Overview
Research Proposal is the first of two coursework units in the BA Honours course. The unit will assist you to articulate a research focus and an answerable research question in a specific Humanities or Arts discipline. The unit provides discipline-context research training for the two subsequent dissertation units. You will acquire advanced research skills in your chosen discipline. Specifics of the learning materials and assessment will be negotiated with your supervisor in the academic discipline. The research training includes the formation of research aims, questions, conceptual models and applicable research methodologies as well as research administration processes such as ethics applications, risk management and project milestone planning.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from BA(Hons) supervisor.
Supervisory staff asked if BA(Hons) students could be allocated some funds to support research activity (in one case, qualitative methods survey engagement).
BA(Hons) Course Coordinator to discuss the budget process with SEduA Associate Dean Operations.
Feedback from BA(Hons) supervisor.
Supervisory staff asked if BA(Hons) students could be allowed to download and use Nvivo qualitative data management and analysis software as RHD and staff of CQU can.
BA(Hons) Course Coordinator to discuss with SEduA Associate Dean Operations.
- Develop an honours level thesis proposal according to a discipline-specific framework, taking into account ethical requirements
- Present an honours level thesis proposal that showcases student acquired research training according to a discipline-specific framework.
n/a
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||
| 2 - Presentation - 0% | ||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||
| 2 - Communication | ||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||
| 4 - Research | ||
| 5 - Self-management | ||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||
| 7 - Leadership | ||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 0% | |||||||||
| 2 - Presentation - 0% | |||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.hewson@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 06 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Scaffold the assessment.
Chapter
Learning material:
- Assessment expectations.
- How HONS28001 and HONS28002 work together.
- The role of research degrees - contribution to knowledge and original research.
- The research pathway; generally and at CQU.
- Project plan exemplars.
- Project presentation exemplars.
Supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 13 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Research questions.
Chapter
Learning material:
How to discern and create a research aim and question.
Supervisor to provide further discipline-specific framing of research questions.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Output - research aim and question.
Week 3
Begin Date: 20 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Research design concepts.
Chapter
Learning material:
- Research design theory/practice.
- The role of a literature review (introducing HONS28002).
- The concept of ‘gap in the knowledge’.
- The research process at CQU.
Supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 27 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Knowledge synthesis.
Chapter
Learning material:
Where/why/how to source data.
- How to read, take notes and synthesise knowledge.
- Conceptual models.
- ‘Mind mapping’ tools.
- EndNote training.
- Referencing in general.
- The world of academic publishing.
Supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Output – choose a reference scheme, agreement on data sources and (optional) potential peer-reviewed journal publication post research.
Week 5
Begin Date: 03 Apr 2023Module/Topic
Writing a research project proposal.
Chapter
Learning material on an overview of diverse methodologies for the benefit of all disciplines:
- Different thesis outlines.
- Creative artefact/exegesis.
- Writing styles etc.
- Creating illustrations.
- Discuss exemplars.
Supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 10 Apr 2023Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 17 Apr 2023Module/Topic
Qualitative Methods.
Chapter
If relevant, supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 24 Apr 2023Module/Topic
Quantitative Methods.
Chapter
If relevant, supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 01 May 2023Module/Topic
MixedMethods.
Chapter
If relevant, supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Output – agreement on the type and style of Honours research methods to employ.
Week 9
Begin Date: 08 May 2023Module/Topic
Research logistics.
Chapter
Learning material:
- Funding.
- Timeframes and milestones.
- Logistics planning/documentation.
- Ethics applications.
- Data management plans.
- Risk Assessments.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Output
- Agreement on research logistics.
- Ethics application(s) if required.
- Data management plan.
- Risk assessment if required.
Week 10
Begin Date: 15 May 2023Module/Topic
Draft Research Proposal.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Output – draft research plan for supervisor review.
Week 11
Begin Date: 22 May 2023Module/Topic
Complete research proposal.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Research proposal assessment (thus part of the Thesis Introduction).
Week 12
Begin Date: 29 May 2023Module/Topic
Research proposal presentation.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Research plan presentation assessment.
A Research Project Proposal Due: Week 12 Monday (29 May 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 05 Jun 2023Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 12 Jun 2023Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Your key guide for this unit is your supervisor - but feel free to discuss any matter with the BA(Hons) Course Coordinator.
1 Written Assessment
Planning research is a complicated task. At Honours level, a research project brings a contribution to knowledge or exhibit mastery of creative skill. Still, Honours also needs to be constrained to one year of sustained activity (if undertaken full-time). Planning a research project well is one secret to achieving the goal within tight time constraints. Planning entails considering concepts and processes related to the expectations of the academic discipline and research protocols of CQUniversity as well as relevant literature. Importantly the critical steps at this stage are identifying the research questions and planning what research tasks will achieve the results.
Your project proposal becomes the initial chapter of the Dissertation.
The structure, design and format of the project proposal will be informed by discussion with your supervisor to account for discipline specifics.
You will prepare a research proposal that contains:
- A tentative dissertation topic and dissertation title.
- A thorough description of the dissertation topic including a brief literature review/ rationale that demonstrates the currency of the topic and, where applicable, a tentative analysis of relevant primary texts (from HONS28002 ‘Debates in the Discipline).
- A clearly articulated research question (which includes a ‘so what’ response: that is, why does it matter that this topic is researched).
- A provisional (discipline-specific) hypothesis.
- A proposed research methodology, including project milestones.
- A response to discipline-specific research administration matters such as ethics applications and risk management.
- Details of resources required to complete the project.
- A provisional evaluation of the contribution the project will make to (discipline-specific) knowledge.
This writing task is a pass/fail grade.
Your project proposal will be some 3,000 words – (around 7,000 words when adding the HONS28002 literature review of 4,000 words).
Week 12 Monday (29 May 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Ten days from submission
Proposal Element |
Pass/ Fail |
| A dissertation topic and dissertation title. | |
| A clearly articulated research question that includes a ‘so what’ response: that is, why does it matter that this topic is researched. | |
| A thorough description of the dissertation topic, including a literature review/rationale that demonstrates the currency of the topic (from HONS28002). | |
| Where applicable, a tentative analysis of relevant primary texts (from HONS28002). | |
| A provisional (discipline-specific) hypothesis. | |
| A proposed research methodology, including project milestones (informed by HONS28002). | |
| A response to discipline-specific research administration matters such as ethics applications and risk management. | |
| Details of resources required to complete the project. | |
| A provisional evaluation of the contribution the project will make to (discipline-specific) knowledge. |
- Develop an honours level thesis proposal according to a discipline-specific framework, taking into account ethical requirements
- Knowledge
2 Presentation
The communication of academic activity is a crucial step toward converting a research output to changes that make a difference in society. Personal research communication influences the progress of knowledge. While most research communication is written, peer feedback often involves a spoken presentation.
In this assessment task, you will present your completed Honours research project proposal in a format discussed with your supervisor accounting for discipline specifics. Your presentation will engage a knowledgeable audience around the peer review of your project plan.
The communication task is a pass/fail grade.
Consulting the supervisor, the presentation type to be either; a personal talk to a gathering, a video or an academic poster. Here ‘peers’ include your supervisor, staff members of CQUniversity and interested others. Further information on presentation format and other expectations are given on the Moodle site for this unit.
Review/Exam Week Monday (5 June 2023) 9:00 am AEST
As scheduled by the BA(Hons) supervisor.
Verbal briefing at the session - marking sheet returned within 10 days.
Proposal Element |
Pass/ Fail |
| The Honours project proposal elements articulated by an academic communication mechanism (presentation, video or poster). |
- Present an honours level thesis proposal that showcases student acquired research training according to a discipline-specific framework.
- Knowledge
- Communication
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
