottedtimeframe.
AssignmentDetails
Althoughgroupdiscussionofthescientificresearch processis encouraged forstudentstofully understandtherequiredrigourofcompleting the assignmentsontheirselectedresearchtopic, studentsmustcompleteeachassignmentontheirowntoallowforindividualassessment. Beforestarting this assignmentreadtheAssessment MarkingCriteriaonthe followingpage. Eachassignmentmustbepresentedin typicalreportformat.
Readthe followingAssignment1Taskand respondinthe format ofatypicalformalreport. Students mustpresentsupporting material fromatLEASTfour(4)relevantreferenceswhich includeacademicjournalarticles(minimum requirement).Yourassignmentmust presentyour ownwork andwill becheckedforduplication ofother authored material.
Assignment1 Task
Assignment1relatesto theresearchdesignstageofthescientificresearchprocessand includes course learningmaterial introducedinWeeks1 to4,coveringtopics such as:
Engineeringresearchprojectdesign. Theconstruct of engineeringresearch.
Theengineeringresearch topicandproblem.
Theappropriatelogicalreasoningapproach. Engineeringresearchquestions andhypotheses. Researchmethodologyandmethodsapplication.
Write aformal reportdescribingindetail HOWyourparticularselected researchtopic needstoberesearched,includingappropriatetheoretical andempiricalexamples explainingyour approachto identifying theresearchproblem, conducting apreliminary literaturereviewand assessment,adoptingtheappropriatelogicalreasoning approach, generatingspecificresearchquestions,formulatingresearch hypotheses,anddeciding onwhatyourintendedresearchmethodology wouldbe.Donotgivedetailsofyour research methodologyin thisAssignmentTask,butonlyan outlineofwhat is intended.
AdditionalRequirements
Assessment markswillbegiveninaccordancewitheachassignment’sassessmentsheet for content,presentation,brevity,format,andlogic.Markswillbedeductedforpoorreferencing, inadequateparagraphnumbering,surplus words,irrelevantdetail,and/orinefficientuseof appendices.
Thethreeassignments(incombination) areaboutthebasicskillsneeded forconducting researchprojects,and aredueinweeks5, 10 and14ofthesemester.Assignmentsshouldnot exceed the prescribednumberofpages.
Tobeeligibleforapass,orhighergrade,inthiscourse,studentsarerequiredtoobtain at least 50%in eachassessmentitem,and achieve an overallmarkof 50%ormore.
7001ENG
Research Methods for Engineers Assignment 1:ResearchDesign Semester 2-2014
COURSEASSESSMENT
Name……………………………………………………...... StudentNo.……………………......
AssessmentMarkingCriteria:Assessmentofthisassignmentwillbebasedonthe extent towhichit meets each of thefollowing criteria:
CONTENT: Yourassignmentcontentmust demonstrate:
A thoroughknowledge andcriticalanalysis oftheappropriatecoursematerial expressed inacoherentreportformat with typical headings supportingthereport’s beginning, body andconclusion.
Marks/25
Appropriateness ofapplicationandextent ofcoverage oftheAssignment1Tasktopics.
Marks/25
Knowledge andapplication of exampletheories andmodels insupport ofyour approach.
Marks/20
Relevantliterature(citeat LEAST four [4] references including academic journals).
Marks/15
PRESENTATION: Yourassignment presentationmust demonstrate:
Clarityofexpression/grammar andspelling.
Marks/5
Strict conformity to referencing style of the author-date system of referencing.
Marks/5
Appropriatepresentationvolume withinthespecifiedminimum/maximumword limit.
Marks/5
Late submittalpenalty,where applicable,of5%per day.
TotalMarks/100
(Weighting =25%)