This unit of study is aimed at developing advanced skills in spatial predictive modelling including mapping of environmental properties and image classification. The units begins with an introductory module on key concepts in GIS, and the use of the R ecosystem for spatial science. In this module you will learn how to process spatial data in a reproducible manner and get it into a format ready for spatial modelling. In the second module we will cover spatial modelling approaches including geostatistics, statistical and machine learning models. Finally, in the third module you will have an opportunity to apply your knowledge in a spatial modelling project of your choice.

This unit is a seminar with mini-lectures, presentations by members of the academic staff about research and scholarship methods in which they are most expert, critical review of readings, discussions based on the seminar material, research writing and preparation of research proposals. The aim is to provide newly admitted research students with a fundamental understanding of the nature of inquiry through research, the philosophy of scientific research and interpretive scholarship and a range of fundamentally different epistemologies or 'modes of inquiry.' The modes of inquiry explored include (1) empirical, field-based and laboratory epistemology used heavily in architectural science, human-computer interaction, urban planning and other field-based research, including experimental, quasi-experimental, survey, naturalistic, ethnographic and case study methods; (2) text-based, interpretive epistemology used heavily in architecture and the allied arts and other humanities, including archival, historical, theoretical, interpretative, discourse analysis and other text based methods; (3) design-led research and associated methodologies like research-through-design, research through creative practice, action research, design innovation, critical and speculative design; and (4) policy-oriented, communication-contingency and modelling epistemologies used heavily in urban and regional planning and other policy-based disciplines, including archival, strategic and evidence-based policy research, communications and morphological analyses and quantitative modelling; as well as (5) interdisciplinary combinations, triangulations and mixed modes.

The unit enables students to learn the application of a new analytical procedure relevant to their thesis research. Increasingly in the humanities and social sciences it is expected that research employs new technologies, from software eg statistical packages such as R or SPSS, agent-based modelling, photogrammetry, or advanced geographical information systems; as well as equipment such as 3D scanning, portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF), or infrared and raman spectroscopy. The student, in consultation with their supervisor may choose the analytic procedure relevant to their research.

The unit outlines the issues of the key theoretical tools for approaching Deep Time in the Humanities and the Sciences and appraises the logical and analytic relationships between them. Theoretical tools such as Rationalism and Romanticism, multiscalarity and non-correspondence between scales, evolutionary theories in culture and biology, indeterminacy and uncertainty, and uniformitarianism both substantive and operational will be discussed. The course will assist researchers who are combining the Humanities and the Sciences in their theses and engages with the University's interdisciplinary focus.

This unit introduces postgraduate research students to research methods in the study of visual cultures (art history, film, museum and heritage studies). Topics covered will include: developing a research topic and chapter structure, time management, constructing a literature review, archival research methods, reference taking and academic ethics. As well as focusing on skills specific to writing a dissertation this course will address discipline specific forms of professional development including academic conferences, publishing and grant applications.

This unit introduces postgraduate research students to research methods in the study of visual cultures (art history, film, museum and heritage studies). Topics covered will include: developing a research topic and chapter structure, time management, constructing a literature review, archival research methods, reference taking and academic ethics. As well as focusing on skills specific to writing a dissertation this course will address discipline specific forms of professional development including academic conferences, publishing and grant applications.

The unit provides Business School HDR students with an understanding of research design as the foundation for effective and interesting research. It emphasises a systematic approach to developing rigour in research design, building theoretical and paradigmatic links from a research idea to the design of research methods.

This unit introduces students to contemporary philosophical thought concerning the nature of scientific knowledge and its generation. It presents an overview of philosophical issues underlying scientific inquiry in business research. The unit juxtaposes logical positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory by comparing the accepted assumptions within each of these traditions as they pertain to ontology, epistemology, and the nature of human beings. In doing so, the unit addresses a range of topics: the nature of scientific development; the relationship between theory and data; modes of scientific explanation; and the relationship between science and society. The unit is designed to promote critical thinking by encouraging students to discuss, debate, analyse, and synthesise the presented issues rather than accepting them at face value.

This unit of study will appeal to anyone wanting to write medical papers for conferences or journals, or to improve their paper writing skills. Students will work at their own pace through 9 modules covering research integrity, medical style, abstracts, presentations and posters, constructing a paper, data visualisation, manuscript submission, responding to reviewers' comments, post-publication research dissemination, and peer- reviewing a paper. This unit aims to teach students the principles of research integrity in writing for medical journals, typical issues they may face, and link to resources to help them maintain integrity through their publishing careers. It will guide them to reliable evidence-based resources to improve their conference abstract, presentation and poster design, and manuscript style and writing. Students will learn about reporting guidelines, common pitfalls in writing and presenting research, choosing a journal, keywords, improving tables and figures for manuscripts through open source software, copyright, writing cover letters and response letters to reviewers. Students will learn about measuring research impact and ways to improve research reach, dealing with the media and press releases, using social media in dissemination, digital archiving and basic skills needed to act as a peer-reviewer. This is an online unit, but those needing to study in block mode will do online study as well as a workshop.

In this unit of study, the student will develop his/her own research proposal, to a standard suitable for a peer-reviewed granting body. Each section of a grant proposal (Abstract, Aims, Background, Significance, Methods) will be discussed, with the student presenting and refining the corresponding section of his/her own proposal in a synchronous online workshop setting. This will be complemented by online presentations from experienced researchers on the practical aspects of clinical research. Topics include: observational studies, randomised controlled trials, diagnostic test evaluation, qualitative studies, economic evaluation, and process evaluation. The unit will conclude with a one-day, face-to-face, mandatory workshop where students will learn about budgeting, qualitative research, strategies and grant administration, research ethics and peer review of research grants.

In this unit of study, we aim to introduce you to systematic reviews and meta-analyses of relevance to healthcare with a particular focus on systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials. Students can choose to learn in online or normal day (on-campus) mode. All students will work through four online modules, delivered over twelve weeks, addressing the following topics at an introductory level: What and why systematic reviews (and meta-analysis); How to formulate answerable healthcare questions and searching for systematic reviews; How a systematic review is conducted and understanding the principles of meta-analysis; and How to appraise, interpret and apply the results of systematic reviews (and meta-analyses). Students will have the opportunity to discuss unit of study learning materials in online tutorials or via weekly (on-campus) tutorials. Readings and other learning materials will be available via eLearning.

Research Methods in Dentistry is a postgraduate course designed to provide fundamental knowledge and skills in clinical research design and Evidence­Based Dentistry for students intending to undertake research at the Sydney Dental School. All course material is provided through eLearning via the University of Sydney's website. A detailed series of modules and resources are included in the study material. Students are required to complete one tutorial exercise/assignment each week and a final assignment at the end of the course.
Topics covered include introduction to Evidence­Based Dentistry, epidemiologic study design, and basic biostatistics. Considerable attention is paid to critical appraisal of journal articles which is an indispensable tool in the pursuit of clinical practice founded on Evidence­Based Dentistry. An introduction into conducting literature search, diagnostic test studies and systematic reviews is also provided.

The focus of this unit is the conduct of research in political economy. You will learn a range of topics including research design, literature review, data collection and analysis, and writing a research proposal. You have the opportunity, through the weekly seminars, for critical discussion to identify, debate and reflect on the nature and challenge of undertaking research and the construction of a political economy analysis. Your assessment is structured to assist the progressive development of a research proposal. Completion of this unit is a pre-requisite for a Masters’ dissertation in political economy.

This unit introduces a range of approaches to research in the area of languate studies. The unit provides frameworks with which students can review and critique previous research as well as framework for writing a research proposal. This is a required unit of study for students who wish to include a Dissertation in their MEd TESOL degree.

This unit is seen as the foundation unit in research methods and it provides an overview of the research process, with a focus on developing skills for critical evaluation of research reports and the design of research projects. Research strategies, sampling and design issues and various methods of data collection and analysis are examined. Students explore both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The assessment in this unit is developed around students' own research interests and by the end of the unit students will have developed their own research proposal document.

This unit is designed to support Higher Research Degree course students as they prepare their thesis proposals for formal review and approval, through sessions organised around issues in thinking, reading and writing about research design and practice. Sessions explore a range of approaches to writing about research practice and emphasise the common logic of the research process, and the importance of rigorous and systematic approaches to writing about design and analysis in all research traditions.

This unit of study introduces participants to the power of simulation modelling in understanding and predicting behaviour of natural systems. It covers fundamental concepts, logic, and techniques (including sensitivity analysis), and develops skills in application to environmental problems such as catchment management and population dynamics.

Applied ecologists and managers need a good understanding of quantitative methods for assessing environmental impacts and the effectiveness of management and conservation strategies particularly where background variation (error) is inherently high. This unit is for those without a quantitative ecology background. It will introduce you to quantitative methods in the context of three ecological topics that are globally relevant: (1) Impact assessment where the perturbation is unreplicated, (2) Food security in marine ecosystems, and (3) Conservation and restoration in terrestrial ecosystems. The main question we address is how do we test whether any management action has been effective? Describing and understanding uncertainty will be explained in the context of precautionary principles. Issues about measuring biodiversity and the spatial and temporal problems of ecological systems will be introduced.

This unit will provide students with the fundamentals for constructing and conducting effective research projects in the social sciences. An overview of social science inquiry will be presented through an examination of the diversity in theoretical and methodological approaches used in research. This will include a focus on both primary research, using interviews and questionnaires, and secondary research, using statistical databases, content analysis and textual analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be covered in the unit, as will an overview of ethical practices associated with research design. The assessment will be based around constructing practical research projects that can be utilised in both university and workplace-based research.

This unit will provide an overview of the different research methods that are used in Computer Science. Students will learn to find and evaluate research on their topic and to present their own research plan or results for evaluation by others, write a literature review, learn about research quality metrics and ethics. This unit of study is required for students in Computer Science who are enrolled in a research project as part of their Honours or MIT/MITM degree, and for students starting their research degree (PhD, MPhil) in the School of Computer Science.

This unit of study aims to provide students with an overview of the intellectual and methodological trends underpinning artistic research in music - a field composed of both practice-based and practice-led research projects. Participating in this course will enable students to participate productively in artistic research by increasing their familiarity with current debates surrounding research integrity, the strengths and weaknesses of various methodological approaches and the narrative strategies artists employ in order to demonstrate research significance to a spectrum of stakeholders.

We discuss the research process and three core concepts: variable, measurement and uncertainty. Variables are the building blocks of all quantitative studies. We describe their types, issues we face when deciding how to measure variables, and core differences between observational and experimental research. This unit will be of interest to students from different disciplines, from education and health to chemistry and engineering. You will come up with a simple study design, develop confidence in navigating quantitative research in general and improve interdisciplinary communication.

Scientific research should be reproducible. A reproducible study is one for which the methods are described in enough detail for others to follow, the analyses of the data are straightforward to re-run, and conducting the study again (where possible) yields results that support the claim of the original report. In areas of science where reproducibility has been evaluated, such as cancer biology and experimental psychology, replication success rates have generally been lower than 50%, and in clinical medicine, published outcomes show substantial biases. Bad and irreproducible research is rife. In this unit, examples are drawn from biology, health science, social science, education, and engineering. You will learn the principles of reproducible science. Building on your basic knowledge of statistics, you will understand the practices and statistical issues that lead to irreproducible science, such as poor statistical power and questionable research practices. You will also become familiar with practices that foster robust results, practices that are increasingly embraced or even required by journals and research funders. You will apply this knowledge to your own research or some other work that you choose.

In this unit of study students learn how to record, archive and repatriate audio-visual recordings used in the humanities. Students learn how to achieve long-term discoverability, access and usage for recordings; and consider issues involved in repatriating recordings to their communities of origin. Students will learn to identify the various types of ownership and copyright that exist in recordings and how to work responsibly with stakeholders and archival institutions.

This unit of study provides practical training in conceptualizing and undertaking a collaborative ethnographic research project. Students will consider the features of ethnographic collaboration within particular disciplines, and the many different ways in which the researcher's cultural competency must be strengthened and interrogated for collaboration to proceed. In particular, students will explore and reflect upon ethnographic research collaborations undertaken together with individuals who are "insiders" in the research community. Students will gain an understanding of how collaboration impacts upon research ethics, plans and goals, projects and processes, and outcomes and dissemination through being supported to plan, undertake and reflect upon their own small collaborative research activity, thereby further enhancing their understanding of the benefits of collaborative ethnography for both communities and researchers.

The Research Methods unit of study prepares students for postgraduate studies. Generic research skills are developed through coursework, assignments, reports and presentations. The Unit of Study covers topics such as framing a research question, conducting systematic reviews, critical appraisal of research studies, study design and protocol development, data management, scientific writing and publication, presentations, basic statistics and other topics necessary for candidates to successfully complete the Master of Philosophy.

In this unit, normally undertaken as part of the Masters of Medical Physics degree or the Graduate Diploma in Medical Physics, Monte Carlo modelling of radiation transport is covered, along with the theory of image formation, concepts of computing, numerical methods and image processing, including techniques such as enhancement, registration, fusion and 3D reconstruction, radiomics and an introduction to Machine Learning techniques.

This unit provides students with core skills in epidemiology, particularly the ability to critically appraise public health and clinical epidemiological research literature regarding public health and clinical issues. This unit covers: study types; measures of frequency and association; measurement bias; confounding/effect modification; randomized trials; systematic reviews; screening and test evaluation; infectious disease outbreaks; measuring public health impact and use and interpretation of population health data. In addition to formal classes or their on-line equivalent, it is expected that students spend an additional 2-3 hours at least each week preparing for their tutorials.

This unit introduces the principles underpinning the design and conduct of high quality controlled clinical trials to generate good evidence for health care decision making. The topics include clinical trial design, randomisation, sample size, measures of treatment effect, methodological issues, trial protocols, and ethical principles.

This unit of study introduces students to a range of research methods and focus on quantitative and qualitative methods. Many other research issues in developing a research proposal will be addressed through the semester. It is intended that, at the conclusion of this unit, students will have developed a research project able to implement through either further study or in workplaces.

This unit introduces theories of professional writing with a specific focus on composing in the workplace. Students will develop abilities in analysing, writing, revising, and delivering workplace texts, both print and multimedia. By examining and discussing a range of actual workplace documents, from emails to websites, students will gain a broader understanding of the rhetorical principles and ethical responsibilities inherent in professional writing practice. They will improve their ability to negotiate the relationships, tensions, and politics that influence workplace writing contexts.

This unit introduces practical techniques for editing workplace documents for increased clarity and effectiveness. Applying theories and principles of visual rhetoric, students will learn how to improve the readability and reception of workplace texts according to audience conventions and expectations. By analysing actual workplace documents, students will develop their critical reading abilities and gain a better understanding of how to edit texts for word economy, improved design and layout, and inclusive language. Editing print texts for digital or oral presentation will also be emphasised.