Sem: AY20/21 Semester 2
Lecturer(s): Dr Caroline Lim & Ms Rachel Ang
*all classes were conducted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Overview: This is a compulsory mod for all social work majors, but not so for social work minors (which I am). That said, I was approaching the end of Y3 and I wanted to finish my minor by the end of Y4S1. Anyway, it doesn’t hurt to take another research mod, even if it’s from another major, as I thought it might help me make a more informed decision on whether to read an Honours Thesis in my final sem.
The entire module was structured in such a way that systematically brings you through the entire process of writing a research paper. For the first half of the sem, I learnt about why one might want to conduct research in the first place, how to properly write a literature review and craft your research question and hypothesis, before moving on to research designs and sampling methods. The second half focused on conducting the actual research, covering the data collection process, univariate and bivariate data analysis, as well as how to properly present your findings and writing the actual report. It was also at this point that we were exposed to the SPSS software during our final two tutorials to conduct our data analysis. Do note that this mod is more focused on quantitative research as both Dr Caroline and Rachel are more well-versed in this area, although external speakers were also brought in for lectures that cover qualitative research.
Looking back, I didn’t have regrets taking this mod even though some of the content seemed a little repetitive from my own major’s research mod. It helped me to better understand how research is conducted in social service settings and how this differs from research carried out in other disciplines. I appreciated how the entire module was structured as it gave me a detailed understanding of what steps to take and what details to look out for when conducting research and writing a research paper, should I choose to pursue an Honours Thesis. This was a key difference from the research mod of my own major, which kind of glossed through the entire process of research paper writing and left us to figure out the marking rubrics on our own. It was also my second time taking a mod taught by Dr Caroline and likewise she’s really understanding and patient in teaching a relatively technical mod to a group of clueless social science students. She’s also open to consultations to answer even the ‘dumbest’ questions you have and you can tell that she’s genuine about wanting you to emerge with greater confidence in conducting your own quantitative research. Rachel, who co-teaches this mod with Dr Caroline, is similarly knowledgeable and a good teacher. I like how she provides sample paragraphs from her own research paper which really helped in the writing process when we started on our own assignments.
Really just want to encourage those taking this mod to do your best and trust in the process. As long as you pay attention, take diligent notes and clarify your doubts, you should be able to develop competency and confidence in research and do well for this mod :)
Assessment:
Tutorial Participation (20%): Speaking up in class and involvement in class activities counts towards your grade
Group Research Proposal (30%): This is essentially the first half of your research paper and comprises the introduction, lit review, theories, research question, hypothesis, sampling and data collection methods. As you are relatively new to research at this point, this will be a group assignment carried out in a group of 4. Not to worry, as Dr Caroline and Rachel are not looking for some groundbreaking study but rather how well you apply what you have learnt in the first half of the module. Groupings are assigned in W3-4(??) and you have till W8 to complete this, which is actually quite a bit of time.
Peer Review (10%): Following the submission of your research proposal, you have to rate each of your group members’ contributions to the group project.
Individual Research Report (40%): Building on your group assignment, you are now required to actually conduct your own data collection and analysis. If you’re doing quantitative research, this is where you use SPSS to analyse your data. This is the remainder of your research paper and comprises the abstract, methods, results, discussion and conclusion. You’re marked on your presentation of data, proper usage of APA (both referencing and formatting), your writing, as well as your ability to apply what you have learnt during lectures. It seems daunting at first but Dr Caroline and Rachel scheduled consultations with each group to run through each part with us and answer our queries which I found helpful.
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