Main Content
Syllabus
HRER 512
Research Methods in Human Resources and Employment Relations
Research design, sampling design, data collection, and analysis; modeling, means and comparison of means, correlation analysis; and case study.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Schedule | Course Requirements and Grading | Activities | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
Welcome to HRER512 Research methods and Data Analytics in Human Resources and Employment Relations. This module introduces you to research skills, including data analytics. It guides you through applying these skills to investigate the types of Human Resources (HR) or Employment Relations (ER) issues that occur in workplaces.
Throughout the course, you will learn about two topics that are fundamental to the success of businesses today, business research and the methods used to conduct it, and data analytics. So, what exactly do these two concepts mean? Business research refers to the academic study of topics that seek to answer questions relevant to business, including its management and organization. It can seek to understand issues at the individual, group, organizational and societal levels. The approaches that are taken to business research draw heavily on traditions from the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology and economics. Data analytics is a broad term that includes many different types of data analysis. However, the goal of this analysis in businesses is almost always to identify trends and better understand information produced by and about the organization in order to make improvements. Such improvements could range from recognizing the causes of absenteeism, increasing levels of employee engagement, understanding the factors that help teams work better together, through to optimizing processes to increase the overall efficiency of a business or system.
Additionally, you will complete a data analytics research project. It focuses on understanding the research process: assessing research publications; developing possible research topics and research questions; sampling, gathering and analysing data (Note: You will be provided with a dataset to analyse and will not need to gather data yourself), developing and presenting the final research report. Each of these elements will be studied in more detail in their own dedicated chapters. the subsequent lessons. Learning activities will help you to shape a research topic, review the relevant literature, understand how to select an appropriate research method and then use this method to carry out a systematic data analysis and write up the findings. There will be opportunities to discuss your research project with your peers and instructor. You will be guided through carrying out the project, with several activities for you to complete and submit (mostly weekly) that will ultimately build into a complete research project that addresses a common problem/issue in organizations. Your instructor will provide feedback on the activities you submit, which will help you to refine and improve your project as you work through it. For this data analytics research project, you will be provided with a dataset to analyse. This is because the process of obtaining data tends to be long and arduous and fraught with obstructions and setbacks. Thus, as this course is only fifteen weeks long, it would be too much of a burden for you to gather data on top of all the rest of the learning that you will be doing. Therefore, at the appropriate time, you will be given a dataset which you can analyse for the purpose of your data analytics research project.
This course comprises fifteen lessons (each equivalent to one week of study time). Each lesson comprises three parts, reading the research methods textbook (and any other assigned readings), reading and working through problems in the Microsoft Excel textbook, and working on specific parts of your data analytics project.
The two books that we are using on this course will help you to understand the breadth of possible approaches to conduct research and the steps that need to be followed, based on whichever approach you take, to ensure that the results are of a high quality. You will also learn how to gather data and how to clean, analyse and report on data, with which you will be provided. From this, you can understand and critique how others have carried out and reported research, so that you can determine how much weight to give to their conclusions.
There is a lot of detail in the research methods textbook (Bell, Bryman and Harley, 2019), not all of which you need to know. That said, if you have the time, the detail of the book is very interesting, and you will learn a great deal by really engaging with it. However, to determine where to concentrate your efforts when reading the research methods textbook, look closely at the lesson objectives, the activity planner and the specific activities that you need to turn in at the end of the lesson. This should help you focus on the most important parts, in the first instance. As already mentioned, if you do have some extra time, it would be well worth your while, returning to the book and re-reading the areas that you might have only skim-read first time around.
As an important part of this course relates to data analytics and for this, we will use a separate Microsoft Excel-based textbook (Quirke and Palmer-Skuyler, 2020). Throughout the 15 weeks, you will be taken from the very basics of data analysis using Microsoft Excel, through to reasonably sophisticated analysis techniques including ANOVAs and multiple regression. This will enable you to carry out your own data analytics project as well as understand those of others. In as far as possible, the content of the research methods textbook has been aligned with where you will be at in your data analytics research project. However, in terms of the Microsoft Excel data analysis element, it is not possible to align this to any great extent. If this were aligned, you would be trying to learn all about data analysis using Microsoft Excel over the course of about two weeks, at the same time as trying to analyze the data for your own project. Instead, this element has been organised to try to as evenly as possible balance the data analysis workload across the weeks, and so that you will have covered all the data analysis techniques that you will need by the time you conduct your own independent analysis.
As well as the two textbooks, almost every lesson is accompanied by a description of a fictional research project being carried out by a HR analytics consultant, Jack, in a company called ESC Ltd. The purpose of this is to provide you with a step-by-step guide to how such a data analytics research project might be carried out in an organization. It does not mean that you must slavishly follow this guide in producing your own data analytics research project, but it should at least give you some pointers.
Course Objectives
After successfully completing this course, students will be able to
- Demonstrate knowledge and skill in planning, organizing, designing, and conducting research to help solve identified problems
- Present a practitioner-oriented written and oral report of an applied research project in the HR/ER field
- Identify the key ethical issues in the design of applied research
- Discriminate ‘good’ from ‘bad’ research from practical, legal, and ethical perspectives
- Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate management research in the practitioner press or conducted by external consultants
- Develop practical skills in the use of Excel
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due by noon (ET) on the Monday after each lesson's time frame.
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Course Requirements and Grading
| Lesson | Activity | Points Per Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Part 1 | Getting Started Activities | ungraded |
| 1 | Quiz | 10 |
| 1 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 2 | Quiz | 10 |
| 2 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 2 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 3 | Quiz | 10 |
| 3 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 3 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 4 | Quiz | 10 |
| 4 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 5 | Project Assignment | 50 |
| 6 | Group Discussion | 40 |
| 6 | Quiz | 10 |
| 6 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 7 | Quiz | 10 |
| 7 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 7 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 8 | Quiz | 10 |
| 8 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 8 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 9 | Quiz | 10 |
| 9 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 9 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 10 | Quiz | 10 |
| 10 | Data Analysis Assignment | 35 |
| 10 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 11 | Quiz | 10 |
| 11 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 12 | Quiz | 10 |
| 12 | Project Assignment | 50 |
| 13 | Project Assignment | 20 x 2 |
| 14 | Quiz | 10 |
| 14 | Project Assignment | 60 |
| 15 | Project Assignment | 40 |
| 1,000 |
| Activity Type | Points |
|---|---|
| Quizzes | 120 |
| Data Analysis Assignments | 330 |
| Project Assignments | 550 |
| Total | 1000 |
The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
| Grade | Minimum% |
|---|---|
| A | 93 |
| A- | 90 |
| B+ | 87 |
| B | 83 |
| B- | 80 |
| C+ | 77 |
| C | 70 |
| D | 60 |
| F | <60 |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Activities
Readings from the Bell, Bryman, and Harley business research methods textbook will introduce you to the research process.
Brief quizzes will assess your comprehension of the material covered in the research methods textbook.
Learning activities will help you shape a research topic, review the relevant literature, understand how to select an appropriate research method and then use this method to carry out a systematic data analysis and write-up of the findings. There will be opportunities to discuss your research project with your peers and instructor. You will be guided through carrying out the project, with several activities for you to complete and submit (mostly weekly) that will ultimately build into a complete research project that addresses a common problem/issue in organizations. Your instructor will provide feedback on the activities you submit, which will help you to refine and improve your project as you work through it. For this data analytics research project, you will be provided with a dataset to analyze. This is because the process of obtaining data tends to be long and arduous and fraught with obstructions and setbacks.
Throughout the 15 weeks, you will be taken from the very basics of data analysis using Microsoft Excel, through to reasonably sophisticated analysis techniques including ANOVAs and multiple regression.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see Graduation on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' 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 oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Course Policies
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.