COURSE NAME AND NUMBER
Business Research Methods – BA 333 VC (3 credits)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to introduce students to the nature, scope, and significance of research and research methodologies. Additionally, students will study primary and secondary research methods with applications to specific problems, using qualitative and quantitative designs for proper investigation for current business problems. Students will learn to apply an understanding of commonly employed business research techniques to improve a situation, solve a problem, or change a process. Other topics that will be covered include problem framing, data collection, data analysis, and data presentation. Students will complete an individual research proposal based on a business topic of interest using the APA format.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Relate the use of business information for competitive advantage in terms of what constitutes good research conducted in an ethical manner.
Clarify the business research questions through secondary data and exploration.
Differentiate business research designs qualitative, observation, surveys, and experiments.
Critique the sources and collection of business data, including measurement, measurement scales, questionnaires and instruments, and sampling,
Summarize techniques for analyzing and presenting business data, including: data preparation and description, displaying and examining data, and hypothesis testing.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Required Resources
Business Research Methods 12 Ed by Donald Cooper, McGraw Hill-Higher Education, eBook ISBN: 13:9780073521503
GRADING SCALE – UNDERGRADUATE
Course Activities
% of
Grade
Discussion
20%
Assignments
30%
Quizzes
20%
Final Exam
10%
Case Study
20%
Totals
100%
Percentage
Grade
90% – 100%
A
80% – 89%
B
70% – 79%
C
60% – 69%
D
Below 60%
F
COURSE POLICIES
Engagement
The standard requirement for a 3.0 credit hour course is for students to spend at least 12.0 hours in weekly work. This includes, preparation, activities and engagement
Attendance
Enrollment in a course obligates the student not only for prompt completion of all work assigned but also for punctual and regular attendance. It is the student’s responsibility to be informed concerning all course assignments. Absences, whether excused or unexcused, do not absolve a student from this responsibility.
For online classes, attendance is defined as participating in at least one graded academic activity each week. Postings not related to the graded discussion topics, emails, or course assignments may be disqualified for attendance purposes.
Coffee House
As a student, there may be time when you need to reach out to your classmates for assistance, idea sharing, and support. Please use this forum as a place to help each other, develop relationships with your classmates, and course instructor.
Microsoft Office
This course requires the use of Microsoft word. Voorhees College provides Microsoft Office (for PC and Mac) to students at no cost for use on their personal computers. Students are able to access Microsoft Office products by logging into their Office 365 accounts by using their Voorhees College email.
INSTITUTION POLICIES
Academic Dishonesty
All students are expected to act with civility, personal integrity, respect other student’s dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for self and others and a civil community.
Academic integrity includes a commitment to not engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty include cheating or copying, plagiarizing, submitting another person’s work as your own, using internet sources without citation, fabricating field data or citations, having another student take exams on your behalf, stealing examinations, tampering with the academic work of another student, facilitating other student’s acts of academic dishonesty, etc.
Academic dishonesty violates the fundamental ethical principles of the college community and compromises the worth of work completed by others. A student should avoid academic dishonesty when preparing work for any class. If charged with academic dishonesty, students will receive written or oral notice of the charge by the instructor. Students who contest the charge should first seek resolution through discussion with the faculty member. If the matter is not resolved, the student may submit a request to the Department Chair of your major.
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, these statutes require that all students with documented disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodations for their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Coordinator of Counseling and Disabled Services/Counselor at [wjones@voorhees.edu] or call (803) 780-1272.
Early Alert Statement
The Voorhees College Early Alert Program is designed to assist you with your academic success. Should your instructor determine that you need additional help, you will be referred to the Academic Success Center of Excellence. The Academic Center for Excellence will assist you in successfully completing the course. Please contact the Academic Center for Excellence at [ehammond@voorhees.edu or ysing@voorhees.edu] or call (803) 780-1174 or (803) 780-1379.
WEEKLY COURSE SCHEDULE
Week
Preparation and Activities
Week 1
Faculty Notes
Faculty Suggestions
Outcome(s)
1
Preparation
Chapter 1: Research in Business
Chapter 2: Ethics in Business Research
Activities
Discussion 1:
Assignment 1:
Week 2
Faculty Notes
Faculty Suggestions
Outcome(s)
2
Preparation
Chapter 3: Thinking Like A Researcher
Chapter 4: The Research Process: An Overview
Activities
Assignment 2:
Case Study 1:
Week 3
Faculty Notes
Faculty Suggestions
Outcome(s)
3
Preparation
Chapter 5: Clarifying the Research Question Through Secondary Data and Exploration
Activities
Discussion 2:
Assignment 3:
Week 4
Faculty Notes
Faculty Suggestions
Outcome(s)
4
Preparation
Chapter 6: Research Design: An Overview
Chapter 7: Qualitative Research
Activities
Assignment 4:
Case Study 2:
Week 5
Faculty Notes
Faculty Suggestions
Outcome(s)
5
Preparation
Chapter 8: Observation Studies
Chapter 9: Experiments
Activities
Quiz 1 :
Case Study 3:
Week 6
Faculty Notes
Faculty Suggestions
Outcome(s)
6
Preparation
Preparation for Final Exam
Chapter 10: Surveys
Activities
Final Exam
2