GEOG590 (HAM)
Directed Study
30 points
Coordinator: Elaine Bliss
Email: ebliss@waikato.ac.nz
Outline
This paper is designed to give students an introductory experience in the practice of geographical research. The primary objective of the course is to give students personal experience of the design and conduct of research in human geography. To achieve this objective, students are required to prepare a 2000-word Research Proposal and an 8000-word Research Report. Students must also present a brief seminar on their research to staff and students within the department. Supervisors, drawn from staff within the Department of Geography, are assigned to help students with their chosen research projects.
The most common format for the Research Report is one in which the student designs an investigation, surveys the literature, carries out fieldwork or other data collection, analyses these data (using appropriate methods) and then writes up the research. Less frequently the study will be based upon library research or purely theoretical explorations and will not involve data collection in the field.
The GEOG590 Directed Study is highly recommended for graduate students (BSocSc(Hons) and MSocSc) in geography, but is not required.
Assessment
There are two items of required work:
- Research Proposal (2000 words) 20%
- Research Report (8000 words) 80 %
Schedule of lectures
In order to facilitate progress with these proposals, a block of lectures will be held during the first three weeks of the semester. These lectures will provide systematic coverage of the sections included within the Research Proposal.
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