Students will undertake practical, class-based assignments (development of questionnaires etc.) in order to enhance learning. The course gives the students a though background in report and research writing which will underpin the written element of the Professional Placement Programme.
Module Aim:
To provide students with the competence, knowledge and skills to plan, design, formulate and manage a research project.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1
Apply the tools, skills and techniques of the Research Process to an expert professional standard, in order to be able to carry out a Business Research Project.
LO2
Demonstrate a knowledge of estimation and statistical testing.
LO3
Use the concepts of probability and sampling to carry out a Business Research Project.
LO4
Demonstrate the ability to use SPSS to input and interpret data, and to carry out statistical analysis.
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
No recommendations listed
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
No requirements listed
Module Content & Assessment
Indicative Content
Introduction to the Research Process
• The Research process
• The importance of research within the business context
• Research terminology
• Research Industry
• Ethics
• Management information systems
• Technology for Business and Research.
Research Design
• Types of research design
• Steps in the research design process
• Potential errors
• Research objectives.
Data Types, Secondary Data
• Purposes
• Sources of secondary data
Qualitative Research
• Observation
• Focus groups
• Other qualitative methods.
Survey Data Collection Methods and the Survey Instrument
• Data Collection modes
• Factors determining same
• Errors
• Questionnaire development process
• Questionnaire development
• Wording of questionnaires
• Structuring; Sequencing
• Layout
• Error minimisation.
Measurement
• General concepts
• Measurement scales
• Attitude measurement
• Rating and ranking scales
• Reliability and validity of measurements
• Error minimisation
New Developments in Market Research
• Emerging use of Social Media to implement market research
Data Collection and Descriptive Statistics
• Definition of statistics
• Census or sample
• Populations.
• Frequency distributions
• Cross-tabulations
• Measures of central tendency,
• Measures of dispersion.
• Mean, Mode, Median
Concepts in Samples and Sampling
Concepts in Samples and Sampling
Probability
• Probability laws
• Bayes Theorem
• Binomial, Poisson and Normal distributions.
• Probability Distributions
Statistical Inference Using Samples
• The sampling distribution
• Confidence intervals and approximate confidence intervals
• Statistical determination of sample size
• Hypothesis testing
• T-test, Chi-square tests
• Statistical significance and practical significance
Introduction to SPSS
SPSS
Using the Data Editor
• Data Coding and Entry
• Defining Variables
• Value labels
• Missing values
• Modifying and recoding data values
• Creating and Modifying Charts
• Exporting tables and charts
Assessment Breakdown
%
Continuous Assessment
25.00%
Project
75.00%
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Short Answer Questions
In-Class Test: Statistics
2,4
25.00
n/a
Project
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Project
Each student will complete a research process which will include the development of a questionnaire, the carrying out of a survey, and appropriate analysis on SPSS
1,3,4
75.00
n/a
No Practical
No End of Module Formal Examination
SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment