Directed Research Project for Study Abroad

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1 In partnership with CAPA International Education (CAPA) Directed Research Project for Study Abroad COURSE DESIGNATOR SDNY 3895 NUMBER OF CREDITS 3 LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION English COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides under-graduate students the opportunity to undertake a research project in the context of study abroad. Students are directed and supervised in the application of qualitative methods and tools to a research project chosen from the syllabus, or a project their own choosing, approved by the Faculty leader. Qualitative research involves collection and analysis of primarily non-numeric data whilst quantitative research is based on numerical data and analysis. Mixed methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative. There are two core components to the course: the research component involves the doing of the research, for example data gathering, analysis, and writing up; and the supervisory component provides students with guidance on the specific research topic from subject matter experts within the CAPA Sydney faculty. For students who have not previously studied qualitative research methods, there is a mandatory third component consisting of a weekly workshop on qualitative research design, methods, and writing. Other students are free to attend these workshops also (in total or selected topics). LEARNING OUTCOMES Through this course students will develop or enhance (depending on prior knowledge) their qualitative research skills and complete a short research project, under supervision. By the end of this course, students will be able to: 1. Exhibit a working knowledge of research skills, including those required for research design, execution, and report writing. 2. Demonstrate decision-making and problem solving skills associated with conducting independent research. 3. Speak clearly and confidently about their own research. 4. Gain expertise in a particular topic within their field of study. The very essence of study abroad is that of learning through experience, that is, learning by doing, observing, and reflecting. This course aims to enhance the student learning experience abroad by emphasizing independent learning and thinking, decision-making, and problem solving, through an in depth engagement in the host culture and community. The course is designed for students contemplating post-graduate study or a career in fields, which will involve research and analysis. In addition to providing the opportunity to undertake a research project and develop or enhance (depending on prior knowledge) their understanding of the fundamentals of research, the course aims to stimulate in depth critical enquiry into the chosen thematic area for a deeper understanding of Australia, its people, and its place in the world. METHODOLOGY This course blends consultation with experiential learning through field research. Consultations with subject matter experts from the CAPA Faculty will provide students with an opportunity to discuss their research and receive guidance on literature, conducting, analyzing and writing up the research. Learning will be evaluated through project consultation preparation and discussion, a research proposal, final research essay, and research presentation. For students undertaking the workshop component, each workshop will introduce an aspect of the research process and apply this content to student projects. As far as possible students will be given the freedom to choose research topics that align with their disciplinary major. Research projects must NOT, however, involve human participants. In addition to workshops and consultation time, it is expected that students will spend on average days per week on this project doing and writing up their research. REQUIRED READING AND RESOURCES There are a wide range of texts on conducting academic research. For the workshops the following text is required:

2 Berg B. & Lune H. (2011). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. 8 th Edition. Pearson Higher Education, USA. If the current edition cannot be obtained, the 7 th edition can also be used. Additional sources which students may find useful include: Babbie E.R. (2012). The Practice of Social Research. 13 th Edition. Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont CA Babbie E.R. (2010). The Basics of Social Research. 5 th Edition. Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont CA Blaikie N. (2010). Designing Social Research. 2 nd Edition. Polity, Cambridge UK Creswell J. W. (2013) Research design. Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 4 th Edition. Sage, Thousand Oaks, California Denzin N.K. & Lincoln Y.S. (eds) (1998). Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials. Sage, Thousand Oaks Gibbs G.R. (2008). Analyzing Qualitative Data. Sage Publications. London Given L.M. (2008). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Sage. (Available online as an ebook via ACU Library) Reardon D. (2006). Doing Your Under-graduate Project. Sage Publications, London Rosaline B. (2008). Introducing Qualitative Research. Sage Publications, London Wolcott H.F. (2008). Writing Up Qualitative Research. 3 rd Edition. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks CA Other general texts on doing qualitative research refer range in the ACU Library Selected Web Resources Research Methods Knowledge Base QSR International. What is qualitative research? GRADING CAPA PROGRAM AND INSTRUCTOR POLICY The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic course depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work and class behavior. This means to gain full attendance you must attend all classes, you must not be late (unless with a valid reason) and you must be respectful of the professor and of other students by not talking/whispering in class when others are talking or presenting. Persistent lateness or lack of attention in class, i.e., reading materials other than the work assigned, may result in a low or zero grade for participation, and possible referral to the CAO. No electronic equipment will be used in class, including laptops, phones, ipods, cell phones, etc, unless you have written permission from the Chief Academic Officer prior to the course. If you are caught using any electronic equipment, you may receive a zero grade for participation. Plagiarism will be dealt with very seriously, and will be referred to the Chief Academic Officer in London. You may receive an F for the course. If all work is not submitted by the end of the program, you will receive an F for the course. CLASS PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE Attendance at all classes is mandated by CAPA; students who miss a class without permission from CAPA s Chief Academic Officer will have their grade for the course lowered. Informed participation is expected in every class, so students must have read the full assignment carefully before coming and be ready to discuss it if called upon. At any meeting there may be a brief, pass-fail two-minute quiz on some utterly obvious fact in the assigned reading. Students will also be asked to complete informal in-class writing assignments on a regular basis, which will require them to demonstrate their familiarity with the assigned materials. Students who repeatedly demonstrate unsatisfactory performance on these quizzes and exercises will be penalized in the participation grade. CRITERIA FOR GRADING AND GRADING STANDARDS Grading Rubric A 93+ Achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. A Achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course PAGE 2

3 B requirements. B B C Achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect. C C D D Achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements. F <59 Represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I. GRADING FOR ASSIGNMENTS Project consultation preparation and discussion 20% Research Proposal and Literature Review 25% Research Essay 40% Research Presentation 15% Overall grade 100% SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS Course Topics Week 1 Introduction to International Finance Introductions, student interests, relevant prior coursework & experience Course map, format, required work and assessments Review of research paper guidelines detailed guidelines posted in this syllabus Globalization and the Multinational Firm Chapter 1. Week 2 International Monetary System & Balance of Payments Historical perspectives of the International Monetary System Gold standard Exchange rate regimes pegs, fixed, floating, currency boards, etc. The Euro and European Monetary System Historical currency crises Balance of Payments Chapters 2 & 3 Week 3 Foreign Exchange Markets & Exchange Rate Determination Function & structure of the foreign exchange market Spot & forward rate determination Interest rate parity. Foreign exchange futures & options PAGE 3

4 Chapters 5,6 & 7 Week 4 Foreign Exchange Exposure and Management Management of Transaction Exposure Management of Economic Exposure Management of Translation Exposure Chapters 8, 9, 10 Week 5 World Financial Markets & Institutions part 1 International Banking and Money Market International Bond Market Research paper 1 st status updates Chapters 11 & 12 Week 6 World Financial Markets & Institutions part 2 International equity markets Interest Rate and Currency Swaps Chapters 13 &14 Week 7 International Portfolio Investment International diversification & portfolio risk reduction Evaluation of risks & opportunities Effects of Changes in the Exchange Rate Home Bias Chapter 15 Week 8 Financial Management of a Multinational Firm part 1 Foreign Direct Investment and Cross-Border Acquisitions International Capital Structure and the Cost of Capital Research paper 2 nd status updates Chapters 16,17 Week 9 Financial Management of a Multinational Firm part 2 International Capital Budgeting Multinational cash management. Research paper submission deadline. Chapters 18,19 PAGE 4

5 Week 10 International Trade & Taxation Chapters 20,21, 4 International Trade Finance International tax environment and transfer pricing International corporate governance Chapters 20,21, 4 Week 11 Research Paper Presentations Week 12 Review Session Review of quantitative problems Course review what have we learned? Final Exam The following timetable is indicative and can be varied provided that assessment tasks are completed on time. Student and Supervisor may agree a different consultation schedule based on individual student progress and need. Course Schedule Week 1 Week 2 Independent Work and Consultations Workshops In this first week, all students will participate in the initial workshop where they will be introduced to the course and its topic structure. The different aspects of qualitative research design are introduced. Students will also choose their research topic, workshop research questions, identify the design choices and decisions which they need to make, and begin to prepare for the first Supervisor consultation. Berg B. & Lune H. (2011). Qualitative Research Methods For The Social Sciences. 8 th Edition. Pearson Higher Education, USA, Chapter 2 Designing Qualitative Research Denzin N.K. & Lincoln Y.S. (1998). Introduction: Entering the field of qualitative research. In Denzin N.K. & Lincoln Y.S. (eds) (1998). Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials. Sage, Thousand Oaks, pp.1-34 Independent work: draft research design. Independent work: complete research design; This workshop focuses in more detail on literature search. considerations relating to ethics, data collection methods (selective based on student project needs), and tools. In the workshop, students practice some of the key methods such as interviewing, focus groups, and observation; and develop a strategy and necessary instruments for dealing with any ethical issues. Berg B. & Lune H. (2011). Qualitative Research Methods For The Social Sciences. 8 th Edition. Pearson Higher Education, USA, Chapter 3 Ethical Issues Students should also read relevant sections from the following Chapters depending on their research project and design, specifically methods chosen: Berg B. & Lune H. (2011). Qualitative Research PAGE 5

6 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 1st Consultation: feedback on research design; review literature search results. Independent work: Literature Review. Independent work: complete Literature Review and Research Proposal; plan data collection. Independent work: data collection; revise Research Proposal if necessary (e.g. methods and tools). 2nd Consultation: Submit final Research Proposal and Literature Review; discuss data collection. Independent work: continue data collection. Independent work: begin analysis. Methods For The Social Sciences. 8 th Edition. Pearson Higher Education, USA, Chapters 4 (interviewing), 5 (focus groups), 7 (observation), 10 (case studies) The role or purpose of the literature review varies in research. This workshop describes these variations and suggests research techniques based on the student projects. A key related consideration is when and how to use and/or develop theory. Students will review discipline based theories and consider their relevance and application to various research projects. In the workshop students will discuss their literature research to date and refine their search. Reardon D. (2006). Doing Your Under-graduate Project. Sage Publications, London. Chapter 8 The Literature Review pp (Available online through ACU Library) No workshop this week. By Week 5 it is expected that students will have begun their data collection, at least using desk research. They will also have a clear picture of the literature and the way in which it will inform the research. The focus in the workshop in Week 5 is detailed planning to ensure that the research is completed with sufficient time allowed for analysis and writing up. Reardon D. (2006). Doing Your Under-graduate Project. Sage Publications, London. Chapter 5 Planning The Project pp (Available online through ACU Library) This week students submit their Research Proposal and Literature Review and also present them informally in class for constructive feedback from the lecturer and fellow students. None. This week s workshop introduces the different techniques used to analyze different types of research data with a focus on coding and thematic analysis of field data. Students will bring a sample of their field data to class and apply the technique in the workshop. Berg B. & Lune H. (2011). Qualitative Research Methods For The Social Sciences. 8 th Edition. Pearson Higher Education, USA, Chapters 11 An Introduction to Content Analysis Having analyzed the data, it is time to return to the research questions and draw conclusions that answer those questions. This week will be PAGE 6

7 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Independent work: begin writing up research. 4 th Consultation: review analysis; discuss/review writing approach and style. Students should be prepared to discuss their analysis and, if possible, tentative conclusions. The Supervisor will discuss the work with the student, test out the rigor of their analysis and suggest strategies for strengthening the analysis and conclusions. NB: It is important that a near-complete draft of findings and analysis is provided to the Supervisor at least three days prior to the consultation. Independent work: Complete final Research dedicated to developing a logical argument from the analysis. The workshop will outline a simple approach to this task and students will develop a detailed outline for their concluding argument. This week will explore different writing styles for presenting qualitative research to help students find their own voice, as well as some basic hints and tips for the process of writing up itself. In the workshop, students will do some writing exercises based on their research using different styles. Students will also bring a sample of their writing to class for discussion and feedback Wolcott H.F. (2008). Writing Up Qualitative Research. 3 rd Edition. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks CA. Chapter 5 Tightening Up, pp No workshop this week. No workshop this week. Essay Submit Research Essay Research Project Presentations: Students present their research findings, analysis and conclusions and are examined orally by faculty. PROJECT CONSULTATION PREPARATION AND DISCUSSION 20% Students will meet four times during the semester with their research supervisor (CAPA Faculty subject matter expert) for a one hour consultation. A suggested weekly timetable is for Consultations to take place in Weeks 1, 3, 6, 10, however student and Supervisor may vary this according to individual student progress and need. Students should come prepared to this meeting, ready to discuss progress, findings, and emerging conclusions from data analysis. Consultations will vary depending on where a student is in the project cycle; however, the meeting is for the student s benefit which will depend on the level of preparation. Students should proactively advise the Supervisor of areas where they would like some guidance, and for the second and third consultations submit at least 800 words in writing three working days before the meeting. RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND LITERATURE REVIEW 25% Length: 1500 words total Due: Week 6 in the Consultation hour. The research proposal should firstly set out the research topic, the purpose and objective(s) of the research, key research question(s), the role of theory, methodology (approach to analysis), proposed research methods and tools, and an outline of the final research paper (major sections/headings). In addition, the research proposal should contain a review of the literature relating to the research topic and situate the research in relation to the existing literature. For this mini-project students should cite at least twenty academic sources. PAGE 7

8 RESEARCH ESSAY 40% Length: words total Due: Week 12 in Class. The research essay will contain a detailed discussion and analysis of the research data. In addition, the conclusion will be a substantive section which addresses the research questions with clear, well-argued answers. RESEARCH PRESENTATION 15% Duration: 10 mins Due: Weeks 6 and 12 Each student will do two presentations during the semester. The first will be in week 6 and will be based on the research proposal and literature review. This will be a five-minute, informal but structured presentation after which the workshop Lecturer and class may ask questions to help clarify the approach. The second presentation will be in week 12 (if there are a large number, presentations will run over weeks 11 and 12). This will be a ten-minute presentation based on the research essay, plus five minutes allowed for questions from attending CAPA Faculty (Supervisor and workshop Lecturer). Instructions for submitting written work Leave a space and a half between lines. Double-sided printing is acceptable. You must submit hardcopy written work will not be accepted by . Leave a wide left hand margin (3cm minimum) for the marker s comments. Number and staple together all pages. Ensure your name is clearly written on each essay page. Use the Harvard (in text) citation and referencing system. Make sure you retain a copy of your work at all times in case of lost or misplaced essays. ATTENDANCE POLICY Regular attendance and punctuality are mandatory in order to earn full marks. The final grade will take into consideration preparation required for class (i.e. readings) and participation in class discussions. If you miss any meetings without an excused absence from the on-site director, your final grade will be dropped accordingly. In the case of absences, it is the student s responsibility to find out what information was given in class including any announcements made. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking unfair advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else s work as your own, can result in disciplinary action. The University Student Conduct Code defines scholastic dishonesty as follows: SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement; altering forging, or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying data, research procedures, or data analysis. Within this course, a student responsible for scholastic dishonesty can be assigned a penalty up to and including an F or N for the course. If you have any questions regarding the expectations for a specific assignment or exam, ask. STUDENT CONDUCT The University of Minnesota has specific policies concerning student conduct and student needs. This information can be found on the Learning Abroad Center website. PAGE 8