INFO614-23S1 (C) Semester One 2023

Research Methodology and Epistemology

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 20 February 2023
End Date: Sunday, 25 June 2023
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 5 March 2023
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 14 May 2023

Description

INFO614 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/INFO614 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.

Learning Outcomes

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 strictly not about soaking up some body of knowledge to be spat back in class or in exams.

The quantitative research component of the course will familiarise you with the principles of survey methods so you can:
 critically evaluate studies that have employed survey methods.
 interpret results from a range of statistical techniques.
 analyse research data using the SPSS statistical software package.

The qualitative research module introduces you to carrying out qualitative research. By the end of the course you will be able to:
 design a qualitative research study
 gaining access to the research site
 use various methods of collecting information (such as observation, interviewing, and analysing
documents)
 analyse and interpret qualitative information, and
 write up the qualitative research in the form of an academic paper, a dissertation or a thesis.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of Department

Restrictions

ACCT614, ACIS614, AFIS614

Timetable Note

2 x 2 hour seminars per week

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Beverley Lord

Lecturers

Christopher Akroyd and Stephen Wingreen

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Assignment on Methodology and Epistemology 15%
Presentations and Blog in Qualitative Methods Module 15%
Assessment on Quantitative Methods Module 15%
Research Proposal - Presentation 15%
Research Proposal - Written 40%

Course links

LEARN

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,074.00

* 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 .

All INFO614 Occurrences