University of Technology Sydney

16215 Honours Research 4

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UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: School of the Built Environment
Credit points: 12 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Description

This subject is the final of six subjects belonging to the Bachelor of Property Economics (Honours) (C09063) (it is designed to be completed alongside 16214 Honours Research 3). Over these six subjects, students work with a research supervisor to design, carry out, and report on a research project. There is significant variation possible in how students can accomplish these goals. Theses might be qualitative or quantitative, written up in conventional academic format or presented primarily online. Task structure varies among projects and should be determined between the supervisor and student, depending on the research aims.

This subject is delivered through one-on-one meetings between student and supervisor. As the final subject in the sequence of four, this subject focuses on the completion of the honours thesis. During this subject, students write up the discussion and conclusions of the thesis, and incorporate the introduction, literature review, methodology, and findings (completed during the first three subjects of the sequence) into the complete thesis. The complete polished draft of the thesis is commented on in detail by the supervisor, and students address comments and criticisms in the preparation of the final draft. The final draft is examined by a panel, and students may be required to do additional work to complete the thesis to a satisfactory standard.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge in a topic relevant to the built environment disciplines.
2. Design, manage and implement a complex research project
3. Communicate research results in clear and academically appropriate language and graphics
4. Construct a sound argument based on evidence

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Effectively apply a variety of communication skills and technologies at an advanced level in professional contexts (C.1)
  • Communicate complex ideas to a diverse audience (C.2)
  • Engage in an advanced level of critical and reflective thinking in built environment contexts (R.1)
  • Analyse, structure and report the results of research (Research Skills) (R.3)
  • Demonstrate judgement in critical analysis of research (R.4)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is delivered through meetings between individual student and supervisor. Pre-reading will be required, to ensure students have a clear understanding of how to assemble and edit the final draft of the thesis. Pre-reading materials will be posted on Canvas. Students will typically prepare work (as agreed with the supervisor) in advance of each meeting, and the supervisor will offer in-depth feedback on the work at the subsequent meeting. The student has substantial responsibility for the pace at which the work proceeds; responding to verbal and written feedback from the supervisor is an important part of the learning process. The subject involves significant self-directed learning, as the student is responsible for producing a polished final thesis draft that responds to the supervisor's feedback. Formative feedback will be provided by the supervisor at each meeting (it is the student's responsibility to record this feedback), with the aim of developing an iterative process, improving the depth and quality of the student's work. Feedback on assignments will be provided either in Review, or in Turnitin.

Content (topics)

  • Doing additional data collection (if needed) &
  • Finalising the analysis of data
  • Developing earlier chapters into a final, coherent thesis
  • Presenting research orally
  • Final edits and revisions based on feedback received, among others, from a supervisor, honours co-ordinator, and other members of staff during oral presentation

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Oral Defence

Intent:

Present the results of the research in a 20 minute formal presentation, and respond to questions.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

2 and 3

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.1 and R.3

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Length:

20 minutes

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Evidence of high quality research 30 2 R.3
Well structured analysis 40 2 R.3
Quality of presentation 30 3 C.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: First draft of thesis

Intent:

The complete polished draft of the thesis is submitted for this assignment.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, R.1, R.3 and R.4

Type: Thesis
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 30%
Length:

35,000 words or as agreed with your supervisor

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Depth and quality of research 30 2 R.3
Use of evidence to support an argument 20 4 R.4
Contribution to knowledge in the discipline 20 1 R.1
Quality of writing 30 3 C.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Final draft of thesis

Intent:

This assignment entails the revision of the complete draft of the thesis based on the supervisor's feedback, and the submission of the final draft that will be sent to examiners. The final thesis draft will be marked by external examiners.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, R.1, R.3 and R.4

Type: Thesis
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Depth and quality of research 30 2 R.3
Use of evidence to support an argument 20 4 R.4
Contribution to knowledge in the discipline 20 1 R.1
Quality of writing 30 3 C.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes