University of Technology Sydney

028288 Doing Your Research Project 2

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Professional Learning
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject is the final component of the Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Education (Honours). It provides students with the opportunity to exhibit their skills and knowledge in a substantial project of empirical and scholarly research that they design and complete, with the assistance of an academic supervisor. Skills and knowledge relate to:

  • Literature review – selecting, interpreting and critiquing literature;
  • Making sense of data – analysis and findings;
  • Development of a thesis, including structural procedural and ethical issues; and
  • Project management, including scheduling, time management, pacing, stress and conflict management.

The honours project will be presented as a traditional academic thesis.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Finalise a clear, valid and relevant research question
b. Design and execute an original research project
c. Choose an epistemological and methodological approach appropriate to research design
d. Engage in a sophisticated manner with theory appropriate to the research topic
e. Present findings and arguments lucidly and persuasively

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

  • Analyse and synthesise research and engage in inquiry (GTS 3) (2.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

The honours thesis is completed with the assistance of an academic supervisor, who advises the student on research design and methodology, and provides ongoing feedback. Students are expected to meet regularly with their supervisor to ensure the progress and timely completion of their Honours projects.

Statement on feedback

It is expected that the supervisor will offer constructive feedback on the student’s work and, especially with regard to substantial written submissions, will provide this advice in some written form within a reasonable time after submission. It is important the supervisor brings to the attention of students any perceived inadequacies in their work at the earliest opportunity, and discusses the various ways of addressing such problems. Furthermore, students will be required to present their work-in-progress at a seminar (convened by the honours course co-ordinator) in Week 6, that is designed to solicit feedback from academic staff.

Content (topics)

Content areas are unique to the specific student thesis.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Thesis

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d and e

Weight: 100%
Length:

15000 words

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Clarity of case for why research question and topic is significant 10 a 2.1
Significance of selected bodies of literature critiqued 10 d 2.1
Suitability of research methods 10 c 2.1
Analysis and synthesis of findings and arguments 70 b, e 2.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Required texts

No common text – reading should cover the designated research topic area and method. Students are expected to read widely from research journals and texts.

References

Bell, J. (2010). Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers in education and social science. (5th ed.). Maidenhead, England: Open University Press.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2002). Research methods in education. London: Routledge.

Lambert, M. (2012). A beginner's guide to doing your education research project. London: Sage.

McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in Education: Evidence-Based Inquiry, MyEducationLab Series. Pearson.

Newby, P. (2014). Research methods for education. London: Routledge.

Punch, K. F., & Oancea, A. (2014). Introduction to research methods in education. London: Sage.