42071 Graduate Research Project (24cp in one session)
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 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 24 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksAnti-requisite(s): 42072 Graduate Research Project (12cp in one session) AND 42073 Graduate Research Project 24cp (Part 1 of 2) (2 x 12cp) AND 42074 Graduate Research Project 24cp (Part 2 of 2) (2 x 12cp)
Description
This subject gives students experience in working independently on a small research project under the direct supervision of an academic staff member. The project may be drawn from any area of information technology, engineering, or interaction design. The subject requires students to develop a research project plan, execute the plan to obtain results, and then analyse, interpret, and discuss the results in a form appropriate to the research discipline chosen. To enrol in this subject, students must develop a brief project plan description, gain the support and permission of an appropriate supervisor, and then lodge an e-request with a supervisor permission email attached.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Identify aims and research questions to address a research topic. (B.1) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Choose appropriate research methodology and methods that will address the research questions. (C.1) |
| 3. | Develop and execute a research project plan to achieve the identified objectives. (C.1) |
| 4. | Analyse and interpret research results using appropriate analysis tools. (D.1) |
| 5. | Communicate in a form appropriate for the research discipline. (E.1) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, and influence stakeholders, and apply expert judgment establishing and managing constraints, conflicts and uncertainties within a hazards and risk framework to define system requirements and interactivity. (B.1)
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, to explore, test, analyse and synthesise complex ideas, theories or concepts. (C.1)
- Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply theoretical, conceptual, software and physical tools and advanced discipline knowledge to research, evaluate and predict future performance of systems characterised by complexity. (D.1)
- Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating autonomously within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject allows students to undertake a research project for one semester. In this project subject there is no formal classwork - students will work independently with supervision from their academic supervisor to develop, execute and write up a research project. To enrol in this subject, a student must develop a draft project plan (a title and a paragraph describing the proposed project), gain the support and permission of an appropriate supervisor, and then lodge an e-request with a permission email attached.
Students are required to attend any seminars or meetings organised by the subject coordinator or academic supervisor - this will typically include at least an initial introductory seminar and a review seminar. Students are required to self-initiate and individually manage regular contact with their academic supervisor as appropriate to the project need. Students are advised that this subject requires an advanced level of project management and self-motivation and that the subject will not provide explicit instruction in every element required to complete the project. Rather the supervisor acts as a mentor to the student, guiding and assisting them to develop their own research skills and plans.
Projects of this nature can sometimes be unwieldy, and as such clarifying the details of the learning agreement can assist in progressing through this project. The student is encouraged (but not required) to negotiate a learning contract with their supervisor at the beginning of the project. The learning contract should express the shared understanding of the learning aims (around 1 to 2), objectives (around 2 to 3), deliverables (around 2 to 4) and assessment criteria (around 2 to 4). A contract of this nature is also an opportunity to organise a preliminary project timetable, and make any plans related to risk assessment, ethics, or resource allocation.
Content (topics)
Content for this topic will be learnt as part of a self-initiated research project, and as such there are no set topics.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Research Project Deliverable
| Intent: | To complete a research project. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1, D.1 and E.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 100% |
| Length: | Generally, a research project report for this 24cp subject will be 15,000-25,000 words, but depending on the format, associated deliverables, and topic area targeted the length may be outside this range. The project plan should carefully specify the expected deliverables and their scale and focus. |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.