Semester 1, Academic Session 2022/2023

Office: +604-653 3389 dir_cpr@usm.my Mon - Fri : 8:10am - 5:10pm

Semester I, Academic Session 2223

Research Methodology Semester I, Academic Session 2022/2023

Class will be conducted online via eLearn@USM every Wednesday at 2:30pm to 5:30pm starting from 19 Oct 2022

COURSE TITLE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

COURSE CODE

POL 500

TIME

WEDNESDAY 2.30pm - 5.30pm

CREDIT

3

SYNOPSIS

This course aims to develop student research and analytical skills. Students are introduced to the research strategies and philosophies as well as theory and logic of research, the ethics that guide the research process, and to the range of research methods generally employed in the social sciences. Emphasis will be given to knowledge related to research design, data collection, elementary data analysis, and report writing. The course includes discussions of specific methodological approaches. The course also gives special attention to practical knowledge of the research process and in preparing students to conduct their own basic research projects. Students will leave the course with a better understanding of the ways to conduct their own research in various fields. This is a foundational course that will prepare students for advanced research methods courses in their chosen fields.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to be able to demonstrate the following skill set and knowledge:

Ability to develop a suitable research problem and research questions based on relevant and comprehensive literature review.
Ability to present their research proposal at the postgraduate level.
Ability to propose a viable design to carry out their planned post-graduate research while upholding professional research ethics.
Ability to synthesise research findings by relating them to relevant theories and works related to the research objectives and sustainability issues.

LECTURERS

No	Lecturers	Email
1	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
2	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Reevany Bustami	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
3	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Goh Soo Khoon	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
4	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tang Chor Foon (Coordinator)	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
5	Dr. Sazlina Salleh	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
6	Dr. Dayang Haszelinna Abang Ali	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Classes will be conducted by CenPRIS (Week 1 to Week 11)

Week 1

Date: 19 October 2022

Introduction to Research, Research Philosophies & Strategies

Objectives, workload and significance of this course;

Understanding the philosophies and strategies of research: Inductive, Deductive, Retroductive and Abductive Research.

FAQ

FAQ on Research Methodology Course for Research Mode Students

Q: What is Research Methodology course?
A: This course is a prerequisite course for graduation and compulsory to all research mode students starting from Semester II, Academic Session 2020/2021 intake onward. The course must be taken by students in the first semester of registration. Students who register after the 5^th week will be enrolled in the following semester.

Q: How do students register for this course? Do students have to apply?
A: Students do not have to apply, course registration will be done by IPS.

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Q: How do students get access to this course?
A: Once registered, students can access the learning material, timetable etc. through eLearn@USM portal. For any enquiries, please contact your School/Centre/Institute respectively.

Q: Can students apply for the exemption of this course?
A: Yes, application is to be made through student’s respective School/Centre/Institute

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Classes will be conducted by respective School/Centres (Week 12 to Week 15)

Week 12

Date: 4 January 2023

Findings Writing, Overall Report Writing

Findings, Comparison with prior studies, Limitations of your work, The difference between findings and conclusions, major / key findings, conclusion and implications.

RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS/CENTRES

1. Center for Policy Research and International Studies – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tang Chor Foon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
2. Center for Islamic Development Management Studies - Dr. Azrin Ibrahim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
3. Centre for Global Archaeological Research - Dr. Suresh Narayanen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
4. Centre for Instructional Technology & Multimedia - Ts. Dr. Irwan Mahazir bin Ismail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
5. Centre for Instructional Technology & Multimedia - Ts. Dr. Mageswaran A/L Sanmugam (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
6. National Higher Education Research Institute - Dr. Majid Ghasemy (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
7. School of Distance Education - Ts. Chm. Dr. Sumiyyah Binti Sabar (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
8. School of Languages, Literacies & Translation - Prof. Madya Dr. Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
9. School of Humanities - Dr Asyirah Abdul Rahim ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
10. School of Management - Prof. Dr. Hasliza Abdul Halim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
11. School of Social Sciences - Dr. Radin Firdaus Radin Badaruddin (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
12. School of Communication - Dr. Nur Atikah A. Rahman (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
13. School of Arts – Dr. Azrul Azizi Amirul (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
14. School of Educational Studies – PM. Dr. Mageswary Karpudewan (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
15. School of Educational Studies- PM Dr Aziah Ismail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

ASSESSMENT

The assessments* for this course are as follows:

No	Coursework	Assessment	Percentage (%)
1	Assignment (in group)	By CenPRIS (to be submitted to CenPRIS)	40
2	Research Proposal	By Respective Schools/ Centres (To be Submitted to the students respective schools or centres)	40
3	Research Proposal Presentation		20
Total			100

* All evaluative components for this course are compulsory, and MUST be completed in order to pass the course.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Please log in to the USM eLearn in every class to record your attendance. You are expected to stay until the end of the class.
1. You are also encouraged to log in early.
2. You are to meet up with your research presentation group once the assignment instruction is handed to you.
3. Your assignment should be submitted / uploaded by the 12th Week Friday 17:00 (5:00pm). CenPRIS will provide the link latest by 4th Week, Friday 5pm. You are encouraged to submit your video presentation earlier.
4. For research proposal and research proposal presentation, please contact your supervisor on the 1st Week.
5. For queries on administrative matters, please contact the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).
6. For queries on specific academic matters/ specific fields, please contact your respective supervisor and school representatives/deputy deans.
7. Please check the USM eLearn portal and CenPRIS’s website (https://cenpris.usm.my) weekly for updates.
REFERENCES

Acharyya, R., & Bhattacharya, N. (2019). Research Methodology for Social Sciences. Routledge.

Blaikie, N. W. H. (1993). Approaches to Social Enquiry. Polity Press.

Blaikie, N. W. H. (2009). Designing Social Research: The Logic of Anticipation (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Bustami, R., Nasruddin, E., & Blaikie, N. (2004). Lima Falsafah Penyelidikan Paradigma dan Strategi Penyelidikan untuk Sains Sosial dan Pengurusan. Knowledge Craftsmen.

Hart, C. (2018). Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Research Imagination (2nd ed.). SAGE Publication.

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2019). Practical Research: Planning and Design (12th ed.). Pearson.

Mills, G. E., & Gay, L. R. (2018). Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications (12th ed.). Pearson.

Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2010). Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach. John Wiley & Sons.

Sherman, R. R., & Webb, R. B. (1988). Qualitative Research in Education: Focus and Methods. Psychology Press.

Studenmund, A. H. (2017). Using Econometrics: A Practical Guide (7th ed.). Pearson.

United Nations (n.d.) Do you know all 17 SDGs? Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Zielinski, T., Sagan, I., & Suroz, W. (2018) Interdisciplinary Approaches for Sustainable Development Goals: Economic Growth, Social Inclusion and Environmental Protection. Springer International Publishing.

Semester I, Academic Session 2223