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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

All Module information is indicative, and this portal is an interim interface pending the full upgrade of Coursebuilder and subsequent integration to the new DCU Student Information System (DCU Key).

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Research Design
Module Code ES585 (ITS) / EDU1058 (Banner)
Faculty DCU Institute of Education School STEM Ed, Innov, Global Studies
Module Co-ordinatorMargaret Farren
Module Teachers-
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 10
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Coursework Only
Description

The module aims to prepare you for the construction of a dissertation at masters degree level. You will be introduced to research methodologies and paradigms, and issues around quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, analysis and debates around ethics, validity and rigour. You will learn how to conduct a literature review. The teaching approach taken will include lectures, small group work, workshops and presentations.

Learning Outcomes

1. Construct a research proposal.
2. Critically engage with theory and literature in a chosen field of research
3. Compare and contrast philosophical and methodological approaches to research
4. Describe various research methods
5. Justify approach to the selection of participants.
6. Discuss the role of rigour, validity and ethics in research



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture25No Description
Independent Study100No Description
Assignment Completion125No Description
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Research Paradigms.

Methodologies.

Literature Review.

Data Collection Methods.

Fieldwork.

Ethics.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Research PaperWrite a research proposal for a research topic of choice including the research question, research rationale, arguments in associated literature, rationale for choice of research participants, philosophical and/or methodological approach, research methods and issues around rigour, valiity and ethics100%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • Kemmis, Stephen, et al.: 2014, The action research planner: doing critical participatory action research, Singapore: Springer,,
  • McNiff, Jean,: 2014, Writing and doing action research, Los Angeles: SAGE,
  • Wolcott, Harry F.: 2008, Ethnography -a way of seeing, Lanham, MD: Altamira Press,
  • De Vaus, D. A: 2011, Research design in social research, London: SAGE,,
  • Costley, Carol,: 2010, Doing work based research: approaches to enquiry for insider-researchers, Los Angeles; London: SAGE,
  • Robson, Colin.,: 2016, Real world research: a resource for users of social research methods in applied settings, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley,
  • Gray, David E: 2009, Doing research in the real world, London: SAGE,
  • Yin, Robert K: 2014, Case study research: design and methods, Los Angeles: SAGE,
  • Creswell, John W; Plano Clark, Vicki L: 2011, Designing and conducting mixed methods research, Los Angeles: SAGE Publications,
  • Taber, Keith: 2013, Classroom-based research and evidence-based practice, SAGE,
  • Baumfield, V., Hall, E., Wall, K.: 2012, Action research in education : learning through practitioner enquiry, SAGE,
  • Lambert, M.: 2012, A beginner's guide to doing your education research project, SAGE,
  • Marshall, J.: 2016, First person action research : living life as inquiry, SAGE,
  • Bochner, A.: 2016, Evocative autoethnography : writing lives and telling stories, Routledge,
  • Ravitch, S.M. and Riggan, M.: 2016, Reason & Rigor: How Conceptual Frameworks Guide Research, SAGE,
  • Crotty, M.: 2014, The foundations of social research : meaning and perspective in the research, SAGE,
Other Resources

None

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