HMT4001 Honours Dissertation A

Contents

• Staffing
• Requisites
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Student workload
• Assessment details
• Important assessment information
• Assessment notes
• Production date
• PDF version

STAFFING

REQUISITES

SYNOPSIS

This 2 unit course enables students enrolled in the Honours programme to commence their dissertation under supervision. The dissertation shall consist of a 12,000-15,000 word assignment on a topic chosen by the student and approved by the supervisor, and may be either the result of original investigations, or embody a critical appraisal or analysis of primary or secondary source material. This course will normally be followed by HMT4002 Honours Dissertation B.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of this course students will be able to:

1. develop a research proposal, including defining a topic, developing a research design, incorporating an annotated bibliogaphy and justifying a methodology;
2. undertake independent research, under supervision, on a proposed topic;
3. review the literature relevant to a selected dissertation topic;
4. develop an annotated bibliography in a full literature review;
5. apply and justify methodology appropriate to a research topic.

TOPICS

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

NOTES

1.

An initial proposal (maximum length 500 words) must be received and a supervisor allocated before students are confirmed into the Honours Dissertation course. Students successfully completing this course will normally be awarded the result of IIP and proceed to HMT4002 Honours Dissertation B. This assessment is aligned with all Objectives.

2.

Preliminary Proposal and Literature Review (maximum length 1500 words). Students who obtain an unsatisfactory progress report at this stage may be advised against proceeding further. This assessment is aligned with all Objectives.

3.

Oral Presentation of Proposal, including written summary for circulation (maximum length 1500 words). This assessment is aligned with all Objectives.

4.

Detailed Proposal and Draft Methodology (maximum length 3000 words). This assessment is aligned with all Objectives.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as workshops and consultation with supervisors) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. For this course, normal attendance consists of regular consultations with the designated Supervisor.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To successfully complete an individual assessment item, a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks or a grade of at least C-. This statement must be read in conjunction with Statement 4 below.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval, then a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the assignment will apply for each of the first FIVE working days late, after which a zero mark will be given.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of a passing grade, students must meet the requirements of designated examiners.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade for Part 1 of a Dissertation/Project (where IIP is a possible grade) - If the research proposal and any possible ethics application are approved and the student's progress report is deemed satisfactory by the student's supervisor and the course examiner, the student will be awarded an interim grade of IIP, indicating satisfactory performance in the course. When the Dissertation/Project has been assessed in its entirety, the grade of IIP will be changed to the final grade.
6. Examination information:
   There is no exam for this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Given the details under (6) above, there are no deferred exams for this course. However, if any deferred/makeup work is granted, it would have to be submitted by a date set by the examiner.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm

ASSESSMENT NOTES

This version produced 20 Dec 2007.