CQUniversity Unit Profile
HONS28001 Research Proposal
Research Proposal
All details in this unit profile for HONS28001 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

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

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 8
Credit Points: 12
Student Contribution Band: NDEF
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.25

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 2 - 2024

Online

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).

Class and Assessment Overview

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

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: Pass/Fail
2. Presentation
Weighting: Pass/Fail

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.

Previous Student Feedback
Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Develop an honours level thesis proposal according to a discipline-specific framework, taking into account ethical requirements
  2. Present an honours level thesis proposal that showcases student acquired research training according to a discipline-specific framework.

n/a

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

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 - 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
1 - Written Assessment - 0%
2 - Presentation - 0%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Michael Hewson Unit Coordinator
m.hewson@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 08 Jul 2024

Module/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: 15 Jul 2024

Module/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: 22 Jul 2024

Module/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: 29 Jul 2024

Module/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: 05 Aug 2024

Module/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: 12 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 19 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

Qualitative Methods.

Chapter

If relevant, supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 Begin Date: 26 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

Quantitative Methods.

Chapter

If relevant, supervisor to provide further discipline-specific explanatory detail.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 02 Sep 2024

Module/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: 09 Sep 2024

Module/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: 16 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

Draft Research Proposal.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Output – draft research plan for supervisor review.

Week 11 Begin Date: 23 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

Complete research proposal.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Research proposal assessment (thus part of the Thesis Introduction).

Week 12 Begin Date: 30 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

Research proposal presentation.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Research plan presentation assessment.


A Research Project Proposal Due: Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 07 Oct 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 14 Oct 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
A Research Project Proposal

Task Description

Planning research is a complicated task. At the Honours level, a research project contributes to knowledge or exhibits mastery of creative skills. Still, Honours also need 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 and 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 project proposal's structure, design and format will be informed by discussion with your supervisor to account for discipline specifics.

You will prepare a research proposal that contains the following:

- 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: 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 project's contribution 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).


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST

Or as discussed with the supervisor.


Return Date to Students

Ten days from submission


Weighting
Pass/Fail

Assessment Criteria

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.  


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submit a Microsoft Word document via Turnitin at the Moodle site for HONS28001

assessmentOutcome
  • Develop an honours level thesis proposal according to a discipline-specific framework, taking into account ethical requirements


assessmentGradAttribute
  • Knowledge

2 Presentation

Assessment Title
A Research Project Proposal Presentation

Task Description

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.


Assessment Due Date

As scheduled by your supervisor.


Return Date to Students

Verbal briefing at the session - marking sheet returned within 10 days.


Weighting
Pass/Fail

Assessment Criteria

Proposal Element

Pass/ Fail
The Honours project proposal elements articulated by an academic communication mechanism (presentation, video or poster).  


Referencing Style

Submission
Offline

Submission Instructions
The presentation will be scheduled by your Honours supervisor in Week 12 of term.

assessmentOutcome
  • Present an honours level thesis proposal that showcases student acquired research training according to a discipline-specific framework.


assessmentGradAttribute
  • Knowledge
  • Communication

Academic Integrity Statement

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?