Course Coordinator:Jenna Campton (jcampton@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton BayUniSC Caboolture |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
Business research is essential for any organisation to remain competitive, understand their customers’ needs, and resolve business problems or take advantage of opportunities. Through research and discussion, you will explore how to define business problems and design business research to address them. Having an ongoing dialog in the workshops you will focus on how to interpret business analytics for decision making. You will acquire practical skills to aid in evidence-based decision making, conducting business research, and communicating outcomes to benefit your future job role/organisation.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Asynchronous (recorded) online delivery of learning material. | 1hr | Week 1 | 12 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous (live) and scheduled face to face workshops. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Online | |||
Learning materials – Asynchronous (recorded) online delivery of learning material. | 1hr | Week 1 | 12 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous (live) online workshops (Recorded) | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Key concepts include: the role of the research process and business analytics, the fundamentals of choosing a method for research, and the essential analytics used to solve research problems.
100 Level (Introductory)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business | |
1 | Identify and use foundational research skills to solve business problems. | Empowered |
PC1, PC3, PC3.1 |
2 | Apply a research approach to solve business problems. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
PC3, PC3.1 |
3 | Use academic literature to justify business solutions and recommendations. |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
PC1.1, PC3, PC3.1 |
4 | Apply, analyse and evaluate quantitative techniques for business analytics (descriptive, inferential and predictive statistics) | Empowered |
PC3.1
|
5 | Apply statistical tools and software to support business decision making. | Empowered |
PC1.3, PC3.1, PC6 |
6 | Articulate business outcomes and recommendations in a written mode. | Engaged |
PC1.1
|
CODE | COMPETENCY |
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business | |
PC1 | Communication |
PC1.1 | Written Communication |
PC1.3 | Digital Literacy |
PC3 | Creative and Critical Thinking |
PC3.1 | Problem Solving |
PC6 | Career-ready |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
The workshops will have embedded tasks to assist with drafting Task 1 and Task 2 enabling students to have the opportunity to get early feedback on their written assessment pieces. For Task 3 there will be several practice questions to ensure students are prepared.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Report | Individual | 20% | 800 words (+/- 10%) |
Week 5 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 2 | Oral | Individual | 30% | 7-10 minutes recorded presentation (500 words in notes pages in PowerPoint). |
Week 11 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 50% | 1 hour |
Exam Period | Online Submission |
All - Assessment Task 1:Annotated Bibliography | |
Goal: | To demonstrate foundational research skills in an authentic business context. Through information literacy, critical thinking, synthesis of information, professional written communication, and research planning. |
Product: | Report |
Format: | This is an individual assessment. In this assesment piece, you will demonstrate foundational research skills you have acquired from modules 1-3 of the course. You will need to compile an annotated bibliography of relevant academic journal articles concerning a topic. Based on this prior research you will then justify a research question to guide your research project in an authentic business context. Further details will be available on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 2:Research Consultancy Presentation | |
Goal: | To demonstrate knowledge and application of business research concepts in an authentic business context utilising professional oral communication skills and appropriate scholarly research. |
Product: | Oral |
Format: | As a business professional it is essential that you know how to propose evidence based solutions for organisational problems. Working as a research consultant you will be given a business case that has a problem which needs to be solved using academic research. You will present a research proposal to the owner/CEO of the business. This is an individual assessment. More details will be provided on canvas. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 3:Final examination | |
Goal: | To demonstrate an understanding of business analytics in terms of data interpretation and solving data-driven business problems |
Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled |
Format: | Short-answer questions covering topics related to the third part of the course. Further details will be provided on Canvas. This assessment task is an online, open-book and invigilated exam. You will need to take the exam on Canvas at a specific time and date scheduled by the University, while also attending a live Zoom session and sharing your screen for invigilation purposes. You will need a working computer device, a stable internet connection and a webcam. In the Zoom session, an invigilator will verify your identity and supervise your computer screen and webcam feed throughout the duration of the exam. In special circumstances (for example if you do not have access to a computer or a reliable internet connection), you will be able to request an exam seat in one of UniSC computer labs to take the exam on Canvas and in the presence of an invigilator in a computer lab. More details about this exam will be provided on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
|
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.
For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.
Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.