Assessment Task Two and Research Methodology

  • Assessment Task Two Overview:

    • Major essay worth 40% of the final grade.
    • Word count: 1,600 words, excluding the reference list.
    • Requirement for four references from the unit's reading list.
    • Each chapter from the textbook counts as a separate reference.
    • Referencing style: APA 7th edition.

  • Journal Activity:

    • Choose an activity (e.g., part-time job, sport, hobby) to journal for a week.
    • Focus on:
    • Actions
    • Emotions
    • Societal rules/expectations encountered during the activity.
    • Journal methods are flexible (paper notes, phone reminders, etc.).
    • Aim for reflection rather than mere description.
    • Suggested prompts:
    • Social and cultural norms and conformity.
    • Personal norms followed or challenged.
    • Institutional influences (family, education, media).
    • Issues of class, gender, race, and social inequality.

  • Timeline for Activity:

    • Suggestion to choose an activity by the end of the week and start journaling the following week.

  • Referencing Guide:

    • Access the APA 7 guide by searching "Deakin APA seven" online.
    • Quick activity conducted to find various referencing formats in the guide:
    • How to reference three or more authors found on page 10.
    • Journal article reference found on page 21.
    • News article page 50.
    • Reference list format on page 6.
    • Same author, different articles in the same year found on page 15.
    • Chapter in an edited book found on page 18.

  • In-Text References Activity:

    • Identifying mistakes in in-text references and correcting them for proper APA format.

  • Researching the Social World:

    • Brainstorming session on the concept of research:
    • Gathering and explaining data.
    • Investigating a hypothesis.
    • Learning about existing knowledge and analyzing information.
    • Discussing data collection methods:
    • Interviews, surveys, participant observation, ethnography.
    • Understanding qualitative vs. quantitative data:
      • Quantitative = numerical data;
      • Qualitative = thoughts, feelings, opinions.

  • Case Study Scenarios:

    • Researching teenagers' use of yoga/meditation for stress management:
    • Suggested mixed methods approach to combine quantitative (how many) and qualitative (why they engage) insights.
    • Potential survey questions discussed.
    • Scenario on a new religious movement:
    • Suggested participant observation or ethnography as less invasive methods given the group's wariness.
    • Importance of obtaining informed consent and creating a plain language statement for participants.

  • Ethical Considerations in Research:

    • Maintaining impartiality when researching groups with differing beliefs.
    • Strategies for avoiding bias include:
    • Engaging in reflective practices.
    • Utilizing mixed methods studies.

  • Importance of Studying Marginalized Groups:

    • Value in understanding different ideologies and ways of life.
    • Sociological relevance in exploring inequalities experienced by these groups.

  • Research Project Design Reflection:

    • Encourage students to think about a social problem or phenomenon they might like to research.
    • Examples include perceptions of feminism and climate activism.
    • Consideration of information needed:
    • Types of data, where to collect it, and from whom.

  • Next Steps:

    • Reminder of the next seminar topics and schedule, as well as the absence of the next week’s class due to a holiday.