Introduces students to basic skills required to investigate and analyse social problems. Students will be introduced to methods in the social scientist's research "toolkit", and explore why and how certain tools are used to examine particular social, political and economic phenomena.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Formulate, conceptualise and operationalise research questions;
2. Describe and understand basics standards of research approaches in the social sciences;
3. Evaluate the soundness of various research designs and discern the implications of using different forms of information, sources and methodological approaches in conducting research;
4. Understand professional and ethical norms and key debates regarding the conduct of research; and
5. Harness and maximise the format and communicability of research findings.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.