Submission Guidelines:
1. Your assessment task will be graded only if word processed (i.e., not hand written) and submitted electronically as set out in point 2 below
2. Please submit this assessment task electronically through the Supplementary Assignment Link on the Study Desk using Turnitin.
Requirement
There are five (5) tasks and each task has requirements or questions. All requirements or questions for these five (5) tasks must be answered within a total word limit of 2,000 words (excluding the reference list).
You should use the research articles or professional articles related to this course as the basis for the evidence or examples in the specific requirements of a question related to that topic. It is expected you will use in text referencing in your answers to the requirements or questions for these five (5) tasks. Please remember to use the Harvard guide for a reference when you provide the source of your examples.
Marking Scheme
The computer generated and electronically submitted assessment will be marked out of
100 marks. The total marks available for the five (5) tasks are shown next to each task.
To pass the course you must obtain a grade of 50% or greater for this assignment.

Question one – research approaches (Total 20 marks)
a. Distinguish between the different types of issues/questions that research using qualitative and quantitative approaches seek to address.
(10 marks)
b. Explain how theory is used differently in quantitative and qualitative research.
(10 marks)
Question two - drafting a research proposal (Total 26 marks)
You are a member of the health and safety committee at the Quick and Fast Courier Company. The company prides itself on its ability to deliver packages quickly throughout Australia. The company has offices in each state of Australia. Recently there has been a significant increase in workplace accidents. When an accident occurs a report is completed that provides details of the staff involved and what happened. The company is unsure how to reduce the number of accidents. The company wants to gather ideas from its staff (both managers and delivery people) about what can be done to improve workplace health and safety. They ask you to carry out the research for them.
a) Explain providing reasons whether a qualitative or quantitative approach is appropriate for this research (do not use mixed methods).
(6 marks)
b) Write a research proposal outlining how you will go about this task. In your proposal address the following:
• the objective of the research
• who the participants will be
• how the participants will be selected
• how the data will be collected from participants
• how data will be analysed.
(20 marks)
Question three – mixed methods (Total 12 marks)
Distinguish between explanatory sequential mixed methods and exploratory sequential mixed methods explaining when each type of research design might be appropriate.
(12 marks)

Question four – quantitative methods (Total 25 marks)
Review the study by Huang, Lin and Huang (2012)
a. What gap in previous research does the study seek to explore?
(3 marks)
b. The abstract states “Learning style is traditionally assumed to be a predictor of learning performance, yet few studies have identified the mediating and moderating effects between the two”. Explain what is meant by a mediating and a moderating effect.
(6 marks)
c. What are the suggested mediating and moderating effects in the study?
(4 marks)
d. The study identifies three control variables. Explain the meaning of control variables and why it is important to identify control variables.
(6 marks)
e. Explain the meaning of independent variables in quantitative studies.
(3 marks)
f. Identify the independent variable/s in Huang, Lin and Huang’s (2012) study.
(3 marks)
Question five – critiquing research (Total 12 marks)
Read the article Why it pays to wear expensive clothes.
http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/careers/why-it-pays-to-wear-expensive-clothes/news-story/c8024f71cbe81389177568f4e943360b
a. What research approach and design has been used for the study?
(3 marks)
b. Comment on the validity of the findings in relation to the approach to the research. (Does the way the research was carried out lead to results that could be relied upon? E.g. Were the participants knowledgeable about the research question? How was the data gathered?)
(9 marks)
Appropriate use of in-text referencing and reference list (5 marks)
Reference
Huang, EY, Lin, SW & Huang, TK 2012, 'What type of learning style leads to online participation in the mixed-mode e-learning environment? A study of software usage instruction', Computers & Education, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 338-49.