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Not offered in 2020

Unit description

Provides postgraduate students with the opportunity to develop advanced critical thinking, writing and research skills, culminating in a draft literature review. Students learn to conduct an advanced literature search, critically analyse research literature, establish an advanced bibliographic database, write critically in an academic style, structure a research report and develop an academic argument.

Unit content

  1. Choosing an appropriate research topic for postgraduate study
  2. Advanced literature searching strategies
  3. Using advanced citation and referring tools
  4. Critical reading and note-taking from research literature
  5. Writing critically in an academic style
  6. Using advanced documentation processing for research writing
  7. Developing an argument through a critical literature review

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:GA1GA2GA3GA4GA5GA6GA7
1Locate research literature relevant to an appropriate research topic for postgraduate studyIntellectual rigourLifelong learning
2Analyse and critique research literature to formulate and structure a well-argued critical literature review Intellectual rigourLifelong learningCommunication and social skills
3Demonstrate advanced academic writing and referencing skills Intellectual rigourCommunication and social skills
4Reflect on learning and understanding of advanced research skills.Lifelong learningCommunication and social skills

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Locate research literature relevant to an appropriate research topic for postgraduate study
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA5: Lifelong learning
  2. Analyse and critique research literature to formulate and structure a well-argued critical literature review
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA5: Lifelong learning
    • GA6: Communication and social skills
  3. Demonstrate advanced academic writing and referencing skills
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA6: Communication and social skills
  4. Reflect on learning and understanding of advanced research skills.
    • GA5: Lifelong learning
    • GA6: Communication and social skills

Teaching and assessment

Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every session. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the study session.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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