Course Syllabus

Course Name and Number: RSCH 600: Research Methodologies & Inquiry

Course credits: 3

Method of Delivery: Face to Face (Vancouver Campus)

Course Start Date: 2019-10-01

Course End Date: 2019-12-20

Name of Instructor: Dr. Erik C. Korolenko.

Instructor Contact Information: The main point of contact for all instructors is through MyUCW.

Additional Contact Information: text message at 604-250-9182

1.0 Course Description: The course will focus on the basic research methods (quantitative, qualitative
and mixed methods) and the development of the skills that will be required to write effective research
papers throughout their MBA program. Topics include understanding the ethical considerations of doing
research, developing and refining research topics, crafting a problem statement, and formulating
research questions and hypotheses. Students will evaluate and critique the quality of published
literature by employing critical thinking skills, writing summaries for individual entries in a literature
review, and/or writing comprehensive summaries of articles for a literature review. Students will also
practice writing the various sections of a research paper such as the abstract, introduction and
theoretical background, problem statements, etc.

1.5 Course Prerequisite(s): None

2.0 Learning Goals: At the end of the course, students would have developed a basic understanding
of the research process. Students will familiarize themselves with contemporary business research
methods, reviewing the literature, designing study plans, writing research proposals, designing
interviews for phenomenological and quantitative research, and analyzing primary and secondary
data. Methods of quantitative analysis of stationary and time series econometric data will be
 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

considered. Students are also expected to improve their ability in critical thinking, academic
research, academic writing, and presentations

3.0 Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course, students will be able to
 Demonstrate understanding of ethical issues along the continuum of business research involving
human subjects.
 Formulate the research idea
 Apply the research process
 Define research concepts and theories and operationalize them
 Define research problems, questions, and hypotheses
 Perform a literature review
 Apply Qualitative / Phenomenological Research Methods
 Apply Quantitative Research Methods
 Apply Mixed Research Methods
 Select appropriate Statistical tools supporting their research
 Appraise the basic stages of research design
 Apply appropriate Data Collection Techniques, Measures and Analysis
 Demonstrate graduate academic research and communication skills.

These learning outcomes and objectives will be accomplished through text readings, discussions with
classmates, in-class activities, class exercises, individual and group assignments, and feedback from and
discussion with the instructor.
Detailed weekly learning outcomes are presented in the table starting on page 7.
Core Principles

 Applications are drawn from situations that occur in the real world
 Information is modeled on data gathered from newspapers, magazines, journals, and other media.

4.0 Required Course Materials, Resources, Textbook(s):

 John W. Creswell and J. David Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed
Methods Approaches Fifth Edition, SAGE Publications, Inc.
ISBN-10: 1506386709 ISBN-13: 978-1506386706

5.0 Recommended Course Materials, Resources, Textbook(s):

 Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, APA, 6th edition ISBN: 978-14338-
0561-5
 Тrochim, William M. The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd Edition. Internet WWW page, at
URL: <http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/> (version current as of October 20, 2006).
 Trochim (2013) Social Research Methods Knowledge Base.
(http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/_(free – online)
 Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2010). Business Research Methods. Eleventh Edition New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill.
 Graziano, A. M., & Raulin, L. M. (2010). Research methods: A Process of Inquiry, State University of
New York Buffalo

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

6.0 Course Schedule:

Wee Topic Learning Objectives Course Activities

k

 explain the relevance for business

1 The Selection of a  Creswell - Chapter 1
research of philosophical approaches such  Weekly Powerpoints
Research Approach
as postpositivism, constructivism,  Additional Readings as
transformative worldview and pragmatic per MyUCW
worldview  Weekly Assignment

 be able to identify the qualitative,

quantitative and mixed-method research
designs

 be able to understand the criteria for

selection of a research approach

 generate ideas that will help in the choice

2 Review of the  Creswell - Chapter 2
of a suitable research topic  Weekly Powerpoints
Literature pt. 1
 Additional Readings as
 identify the attributes of a good research
per MyUCW
topic
 Weekly Assignment
 understand the importance and purpose
of the critical literature review to your
research project

 be able to adopt a critical perspective in

your reading

 be aware of the range of primary,

secondary and tertiary literature sources
available

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

 be able to identify key words and to

3 Review of the  Creswell – Chapters 2
undertake a literature search using a range
Literature pt.2; and 3
of methods  Weekly Powerpoints
Use of Theory
 Additional Readings as
 be able to reference the literature found
per MyUCW
accurately
 Weekly Assignment
 understand what is meant by plagiarism

 be able to apply the knowledge, skills and

understanding gained to your own research
project

 understand the use of quantitative,

qualitative and mixed-methods theory

 aware of issues related to gaining access

4 Research Ethics  Creswell – Chapter 4
and research ethics  Weekly Powerpoints
 Additional Readings as
 able to anticipate ethical issues at each
per MyUCW
stage of your research process and be
 Weekly Assignment
aware of a range of strategies to help you
deal with these

 able to evaluate the ethical issues

associated with a range data collection
techniques, so that you can consider these
in relation to your proposed research

 Take the the Tri-Council Policy Statement:

Ethical Conduct for Research Involving
Humans (TCPS) tutorial
 understand how to write effectively
5 Designing Research  Creswell – Chapters 5
 write a proposal and 6
 Weekly Powerpoints
 write an introduction  Additional Readings as
per MyUCW
 write the purpose statement  Weekly Assignment

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

 formulate and test qualitative /

6 Research Questions  Creswell – Chapter7
phenomenological research questions and  Weekly Powerpoints
and Hypotheses
hypotheses  Additional Readings as
per MyUCW
 formulate and test quantitative research
 Weekly Assignment
questions and hypotheses using probability  Term 1 Paper Due
approaches: frequentist vs. Bayesian

 formulate and test mixed method

research questions and hypotheses

 implement qualitative research designs

7 Qualitative /  Creswell – Chapter 9
Phenomenological  plan qualitative data collection and
 Weekly Powerpoints
Methods  Additional Readings as
analysis
per MyUCW
 interpret phenomenological data Weekly
Assignment
 assess the reliability and validity of results

 plan a survey design for primary data

8 Quantitative Methods  Creswell – Chapter 8
collection  Weekly Powerpoints
pt. 1
 Additional Readings as
 plan a quantitative study using secondary
per MyUCW
data
 Weekly Assignment
 interpret quantitative results

 derive and interpret the confidence

interval for population proportion based on
a sample survey

 assess the reliability and validity of results

 use linear regression and correlation to

9 Quantitative Methods  Lecture notes
test for linear dependence of two variables  Weekly Powerpoints
pt. 2
 Additional Readings as
 derive and interpret confidence intervals
per MyUCW
for slope and intercept of a linear
 Weekly Assignment
regression equation

 analyze time series data

 realize the limitations and advantages of

various forecasting methods

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

 design a quantitative study investigating

10 Quantitative Methods  Lecture notes
concurrent influences of multiple variables  Weekly Powerpoints
pt. 3
 Additional Readings as
 apply ANOVA for analysis of data with
per MyUCW
multiple variables / groups / factor levels
 Weekly Assignment
 understand the variety of mixed method
11 Mixed Methods  Creswell – Chapter 10
designs  Weekly Powerpoints
 Additional Readings as
 combine qualitative and quantitative
per MyUCW
approaches to benefit from their respective
 Weekly Assignment
strengths  Term 2 Paper Due
 TCPS certificate due
 assess the reliability and validity of results

7.0 Required Assignments or Activities, Distribution of Marks and Due Dates:

Assignment Description Percent of Total Due Date

Participation
Weekly Assignments
TCPS Certificate
Term Paper Part 1:
Literature Review
Term Paper Part 2:
Statistics in Quantitative
Methods
Course Grade
Class Participation and Effort 10% Ongoing
Group work in class is permitted.
Assigned each week based on current 20% Weekly
material. Cooperation/group work is
permitted.
TCPS Certificate 10%, required Week 4
(Term 1 and 2
Taken individually on-line at
papers will not be
https://tcps2core.ca/welcome
graded without it)
Term Paper Part 1 30% Week 6
This is an individual assignment
in which collaboration / group
work are NOT permitted.
Term Paper Part 2 30% Week 11
This is an individual assignment
in which collaboration / group
work are NOT permitted.

8.0 Assessment Rubrics:

 Class Participation (10%)

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

Participation and engagement with course materials and class, measured by estimated
evaluation of effort and through performance in class activities and discussions. Attendance is
absolutely necessary to earn the class activity points. Cooperation and group work in class are
permitted.

 Weekly assignments (20%)

These assignments are based on the current material for each lesson and help to reinforce
learning of new material. Cooperation is permitted.

 TCPS Certificate (10%) end of week 4

This certificate is obtained individually by taking an on-line tutorial at
https://tcps2core.ca/welcome

 TWO TERM PAPER SUBMISSIONS

o Term paper part 1 (30%) end of week 6
Literature review
 Introduction
 Review of literature
 Statement of purpose
o Term paper part 2 (30%) end of week 11
Statistics in Quantitative Methods
 Data collection
 Analysis of stationary data
 Testing hypotheses
 Analysis and forecasting of time series

Term paper submissions serve as a preparation to the MBA thesis capstone and/or MBA research
project. Term 1 and 2 papers are individual assignments in which collaboration /
group work are NOT permitted.

Submission Guidelines
 Using critical thinking and online research, you will work through the decision-making process,
analyzing issues, assessing different perspectives, and answering questions with respect to real
organizational situations.
 Provide any additional thoughts and commentary you believe is appropriate.
 Do not fill space by repeating material unless it is relevant to your analysis and response.
 Assertions need support with sufficient evidence, references, and proper citations: this means
avoid writing personal (unsupported) opinions.
 Support your arguments with valid and appropriate academic references.
 Spelling, grammar, formatting, and APA errors carry penalties.
 Follow APA.

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

Plagiarism is not allowed. Avoid repeating what other students have posted before you. Read the
submitted posts before you add your own.
Hint: Re-read APA 6th edition, chapter 3 on “Writing clearly and concisely.”
Important:
1. AVOID using GOOGLE for your research. Preferably use UCW’s library or Google Scholar.
2. Dictionaries or encyclopedias do not constitute valid academic reference. You may use them for
informational purposes only.
3. Verify your sources – again, verify your sources. (I always will)
Note: Internet material changes constantly. If you find broken links or inconsistencies please post them
in the FAQs and suggest remedies when possible. I will update the course material accordingly.

9.0 Grade Point and Letter Grades:

This course will be graded using a class “curve.” Grading on a curve means your professor is
distributing grades on a relative basis instead of on an absolute scale. Basically, when your
professor grades on a curve, they assign average grades to a set number of students. Then,
they assign above and below average grades based on the size of your class – often to a
smaller number of students. Each grade, then, has a certain percentage of students, forming a
bell curve.

DESCRIPTOR GRADE
Exceptional: Normally achieved by a small minority
of students who have consistently exceeded 90-100% A+ (4.33)
performance expectations in all evaluation criteria.
Excellent: Demonstrates a comprehensive
knowledge and understanding of subject matter
and achievement of learning outcomes at high 85-89% A (4.00)
levels of performance in almost all of the
evaluation criteria.
Very good: Demonstrates a comprehensive
knowledge and understanding of the subject
matter and achievement of learning outcomes at 80-84% A- (3.67)
well above average levels of performance in most
of the course evaluation criteria.
Good: Demonstrates substantial knowledge and
understanding of the subject matter and
76-79% B+ (3.33)
achievement of learning outcomes at average to
72-75% B (3.00)
above average performance levels in most of the
course evaluation criteria

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DESCRIPTOR GRADE
Satisfactory: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge
and understanding of the subject matter and
achievement of learning outcomes at average 68-71% B- (2.67)
levels of performance in most of the course
evaluation criteria.
Pass: Demonstrates acceptable knowledge and
understanding of the subject matter and
achievement of learning outcomes at low to 60-67% C (2.00)
average level of performance in many of the course
evaluation criteria.

Fail: Unacceptable performance in most or all of

0-59% F (0)
the course evaluation criteria

10.0 Class Participation / Expectations: Students are expected to attend every class. If you must be
absent, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. For international students within Canada, or
Canadians on student loans, the university must report any absences over 8 hours in a semester (all
classes combined) to the appropriate authority. This may result in the revoking of a student’s study
permit or student loan status. Students for whom this doesn’t apply, still run the risk of grade penalties
to their participation mark.

11.0 Late Assignments: Late Assignments will be penalized at a rate of 10% per day.

12.0 APA Guidelines: UCW follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
(APA). All assignments must be submitted with the correct APA formatting and all sources cited according
APA standards. The UCW Library provides resources and reference materials for students and faculty to
utilize in order that their work meets APA standards.

13.0 Copyright Policy: University Canada West abides by all copyright legislation, regulations, and
agreements. All copying must be in accordance with these. Please refer to the Access Copyright
Repertoire Lookup Tool and/or consult the UCW Library."

14.0 Privacy Policy: University Canada West is committed to using personal information collected in
accordance with applicable provincial and federal privacy legislation. Use of the information collected
during this course will be used solely for purposes consistent with academic and support services of a
post-secondary educational institution. This statement is consistent with UCW's Information Privacy &
Security Policy.

15.0 Turnitin Policy: This course requires you to submit some material in electronic form. When this
requirement is in place, it will be noted in the course outline, the assignment, or both. The electronic
material will be submitted to a service to which UCW subscribes, called Turnitin. This is a service that
checks textual material for originality. Turnitin.com is used increasingly in North American universities.
For additional information please visit:

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

https://turnitin.com/static/resources/documentation/turnitin/sales/Turnitin_FAQ_Questions_and_An
swers.pdf

16.0 Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct:

Please ensure that you read the section on Academic Misconduct in the University Canada West
Calendar located in MyUCW. To find the calendar, click on ‘Library Resources’ then ‘Forms and Calendar.’

Plagiarism: includes, but is not limited to:

 Submission of another person’s work as original;
 Inadequate attribution given to an author or creator whose work is incorporated in the student's
work; and
 Paraphrase or use of material verbatim from a source without sufficient acknowledgement.

Falsifying Materials: includes, but is not limited to:

 Fraudulently manipulating laboratory processes, electronic data, or research data in order to
achieve desired results;
 Submitting work prepared by someone else (e.g., commercially prepared essays) as one's own;
 Citing a source from which material was not obtained; and
 Submitting false records, information or data, in writing or orally.

Cheating : includes, but is not limited to:

 Submitting the same work for different courses without prior permission from the faculty member;
 Copying another person’s answers or other work;
 Sharing information or answers when doing take-home assignments, tests, and examinations except
where the instructor has authorized collaborative work;
 Having any unauthorized materials or equipment in an examination or test;
 Submitting an assignment completed (or partially completed) by someone else;
 Falsifying or making up data or bibliographic information;
 Impersonating a candidate in an examination or test, or being assigned the results of such
impersonation;
 Reproducing, sharing or otherwise making unauthorized copies of UCW materials in any format;
 Using technological means such as cell phones, data storage units and other electronic devices
without prior permission from the faculty; and
 Assisting others or attempt to help others to engage in any conduct described above or any other
activities prohibited by UCW.

Penalties for Academic Misconduct

Penalties for academic misconduct include, but are not limited to:
 At the course level:
o Written reprimand for retention in the student file (no transcript entry)
o Repetition of the assignment or completion of a different, but similar, assignment (no transcript
entry)
o Failing grade for the assignment (no transcript entry)
o Failing grade for the course (recorded on transcript)
 At the program level:

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 UCW Course Syllabus for RSCH 600

o Disciplinary probation for a defined period with written documentation retained in the
student’s file (transcript notation for period of probation)
 At the University level:
o Suspension (permanent transcript entry)
o Expulsion (permanent transcript entry)
o Rescission of degrees granted (permanent transcript entry)

17.0 Instructor Biography:

I have extensive educational and industrial experience in science, mathematical

modeling, business mathematics and statistics. I have taught a variety of courses for
universities and colleges in Canada. I have been involved in research, teaching and
consulting on various projects for different industries. I hold a B.Sc. [Russia] and a
Ph.D. [Russia]. I have a great appreciation and sensitivity to cross-cultural issues, as I
have successfully lived, studied and worked in very different cultures (Europe, Japan,
and North America), and have taught many classes with predominantly international
students.

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