Assessment item 2
Collaborative Research
Value: 10%
Due date: 10-Sep-2015
Return date: 01-Oct-2015
Submission method options
Alternative submission method
Task
The following collaborative research project requires you to be placed by your lecturer in groups, each consisting of approximately 5 students.
Your task is to research all you can discover about the distribution of income in Australia. Select those aspects which your group finds interesting and collate a group written (in WORD) presentation to be handed in. In addition, a brief classroom Power Point demonstration by each group is required. These presentations will be arranged by your lecturer to span a number of weeks.
You must include in your answer a discussion about what kind of business decisions could use this information.
Rationale
This assessment task seeks to assess your ability to work co-operatively in groups on a research project and be able to
• demonstrate problem solving skills in assessing, organising and summarising and interpreting relevant data for decision making
• apply decision theory to business situations
It also gives you practice in presenting findings to a group of contemporaries..

Marking criteria
Assessment Item 2 describes the standards expected where the question requirements are appropriate. It is expected that all students in an allocated group will contribute equally to the research, analysis and evaluation of information and comunication of findings to fellow students.
Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass
Demonstrate problem solving skills in assessing, organising and summarising and interpreting relevant data for decision making purposes. Develop high-level research skills working in a highly motivated group to find and generate needed information.
Group to discuss and generate the types of decisions which would benefit from the information obtained and innovately evaluate the significance of such information.
Excellent group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating scholarly understanding of the issues involved via written summary and knowledgeable Power Point presentation to other students in lecture group. Develop reasonably high-level research skills working in a mostly motivated group to find and generate needed information.

Group to discuss and generate the types of decisions which would benefit from the information obtained and meaningfully evaluate the significance of such information.
Good group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating a reasonable understanding of the issues involved via written summary and informative Power Point presentation to other students in lecture group.
Develop reasonably competent research skills working in a somewhat motivated group to find and generate needed information.

Group to discuss and generate the types of decisions which would benefit from the information obtained and try to evaluate the significance of such information.
Fair group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating some understanding of the issues involved via written summary and average Power Point presentation to other students in lecture group. Develop average-level research skills working in a group to find and generate needed information.
Group to discuss and generate the types of decisions which would benefit from the information obtained and provide an evaluation of some of the significance of such information.
Some group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating lower level understanding of the issues involved via written summary and weaker Power Point presentation to other students in lecture group.

Presentation
Properly referenced and well presented Word submission and Power Point presentation.
Contain the names of the participating members of the group.
Statement that it is the group's own work and is not plagiarised.
Requirements
Assignments must be submitted through turnitin. Your lecturer will announce if a hard copy submission is required addition to turnitin submission