Curricula

Objectives

The student is familiar with the various stages of the research & development processes supporting the thesis project, research/development approaches, as well as different data collection and analysis options. The student knows how to select the appropriate research & development approach and methods (data collection and analysis) for his/her own thesis project, apply them and justify his/her selections. He/she also has the ability to critically evaluate the reliability of the research/thesis, its strengths and weaknesses as well as the usefulness of the results. The student becomes acquainted with quantitative and qualitative research software applications.

Content

Research process (research design: research problem, research question, research approach, data collection and analysis methods, reliability check), thesis structure.

Qualitative research: qualitative research methods, data collection methods (observation, interviewing, document analysis), data analysis methods, reliability check, trials.

Quantitative research: data collection (survey questionnaire), measurement scales, sampling, data analysis methods (statistics, direct distribution, cross tabulation, statistical tests, reliability and transferability of findings).
Electronic information collection methods and statistical data applications. Trials and applications.
Development and action research: methodological basis and applications.
Generic structure of the thesis, evaluation criteria and trial implementation of the completed project.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Eskola, J. & Suoranta, J. 2014 tai uudempi painos. Johdatus laadulliseen tutkimukseen. Tampere: Vastapaino

Tuomi, J.& Sarajärvi, A. 2018. Laadullinen tutkimus ja sisällön analyysi. Tammi

Vilkka, H. 2007. tai uudempi painos. Tutki ja mittaa: määrällisen tutkimuksen perusteet. Helsinki: Tammi.

Yin, R. K. 2018. Case study research and applications : design and methods. Los Angeles: SAGE

Toikko, T. & Rantanen, T. 2009. Tutkimuksellinen kehittämistoiminta. Tampere: Tampereen yliopistopaino Oy. eKirjana TamPub- julkaisuissa http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-44-7732-4

Ojasalo, K. Moilanen, T. & Ritalahti, J. 2015. Kehittämistyön menetelmät. Uudenlaista osaamista liiketoimintaan. Helsinki: WSOYpro. (soveltuvin osin)

Hirsjärvi, S., Remes, P., Sajavaara, P. & Sinivuori, E. 2009. Tutki ja kirjoita. 15. uud. p. Helsinki: Tammi.

Kananen, J. 2010. Opinnäytetyön kirjoittamisen käytännön opas. Jyväskylä: Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu

Kananen, J., Gates, M. & JAMK University of Applied Sciences. (2011). Rafting through the thesis process: Step by step guide to thesis research. Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu

Teaching methods

This course is for International Logistics students only.

This is a contact lesson course that includes face to face lessons, self-studying, group works and assignments.

Detailed implementation method and group division will be specified at the beginning of the course.

Moodle's e-learning environment is used in this course.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

This course doesn´t have an exam.

Student workload

Contact lessons 9 h
Independent studying 40 h
Learning assignments 60
Thesis subject 26 h

Total 135 hours.

Evaluation scale

0-5

Evaluation criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

5 (excellent)
The student is capable of retrieving extensive information pertaining to the research and development area, and is capable of critical assessment of the sources of information. The student can analyse differences between research and development methods and apply the methods to his or her work in an argumented manner. The student can analyse and assess the results and to critically review the strength and weaknesses of his/her own work.

4 (very good)
The student can select the research and development technique and method appropriate for his or her research and development work, and apply them. The student can review the strength and weaknesses of his or her own work.
The student is capable of acting in line with the principles of research ethics. The student can communicate the research and development plan in an analytical and objective way, both in writing and orally.

3 (good)
The student can independently find information pertaining to his or her field of research and development, and assess it in a critical manner. The student can select and use in his/her work the appropriate research and development methods. The student is familiar with the principles of research ethics.

2 (satisfactory)
The student is capable of retrieving information pertaining to his or her field of research and development. The student recognises possibilities of application research and development methods.

1 (adequate)
The student is familiar with the stages of the research and development process. He/she knows how to retrieve research information pertaining to the field of research and development. The student is familiar with the key research and development methods and can describe their differences.

Assessment methods are based on learning objectives. Assessment is qualitative, based on a criteria and the student's self-assessment plays an important role in it.

The learning outcomes of individual courses are assessed in relation to the objectives of the course concerned. Unless otherwise defined in the curriculum, a course accepted as completed is assessed either on the following five-step scale: 5 (Excellent), 4 (Very Good), 3 (Good), 2 (Satisfactory), 1 (Sufficient) or it is graded as Pass/Fail, marked as “S (Pass)” and “0 (Fail)”.
If the student does not meet the minimum criteria set for the course, the grade is 0 (Fail).

Prerequisites

Sufficient exposure to the student's own professional field.