ITECH 5500 – Professional Research and Communication
Research Literature Review – 2018/17
Overview
In this assignment you will select a topic to research. You will need to identify suitable resources which address this topic, and write a summary of the main themes and insights which you identify within those resources. You will also need to provide your own thoughts on this topic area.
To select your topic choose one of the active areas of IT research and practice listed below. Then select an aspect of society to which that form of IT might be applied, and review how that technology might be applied to that aspect of society both currently and in the future. For example, topics might include “the use of artificial intelligence in medicine”, or “the use of data analytics in sport”, or “the use of the Internet of Things in agriculture”. The lists below are not exhaustive – if you have an idea for a topic which you think would be suitable that is not listed below, please check that topic with your lecturer.
You may also use this topic as the basis for your research proposal, although you do not have to.
Areas of IT research Aspects of Society
• Artificial intelligence • Medicine and/or health
• Data analytics / big data / data mining • Crime prevention / law
• The Internet of Things • Financial services
• Ubiquitous computing • Education
• Virtual reality • Transport
• Augmented reality • Environmental projects
• Data visualization • Agriculture
• Robotics • Sport
• Cloud computing • Entertainment
• Cybersecurity • etc
• etc
Timelines and Expectations
Percentage Value of Task: 20%
Due: 17.00 Friday, September 7th (Week 8)
Minimum time expectation: 10-15 hours
Learning Outcomes Assessed
The following course learning outcomes are assessed by completing this assessment:
S1. Utilise effective communication practice in organisations.
S2. Demonstrate expert English language skills in academic and professional contexts.
S3. Evaluate the quality and utility of literature sourced.
S4. Undertake a literature review for an organisational IT research project.
.
A1. Compose a research proposal and report on a topic related to an organisational IT research project.
A2. Present written and oral reports to academic and organisational audiences.
Assessment Details
This assignment is broken up into two parts
• Part A (15 marks) – This can be done individually or in pairs • Part B (5 marks) – Must be done individually
Part A (15 marks)
This section can be done individually or in pairs. If you work in pairs clearly identify the person that you worked with.
Each group is to submit an essay of 1500 to 2000 words. Your essay should be about the topic of selfefficacy and should include
• An abstract
• Introduction
• A section (no more than 500 words) defining the two aspects of your topic (the area of IT research and the aspect of society). Include anything else you think is relevant to this topic.
• A section (no more than 750 words) on research on your topic of your choice. You should find at least four academic papers on your particular topic and provide a literature review. Think carefully about your choice of papers – they should be chosen from reputable sources (be wary of online journals which claim to be peer-reviewed but are actually of very low-quality). This review should be more than just a summary of each paper – it should be a synthesis of the most important parts and how they relate. Some things you might look at are o How the research questions compare o What the motivations of the researchers were o What type of research they conducted o Anything else of interest
• A conclusion which summarises what you’ve written.
• A reference section in APA style
Please remember that you must NOT include large slabs of text from the papers you read. The essay must be in your own words. If you use quotes from papers you have read, these must be clearly marked as quotes. If you use ideas from papers you have read, even re-written in your own words, you must appropriately cite those papers.
Submit this part to part A on Moodle. If you worked in pairs only one copy of the assignment should be submitted and it should clearly contain the names of both contributors.
Part B (5 marks) – Individual (250 words maximum)
This section must be done individually. Provide your own personal thoughts about the topic which you selected – this might address both the benefits and negatives of this application of technology, as well as speculation about the future developments in this topic.
This section should be submitted separately from the main essay (from part A).
Submission
Submit your completed essay via the given Moodle link.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the presentation of the expressed thought or work of another person as though it is one's own without properly acknowledging that person. You must not allow other students to copy your work and must take care to safeguard against this happening. More information about the plagiarism policy and procedure for the university can be found at http://federation.edu.au/students/learning-andstudy/online-help-with/plagiarism.
Marking Criteria/Rubric
Student Id. Student Name
Assessment Mark Mark
Awarded
Abstract:
• Significant concepts
• Key aspects of the paper /5
Introduction:
• Background, context, overview
/5
Description of topic:
• Clear description of the area of IT research
• Clear description of the aspect of society which you are considering
• Use of references
• Kept within word limit /15
Literature Review:
• Current, balanced, relevant, significant
• Multidisciplinary and extensive
• Literature clearly summarised and clear connection to the give topic
• Papers chosen relevant to the topic
• Papers chosen from reliable sources
• Important themes identified
• Kept within word limit /25
Part B:
• Clear discussion of benefits of technology to this area of society
• Clear discussion of any negative aspects of the technology
• Well-articulated thoughts about the future of this topic area /25
Conclusion:
• Coherent summary of paper as a whole
• A clear opinion on whether self-efficacy should be taught at schools /5
Presentation:
• Style and structure- concise and cohesive
• Spelling and grammar- evidence of proof-reading /10
References:
• Range of references
• Correct use of citation and referencing
• University guide followed e.g. APA referencing /10
Total /100
Scaled out of 20
Marked by:
Feedback
The assignment will be marked and returned within two weeks of the submission date