Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Social Science School
This course introduces students to the foundations, tools, and techniques of social research. It does this by embedding questions of method into a broad framework of research design and analysis so that research is approached as a holistic enterprise in which theory, method and analysis are interrelated. Rather than simply offering a suite of different qualitative and quantitative research methods for students to trial, this course takes as its starting point the kinds of questions researchers pose about the social world and the various methodologies and methods that inform these questions. It also encourages students to be critical about their research practice and to consider the ways that research has supported the project of settler colonialism in its treatment of Indigenous peoples and communities. Students will be introduced to Indigenous perspectives on research, not only as subjects of research by non-Indigenous researchers, but as skilled researchers with their own ways of knowing, being and doing. The course also exposes students to the affordances of Generative AI in research and equips them with the skills to become ethical and critical users of GenAI across the research process. On completion of this course, students will be skilled in the art of reflexive, ethical and methodologically rigorous social research.
Welcome to SOCY2019 - Introduction to Research. This course is a second level course for sociology, criminology and social science students, as well as students from other programs who are seeking to develop an understanding of the theory and practice of social research. One of the problems with conventional methods courses is that the technical issues of research methods (i.e., the manner through which data are generated or analysed) are taken as the starting point for subsequent discussion which means that many methods courses are typically designed as either quantitative or qualitative. The result is a failure to appreciate that the broad principles of good research are the same regardless of method and the creation of methodological silos where researchers gravitate to one approach at the expense of the other. It also reinforces the idea that research begins with method. In practice, however, the research methods we choose are influenced by a whole range of other, more fundamental, decisions about the kind of research questions that we want answered, the features of social life that we want to explore, the concepts through which we understand them, and the question of 'what counts as data' for those features of social life, however we define them. This is the approach we take in SOCY2019.
But good research is not simply about the successful deployment of research tools and techniques in a way that is consistent with methodological traditions. In addition, good research takes a critical look at itself to reflect on how it reinforces power differentials between researcher and researched, and knower and known. These power relations are inherent in all forms of research when it is the researcher rather than the research participant who typically selects the topic, the population of interest, the methods, and the interpretation of data. Researchers have become increasingly aware of these power dynamics over time and often seek to manage them through greater reflexivity in their practice and the use of more participatory and action oriented methods. But, as you will see in this course, research has also historically supported the project of settler colonialism in many countries across the world, including Australia, where the settlement of incoming populations has been accompanied by structures and systems that eradicate, reduce or control existing populations. The effects of colonial settlement and the role that researchers have played in this process are still very much alive today. In this course, you will start to engage critically with research as a colonial practice by seeing how research is typically experienced from the standpoint of Indigenous and other marginalised peoples but you will also learn, from Indigenous authors, the methodologies, ethics and practices that they are using to foreground the knowledges, priorities, and values of Indigenous
Another advancement in social research is the development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (or Gen. AI). Gen. AI incorporates tools such as ChatGPT, Chat PDF, Microsoft Bing, Claud, Chat and Google Bard that can assist in the research process. The development of Gen. AI has created huge opportunities as well as practical and ethical challenges in the way we work and study, including concerns over infringement of copyright for material used in generating content without the authors’ permission, and the heightened risk to the integrity of your work if you draw on material sourced externally without proper attribution. The material produced by Gen. AI can also be factually incorrect (it makes things up), susceptible to bias, lacking in creativity and critical insight, and unable to grasp the meaning, subjectivity and the depth of human experiences – all skills that are fundamental to social scientists.
But Gen. AI is also hugely beneficial to the research process, particularly in helping summarise large volumes of data, coming up with ideas for research projects, researching answers to your questions, providing inspiration in your writing, and even drafting content. But it will only work well if you are already skilled researchers with the capacity to discern whether the outputs of Gen. AI are of sufficient quality and meet the brief of what you have been asked to do. In this course, you will learn to use Gen. AI in an informed and critical way to help with various aspects of the research process.
For more information on the use of Gen. AI for your studies more broadly, check out the following UQ guides and resources:ﾠ
Using AI tools in your studies: https://uq.pressbooks.pub/digital-essentials-artificial-intelligence/chapter/using-ai-tools-in-your-studies/#study-help
Using AI in your Studies – Digital Essentials: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/research-tools-techniques/digital-essentials/artificial-intelligence?p=3#3
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course introduces students to the principles and practices of social research. There is no requirement for you to have completed any previous methods training although some prior social science learning will be useful.
Course contact
School enquiries
SOCY2019 Teaching Staff
Due to the University-wide closures in response to Cyclone Alfred, assessment and teaching activities in this course may be revised. Please refer to the course Blackboard site for the revised teaching and assessment plan.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Professor Lynda Cheshire
Miss Natalie Fennell
Lecturer
Professor Lynda Cheshire
Tutor
Miss Natalie Fennell
Mrs Thi Thanh Mai Giang
Mr Graham Lee
Dr Carl Anacin
Ms Joelle Moore
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Timetables are available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional Timetable Information
Your learning will take place through a blended learning approach that aligns course delivery modes with core learning priorities following the curriculum design model of Wiggins and McTighe (2005). This is intended to give you flexibility in how you study through self-paced online material that you can study in your own time at your own pace; guided support through a series of 'masterclass' lecture sessions on the core ideas relating to research with the course coordinator; and interactive, synchronous tutorial workshops where you practice your skills as a researcher in collaboration with other students under the guidance of a tutor. This is structured as follows:
- Big ideas and core transfer tasks - Introductory online content and 4 in-person ‘masterclasses’ engaging with core research topics.
- Important knowledge and skill - provided through online content and practiced through seven 1.5 hour tutorial workshops. At the end of each tutorial, your tutor will be immediately available for consultation if you have any questions about the course content or your upcoming assignment.
- Worth being familiar with - provided through online content that allows you to upskill in key areas to the extent that works for you.
The scheduling of these learning activities is outlined in MyTimetable. Please read the course material on UQ Extend before you come to class. You may struggle with some of the conversations and activities in class if you have not done so. You are still strongly encouraged to attend all classes to maximise your learning and the application of your research skills even if you have not prepared. You will learn more by coming along and listening than you will if you do not come at all because you have not prepared.
Reference: Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of this course is to equip students with an understanding of the theory and practice of social research. Its goal is not only to equip students with skills in particular data-generation techniques (e.g., interviews, ethnography and social surveys), but also for students to approach social research as a holistic enterprise in which theory, method and analysis are interrelated. Rather than simply offering a suite of different research methods for students to trial, this course takes as its starting point the kinds of questions researchers pose about the social world and the various methodologies and methods that inform these questions and influence the way research is conducted. It also encourages students to be critical about their research practice, first by engaging with the decolonising perspectives of Indigenous scholars on the importance of conducting respectful, reciprocal and culturally appropriate research with Indigenous peoples and communities, and second by developing skills in the ethical use of Generative AI in the research process. On completion of this course, students will be skilled in the art of reflexive, ethical and methodologically rigorous social research.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Design methodologically coherent research across all stages of the research process
LO2.
Demonstrate a growing capacity to undertake research with Indigenous peoples and communities guided by Indigenous values and priorities
LO3.
Make ethical choices in the design and conduct of social research
LO4.
Apply and transfer social research skills in a variety of contexts and domains
LO5.
Demonstrate critical use and appraisal of Gen. AI in the research process
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Reflection |
Assignment 1 Problem Statement
|
30% 700 words |
1/04/2025 2:00 pm
Submit via Course Blackboard (TurnItIn). |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Assignment 2 Article Review
|
30% 1,300 words total |
6/05/2025 2:00 pm
Submit via Course Blackboard (TurnItIn) |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Examination |
Assignment 3 Exam
|
40% approximately 1000 words |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Assignment 1 Problem Statement
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Reflection
- Weight
- 30% 700 words
- Due date
1/04/2025 2:00 pm
Submit via Course Blackboard (TurnItIn).
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L04, L05
Task description
Developing a coherent research topic, writing it up in the form of a problem statement that briefly explains to the reader why the issue is research worthy, and formulating some workable research questions are the first sets of skills that you need as researchers. This assignment enables you to develop and test your skills.
There are three parts to this assignment. All the information you require to complete the assignment is provided below.
- Draft a problem statement and two research questions. Your first task is to come up with a viable research topic and ask Gen.AI to draft a problem statement around that topic, and two research questions that logically connect to your problem statement, all in 300 words.
- Critical appraisal of Gen. AI. Next, in 300-350 words, you are to critically appraise the problem statement and research questions that Gen. AI has formulated for you using the criteria provided below.
- Revise your problem statement. Based on your assessment of the Gen. AI output, you then have the opportunity to revise your work if you wish to do. This is the problem statement and questions that you will submit for assessment. The first version is not assessed and not included in the total word count.
Selecting your topic
In undertaking this assignment and the next assignment (Article Review), you will begin by identifying a suitable research topic that interests you. This is a skill you will already have developed in this course.
Formulating a problem statement
Having selected your research topic, your next task is to formulate your problem statement on your selected topic. You will also have learned how to do this in class. For a 300-word problem statement, 4-7 references should be adequate. Your problem statement then needs to be followed by two research questions that logically connect to the problem statement.
Using Gen. AI for this assignment
Before you start preparing your own work, you are to experiment with writing a problem statement and research questions using any Gen. AI tool. If you are new to Gen. AI, consider using ChatGPT since a user guide has been provided for you on Blackboard. Using whatever prompts you like, see how close you can get to generating a quality research problem and research questions that relate to your chosen topic. Paste your Gen. AI content (i.e. your Gen. AI produced research problem and research questions), including all prompts, into the body of your assignment. The Gen. AI content and related prompts are not included in your word count.
Your next task is to critically assess the problem statement that Gen. AI has produced for you. In 300-350 words, review the problem statement and research questions and evaluate the quality of the output according to requirements of a good problem statement and research questions. In doing so, consider the following issues as identified in the course learning materials:
- Relevance
- Ethics
- Accuracy
- Quality
Reflection: Provide a short personal refection on how you found the experience of using Gen. AI for this assignment. Where did you find it useful and what were its shortcomings for you? What additional work do you now need to do to revise the output so that it works as a research problem statement and strong set of research questions.
This reflection is an important component of the exercise, but its purpose is to help you write a better problem statement rather than to come up with perfectly formed answers to the questions.
Bringing the human research back in.
You may decide that you are happy with the problem statement and research questions produced by Gen. AI and want to submit them for your assignment. Or you may decide that the work is not up to scratch and needs revision to improve it. Or you may feel the need to start from the beginning if Gen. AI is unable to produce a decent problem statement that does the job. If your critical assessment of the output tells you that it is insufficient as a piece of work, revise, rewrite or redo the problem statement and research questions as much as you think is necessary to create a quality piece of work.
The maximum word count for this assignment is 700 words excluding any references, appendices, or Gen. AI prompts or output. Note: you must reference all the content from Gen. AI tools that you include. Failure to reference externally sourced, non-original work can result in Academic Misconduct. For information on how to cite Gen. AI content, see https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/chatgpt-and-generative-aitools#s-lg-box-22362866 (https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/chatgpt-and-generative-ai-tools#s-lg-box-22362866).
When preparing your reference list, ensure you use an acknowledged academic referencing system (e.g., APA). It does not matter which one you use (although endnotes are not acceptable), as long as the referencing style is consistent.
Note: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Assignment 2 Article Review
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30% 1,300 words total
- Due date
6/05/2025 2:00 pm
Submit via Course Blackboard (TurnItIn)
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
Task description
You will start to understand from your learning that how we conduct research is very much informed by what we want to know. In all research, it is important to be clear about the aims and focus of the research, not only in terms of the stated research questions, hypotheses or aims, but equally about the features of social life under study and how they are defined and understood. We have spent considerable time in this course working through these issues.
Any detailed review of research on any given topic starts to reveal the different ways in which researchers approach that same topic, and – in good research – the connection between the features of the topic under study, how they are defined for practical purposes, and the research methods used to study them. Not all researchers make these links obvious and, as a reader, you have to look hard to draw the connections, if they are there at all.
Using the same topic that you developed for your first assignment, your task for this second assignment is to critically review four (4) research articles that research your topic in different ways. These articles should be research-based where the authors are presenting the results of a research study with methods and data. You will struggle with this assignment if you select a literature or systematic review, or summary discussion of the topic rather than an actual research study.
You will also learn from this course that Western forms of knowledge have historically been privileged over Indigenous and other non-Western ways of knowing. Researchers often replicate and reinforce this marginalisation by selecting readings and reference materials written by scholars using Western paradigms and/or that treat Indigenous and other minority groups as objects of research, but not as research partners. It is important to be aware of this bias in your work and to overcome it by actively seeking out and including research materials that highlight the important contribution to scholarship and practice of Indigenous scholars and those working outside the Western paradigm. To this end, you are strongly encouraged to find at least one research article written by authors working beyond a traditional Western paradigm, such as Indigenous or other minority scholars, where relevant to your topic.
The assignment is like a standard annotated bibliography that you might have undertaken in previous courses, but it is also different in that you are specifically to focus on the methodological features of the research described and the relationship between what the researchers want to find out in the study (i.e. research questions, key concepts) and how they go about doing the research (i.e. methodological approach, research methods). In undertaking your review, reflect on the following for each article:
- What, specifically, does each paper focus on in the context of your chosen topic?
- What are the aims, research questions or hypotheses of the study?
- What concepts are being used in each article and how are they defined and operationalised?
- What research method(s) does the study use, and how do the methods link to the research aim(s) or question(s) – is this made clear to the reader?
Begin your assignment with the problem statement on your chosen topic that you devised earlier (there is no need to include the research questions this time). Use the feedback from assignment 1 to improve your problem statement. Then discuss each of the four articles in turn in around 250 words each. In some cases, the information you need may not be readily apparent from the article. If so, see if you can work out the connections yourself based on your understanding of different methodological approaches and/or reflect on which information is missing in your discussion.
The maximum word limit on this assignment is 1,300 words excluding the reference list and any appendices. When preparing your reference list, ensure you use an acknowledged academic referencing system (e.g., APA). It does not matter which one you use (although endnotes are not acceptable), as long as the referencing style is consistent.
Using Gen. AI in this assignment.
You have already learned that Gen. AI tools such as Chat PDF provide excellent article summaries, including specific summaries of the research methods used in any study. As a start, you are welcome to use a tool like Chat PDF to create your article summaries, providing the articles are available through open-source sites and you are not breaching copyright by downloading them from a university-subscribed database. But you are also likely to find that Gen. AI can only describe the concepts and the methods, even if it does this very well. It is unable to draw the connection between ontology (what do you want to know?) and epistemology (how can you know?) for each article, and it won’t be able to deduce how concepts are operationalised empirically unless the authors have spelled this out explicitly. Only you can do this by eliciting meaning from the material, making connections, and drawing on what you have already learned. If you rely only on Gen. AI outputs for this assignment, you will not develop the skills you need to design methodologically sound research projects that logically connect the research questions, aims and methods. Instead, you are strongly encouraged to ask Gen. AI to create initial summaries that you build on and extend by reading parts of the articles and adding your own ideas.
Note: This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
If you use Gen. AI to produce article summaries, you must reference all the content from Gen. AI tools that you include, and append the prompts and outputs to your assignment. Failure to reference externally sourced, non-original work can result in Academic Misconduct. For information on how to cite Gen. AI content, see https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/chatgpt-and-generative-ai-tools#s-lg-box-22362866 (https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/chatgpt-and-generative-ai-tools#s-lg-box-22362866).
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Assignment 3 Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Examination
- Weight
- 40% approximately 1000 words
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
The aim of this final assessment is to enable you to demonstrate the research skills that you have acquired across all elements of the research design process including research methodologies, research questions, conceptualisation and operationalisation, sampling, recruitment, ethics, and methods. Under exam conditions, you will be provided with a series of research proposals and asked to reflect on the quality of those proposals by answering a series of specific questions about them. Researchers routinely prepare research proposals for consideration by funding agencies, research partners and and other assessors in which they set out the proposed piece of research and seek to convince the assessor that the research is important, methodologically coherent, feasible and ethical. Learning how to develop a research proposal is a core skill. In this case, you will develop these skills through critical appraisal of others' work.
Note: This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
You can request a deferred exam if you can provide evidence of unavoidable circumstances that prevented you from sitting your original exam at its scheduled date and time. Your application must include supporting evidence. The request will be assessed based on the evidence you provide when you apply.
An application on the basis of a Student Access Plan (SAP) or Extension Verification Letter (EVL) alone will not be accepted. If you are applying on medical grounds, a medical practitioner must assess your condition and provide a signed medical certificate that covers the day of the examination. You must obtain a medical certificate no later than two business days after the date of the original examination. Further details of acceptable evidence for deferred examination can be found here.
For information on eligibility and application instructions, please view the following page on myUQ: Deferring an exam - my.UQ - University of Queensland
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades are calculated based on the marks received which are awarded according to how well each piece of assessment has met the required criteria. Please read the grade descriptions carefully to understand what is required for the award of a particular grade. For example, demonstrating proficiency in achieving the course learning outcomes is sufficient for a grade 5 whereas a grade 7 requires exceptional achievement of the learning outcomes.
A final grade is determinedﾠby adding together the sum of all individual assessment tasks.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary assessment is an additional opportunity to demonstrate that the learning requirements for an eligible course have been satisfied and that the graduate attributes for the course have been attained. Supplementary assessment may only be granted where Supplementary Assessment – procedures allow. A passing grade of 4 (or P) is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. For further information on supplementary assessment please see my.UQ.
Additional assessment information
Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Modules https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
UQ Assignment Writing Guide: School of Social Science Guide for Written Assessments
Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The marks and feedback for the final assessment item will only be made available to the student on the Finalisation of Grades date at the end of semester.
Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
This course does not prescribe weekly set readings. Most of the information you require is available in the online modules, although there is a textbook that you can refer to if you want to read up on a topic in more detail.
• Neuman, W. L. (2014) Social Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (7th Ed.), Harlow: Pearson Education.
It is not necessary for you to purchase this book since it is available online through the UQ library. You can also access hard copies for short-term loan in the library.
You are also required to undertake a small amount of supplementary reading for some topics that are not covered by the textbook. You can find details of these readings on the SOCY2019 Extend Platform – see the ‘Overview’ page each week.
Student consultation
The SOCY2019 teaching staff are on hand to assist you with your learning, in tutorials but also through one-on-one consultation if you have any questions about the course. You can access support in the following ways:
- In class consultation - the tutorials run for two hours but the last 30 minutes will be reserved for consultation if you would like to speak with your tutor face-to-face.
- Drop-in consultation sessions for assessment - The teaching staff will be on hand to provide consultation in the lead up to assessment through the provision of drop-in sessions where you can receive one-on-one support with your assessment. These sessions are as follows:
- Assignment 1. Problem statement - Tues 25th March, 10.00-11.00. Room - 11A-101 (Mod West)
- Assignment 2. Article review - Monday 28th April, 12.00-13.00. Room - 01-W341 (Forgan Smith)
- Assignment 3. Exam - Monday 2nd June, 11.00-12.00. Room - 09-211 (Michie)
- By email - you can contact the teaching staff by email at any time using the SOCY2019 course email address - SOCY2019student@uq.edu.au. This email address will be monitored every day except weekends and you will typically receive a reply within 24 hours. If you email on a Friday, you will receive a reply on the Monday. Please do not contact your tutor directly by email. If you do, they will ask that you redirect your inquiry to the course email address.
- Blackboard messages - If you want to communicate directly with a course coordinator about a personal or confidential matter, you may contact Natalie or Lynda through the Blackboard site using the messages function.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
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| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Tutorial |
The principles of social research Online content (self paced) and tutorial workshop This first week of class will give you a gentle introduction to some of the key features of research. Through a combination on online content and tutorial activities, you will explore the concept of research, the logic of the research process; the role of the researcher in this process; and the emerging affordances of Generative AI as a research tool. The tutorial workshop will also give you the opportunity to meet your fellow students and work collaboratively as co-researchers. |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
The nature of the social world Online introduction (self-paced) and lecture masterclass Our journey through the research endeavour begins with philosophy. Here, we grapple with the dual concepts of 'ontology' and 'epistemology' and learn why philosophy is relevant to our research and how it informs the very practice of what we do. Ontology relates to the question of what constitutes social reality. In simpler terms, this involves identifying the properties or features of social life that we might be interested in studying and thinking about how we define them and how they relate to one another. Next, we turn to epistemology and the question of 'how can we know?'. In practical terms, epistemology forces us to think about what counts as data for the things we want to study, however we define them. The online material will help you familiarise yourselves with questions of ontology and epistemology, the way they are approached by different research traditions, and the role of theory in our research. In the masterclass, you will work with the course coordinator to see how the different research paradigms are made practical in research. You will also have plenty of opportunity to ask questions so that you start to feel more comfortable with these important concepts. Don't worry, though, it takes time to feel competent with them. |
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Indigenous methodologies **Due to the University-wide closures in response to Cyclone Alfred, assessment and teaching activities in this course may be revised. Please refer to the course Blackboard site for the revised teaching and assessment plan.** Online introduction (self-paced) and lecture masterclass What happens to research when the researched become the researchers? (Smith 2021: 239). This week introduces you to the importance of Indigenous methodologies. This begins with an exploration of the political issues behind knowledge production and the impact that this has on Indigenous peoples. These political power dynamics have informed the development and application of Indigenous methodologies in the academy. The purpose of Indigenous methodologies is to ensure that Indigenous peoples can not only contribute to future research outcomes, but also regain control over the parameters of research that impacts upon Indigenous peoples and communities. This requires Indigenous peoples, communities, and scholars to introduce Indigenous concepts and methods that may not align with existing Western research paradigms to reveal the multiple perspectives on subjects or topics of inquiry. Indigenous methodologies ultimately seek to foreground Indigenous knowledges and perspectives in research. |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Formulating research questions Online content (self-paced) and tutorial workshop The fundamental aim of research is to find out something that we did not know before about how the world works. This may involve: seeking explanations for why people behave in particular ways, understanding the drivers and effects of social phenomena (e.g., crime or racism), delineating the relationships between social processes (e.g., those between ethnicity and educational attainment), and assessing whether policy interventions have the desired effect. This week focuses on the art of designing good research questions or hypotheses, based on a clear understanding of which ontological properties and processes we are focusing on and what kind of data we might need to answer them. We will learn how good research design depends a clear understanding of the problem or phenomena under study (a problem statement) based on a review of prior research (a literature review) and the careful articulation of well thought-out research questions or hypotheses. In your tutorial workshops, you you will be given the opportunity to practice the art of formulating good research questions and connecting them with particular research paradigms. You'll also learn how Gen. AI can assist in this process, but also explore its limits. You'll also have the opportunity to work through your first assignment with your tutor. |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Conceptualisation to operationalisation Online introduction (self-paced) and lecture masterclass By this point of the course, we have learnt how to formulate research questions that are of interest to us, identify the features of social life bound up in those questions, and thought through the kind of data that we need and can generate in seeking answers to those questions. This week we take a step forward in beginning to 'operationalise' our research questions, theories and objects of study, such that abstract ideas and concepts can be measured, observed, tested and understood. While some concepts (e.g., age and height) are relatively easy to measure, other social science contents such as power or inequality are intangible and thus far harder to define, examine and understand. In the lecture masterclass, you are given a guided tour into the conceptualisation of concepts and the way they can be operationalised for research purposes. |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Tutorial |
The importance of a good sampling framework Online content (self-paced) and tutorial workshop When designing our research projects, we often cannot study every instance of the phenomena that we are interested in, regardless of whether our units of analysis are individuals, social groups, households, localities or countries. In these situations, we must select a number of 'cases' which are available to us from the total number of cases for detailed study. The process of selecting these cases in a logical and defensible manner, deciding how many we need, and determining the extent to which we can generalise from those cases to the broader population is referred to as 'sampling'. In this week, we will introduce and discuss the main sampling procedures available to social researchers. Our goal is twofold: first, to ensure that our sampling framework is as rigorous as possible; second, to ensure that such framework is consistent with our research questions, data and epistemological approach. You will also work through some of the strategies for recruiting research participants once you've sampled them, and you will have the chance to discuss your second assignment with your tutor. |
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
An ethical approach to research Online introduction (self-paced) and lecture masterclass This week examines the ethical and moral obligations that researchers have whenever they conduct research with 'human subjects'. Research ethics require researchers to weigh up the balance between the pursuit of knowledge and the rights of research participants, and the perceived benefits of the research against the potential costs or risks for those who participate. In the early stages of research design, these issues are generally addressed by obtaining 'ethical clearance' from a university or research body, and abiding by ethical codes laid out for researchers working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and communities. Yet ethical practice extends beyond ethics applications and requires researchers to continue making ethical decisions over the course of their research and even after the research account is written up via responsible authorship. The online material will provide you with an understanding of the principles of responsible and ethical research with Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The lecture masterclass will help you develop the skills necessary to resolve ethical dilemmas as they arise at all stages of the research process. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Tutorial |
Generating statistical data: social surveys Online content (self-paced) and tutorial workshop In this week, we focus on specific approaches to data collection, often referred to as research methods. However, as you will learn, the selection of methods is not simply a technical task. Instead, it is critically influenced by the ontological properties of the social phenomena under study, the research questions posed, and epistemological beliefs about knowledge and data. As Indigenous researchers have critically reported, statistical data are not neutral and do not simply record the 'facts' despite their status of having scientific rigor. Instead, they collect and report particular versions of reality that, in the case of Indigenous populations, are typically deficit focussed and do not include the kinds of data that Indigenous people and communities find useful. We begin our methodological foray into statistics via the online content by introducing and discussing one of the most widely used instruments in social research: the social survey. You will learn the logic of survey research, its forms and uses, some basic survey design principles, and Indigenous critiques of survey data. Understanding the science behind surveys also requires an appreciation of the importance of measurement in surveys and the strategies for ensuring constructs are both reliable and valid measures of the phenomenon under study. In your tutorial workshops, you will have a hands-on opportunity to critically engage with surveys and their design, including from Indigenous perspectives, so that you become ethically informed designers and users of survey and survey data. |
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
Not Timetabled |
Mid-semester break In this part of the course, we begin to focus on specific approaches to research, often referred to as research methods. However, as we will show, the selection of methods is not simply a technical task. Instead, it is critically influenced by the ontological properties of the social phenomena under study, the research questions posed, and epistemological beliefs about knowledge and data. We begin this methodological foray by introducing and discussing one of the most widely used instruments in social research: the social survey. Specifically, in this module we will outline the logic of survey research, its forms and uses, and some basic survey design principles. Understanding the science behind surveys also requires an appreciation of the importance of measurement in surveys and the strategies for ensuring constructs are both reliable and valid measures of the phenomenon you want to study. |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Tutorial |
Eliciting experience and meaning through interview Online content (self-paced) and tutorial workshop Another commonly used tool for generating data in the social sciences is the interview. Here, researchers gain access to participants' views and experiences through the medium of talk, based on asking them a series of questions. Interviews are often a means of administering a survey, and hence adopted within a highly scientific paradigm. However, interviews are more commonly associated with (i) a humanistic paradigm that places people as social actors, and their meanings and experiences, at the core of the research endeavour; and (ii) a discursive approach to the study of social life that uses language, talk and text as a lens for understanding the socially constructed nature of reality and the power relations bound up in it. In this week, you will come to see the ontological properties of social life that interviewing helps to explore, consider epistemological issues associated with interviewing (including the socially constructed nature of interview talk or discourse) and identify different forms of interviews (semi-structured, focus groups, narrative/life history, and Dadirri - a term belonging to the language of the Ngangikurungkurr people of the Daly River in the Northern Territory that describes an Indigenous research methodology which centres Indigenous voices and knowledge through deep, comtemplative and reciprocal listening and reflection. You will also develop practical strategies on how to conduct interviews to generate culturally and methodologically sound interview data. |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Tutorial |
Undertaking ethnography and observation Online content (self-paced) and tutorial workshop 'Ethnography' is an umbrella term for a variety of research methods used to collect data through direct observation of and communication with the people under study. Ethnography has human subjectivity (i.e., the different meanings that people attach to the world around them) as its focus, and sees the role of the researcher as attempting to understand or interpret how those meanings are derived. Researchers operating from this paradigm often use methods of participant-observation that allow them to observe and interact with people in specific contexts to elicit rich detail about their lives. Through the online material, you will be introduced to the tradition of ethnography and the method of participant observation. You will also become familiar with the ontological and epistemological bases of these methods, the kinds of data that can be gathered through them, the important role played by the researcher in the research process, and the ways in which data gathered through participant observation might be presented. These kinds of questions require us to be critical in our adoption of ethnography particularly given its colonial legacies as a method of gazing upon and writing about the 'exotic other' in Australia and internationally. In the tutorial workshop, you will develop your skills in field research and observational methods through practice with your peers and reflection on ways to reduce the power disparity between researcher and researched using decolonising methodologies. |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Tutorial |
Using administrative & naturally occurring data Online content (self-paced) and tutorial workshop The approaches to research that we have explored so far involve the collection or generation of data through primary research. However, there is also a vast corpus of existing data that researchers can sometimes access to answer research questions they may be interested in. These data take two forms. The first is existing datasets that have been generated by large research teams for other researchers to use (e.g., large-scale social surveys administered as part of a national program of research). The second is what we might term 'naturally occurring data'; that is, data that have been produced independently of the actions of the researcher. These data may take the form of government and other administrative datasets; online blogs, posts and other social-media interactions; company databases on clients and users; and recordings of telephone and other 'naturally-occurring' conversations. These datasets differ widely in terms of the features of social life they offer up for study, the kinds of research questions that they can answer, and the forms of analysis that they can be subjected to. This week, the online material introduces you to the different types of secondary and naturally occurring data and the ways in which it is used. It also introduces you to the concept of Indigenous Data Sovereignty, enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which asserts Indigenous ownership and control over data pertaining to Indigenous peoples and ensures those data are used to enhance their collective well-being. In the tutorial workshop, you will have an opportunity to develop skills in designing research projects that use naturally occurring data, and using them to answer your research questions while being proactive around Indigenous data sovereignty. In doing so, you will come to see some of the opportunities but also the challenges that arise from dealing with data that you had no involvement in creating. In this final tutorial workshop, we will also work through the final piece of assessment (the exam) with you so you know what to expect. |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Not Timetabled |
Assessing causality: Experimental methods Online content (self-paced) Experimental research has a long tradition as a research strategy within the natural sciences. In the social sciences, experiments are becoming a more popular research approach to conduct evaluation research that investigates the effects of particular interventions (e.g., policies and programs). Given its scientific legacy, experimental research draws on many of the same principles and assumptions of other scientific methods in its quest to generate and test evidence about causal relationships in a specific setting or context or among a specific group of people (e.g., students in a class or patients undergoing a form of treatment). While experiments are a powerful way of determining causality, they are not suited to answer all research questions. In this week, you will be introduced to the logic and design of experimental research, the types of research questions that can be answered using these methods, and some of the ethical challenges involved in the process. There will be no tutorial workshops associated with this topic. Instead, the material is available online for those who want to up-skill their research methods with a more advanced set of research approaches. |
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Not Timetabled |
Digital methods and e-research Online content (self-paced) In this final week you are introduced to a growing area of research: digital methods and e-research. Through the online material, you will be introduced to the role of digital media and new technologies in social research, both as a means to enhance traditional research designs (e.g., ethnographic or survey research) and as a vehicle for new and exciting research approaches (e.g., text mining and network analyses of social media). Consistent with the propositions discussed throughout the course, you will learn that digital methods can be deployed to answer research questions from multiple epistemological perspectives, informed by different ways of conceptualising the nature of the social world. There will be no tutorial workshops associated with this topic. Instead, the material is available online for those who want to up-skill their research methods with a more advanced set of research approaches. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.