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ACCT3071: Research Methods in Accounting

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Type Tied
Level 3
Credits 20
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap None.
Location Durham
Department Accounting

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake an independent research project under appropriate supervision.
  • To distinguish between research philosophies, identify appropriate research methods, plan a research project and complete a review of relevant literature.

Content

  • Research Philosophies including Positivist, Realist, Interpretivist and Pragmatist approaches to research
  • Searching for academic literature
  • Research methods appropriate to research paradigms
  • Project management skills for research
  • Ethics in research

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • By the end of the module students are expected:
  • To have acquired extended knowledge of a relevant topic of interest and completed a review of relevant literature;
  • To have developed their knowledge of approaches to research and be able to distinguish between Positivist, Realist and Interpretivist paradigms.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • By the end of the module students are expected:
  • To have acquired skills of independent research and project management;
  • To be able to demonstrate an ability to present and analyse data in a clear and appropriate manner.

Key Skills:

  • Written communication
  • Planning, organising and working to deadlines
  • Problem solving and analysis
  • Initiative
  • Computer literacy

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Learning is facilitated by weekly workshops designed to explore research ideas.
  • Formative assessment is by production of a draft research plan.
  • Summative assessment is by means of a 2000 word written assignment.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Workshops10Weekly2 hours20Yes
Preparation, Reading and Independent Study180 
Total200 

Summative Assessment

Component: Written AssignmentComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Individual written assignment2000 words max100same

Formative Assessment

Draft research plan

More information

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