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ACCT614 seeks to provide students with a thorough introduction to the principal assumptions that underpin the development of research ideas in accounting, information systems and related disciplines. More particularly, it seeks to expose students to the theoretical and philosophical foundations of knowledge and reality. You will also be introduced to both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
The distinguishing characteristic of ACIS postgraduates is their understanding of and capacity to undertake research in accounting, information systems, tax and related topics. ACCT/INFO 614 concentrates on research methodology and research methods and seeks to provide students with a thorough introduction to the principle assumptions that underpin the development of research ideas in accounting, information systems and related disciplines. More particularly, it seeks to expose students to the theoretical and philosophical foundations of knowledge and reality. You will also be introduced to both quantitative research methodology and methods, and qualitative research methodology and methods.
Throughout the course, postgraduate students are encouraged to question what they read, to develop their own ideas, and where these are at odds with the authors they read, to develop an understanding of why they are different. Students are also encouraged to develop understandings of what they do and do not find persuasive and why. Disagreeing with published authors is encouraged, and where students do so, they are expected to try and develop persuasive counter-positions. Students should come to understand that not all they read contains some unassailable “truth”, just because somebody chose to write it down, and somebody else chose to publish it. Indeed, it is expected that students will come to realise that what counts as “truth” is an issue far from cut and dried, and remains seriously contested.More than anything else this course is intended to promote an active engagement with the material it contains, both in terms of assimilating and critically evaluating the material and in terms of engaging in discussion with your peers, seminar facilitators, and Departmental staff. You should be continually asking yourselves “what do I think about this material, why, and how does this relate to my endeavours in research and practice?” The course is absolutely not about soaking up some body of knowledge to be spat back in class or in exams.The methodology part of the course will expose you to a wide variety of perspectives on what is knowledge and how we “obtain” it. You will examine some of the philosophies and ideologies underpinning research and how it is conducted. By the end of this section of the course you will be able to:1. evaluate two research articles that have taken different perspectives, identifying the assumptions about reality and knowledge held by the researchers/authors2. understand and express your own epistemological and ontological assumptions about research and acquiring knowledgeThe quantitative research component of the course will familiarise you with the principles of survey methods so you can:3. design and carry out a quantitative research study for your thesis/dissertation4. interpret results from a range of statistical techniques5. analyse research data using a statistical software package6. critically evaluate studies that have employed survey methodsThe qualitative research module introduces you to carrying out qualitative research. By the end of the course you will be able to:7. design a qualitative research study for your thesis/dissertation8. have some strategies for gaining access to a research site9. use various methods of collecting information (such as observation, interviewing, and analysing documents)10. analyse and interpret qualitative information, and11. write up the qualitative research in the form of an academic paper, a dissertation or a thesis12. present your research work orally
Subject to approval of the Head of Department.
ACIS614, AFIS614, INFO614
Students must attend one activity from each section.
2 x 2 hour seminars per week
Beverley Lord
Julia Wu , Peni Fukofuka and Shannon Anderson (UCDavis Graduate School of Management)
LEARN
Domestic fee $2,132.00
International Postgraduate fees
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Department of Accounting and Information Systems .