42670 Research Foundations
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: 6 cp
Result type: Pass fail, no marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 32144 Technology Research Preparation
Description
This subject provides higher degree by research students (Masters and PhD) with an introduction to research studies. The subject helps students to understand the nature and purpose of research and aims to develop the initiation of their own research through a focused literature review and data management plan. The subject aims to place student work in the wider context of the research ecosystem, introducing academic publishing and presenting, as well as developing an understanding of the need for research integrity and ethical considerations. The subject also helps to build an understanding of the wider application of research studies beyond the academy and introduces students to research assessment processes at UTS.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Develop a research data management plan. (D.1) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Critically evaluate relevant academic literature. (C.1) |
| 3. | Demonstrate social responsibility in academic research. (B.1) |
| 4. | Communicate research outcomes effectively. (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
Students will work in a series of workshops aimed at developing an understanding of research skills and the research endeavour and environment. The workshops offer students a range of opportunities to work in small groups to explore different aspects of research work. This includes working on developing research presentations together through peer review and a research conference, exploring ethical aspects of research through scenario-based work and discussing and debating the nature of modern research publishing in small groups. Part of the focus of the work is to build a cohort mentality through communication of research projects being developed by students and developing an awareness of research beyond the immediate interests of each student.
The subject is primarily delivered in a week of classes, split into a series of 10 workshops, covering the areas listed below. A further set of workshops takes place later in the semester to allow students the opportunity to develop presentations on their research, get peer feedback and then make use of that feedback to revise their talks in preparation for an end of session research conference. The research conference also feeds into the 32931 subject Technology Research Methods, where students will act as the conference organisers and chairs.
In addition to the oral presentations, students will develop skills in critical assessment of the research literature via a task where they act as a journal paper reviewer. They also work on a substantive piece of work to demonstrate their understanding of the research literature associated with their research project.
Students are asked to examine the role of data in their research project and will complete a short assignment to present their plan to a group of peers.
Content (topics)
- Introduction to research degrees in FEIT and the nature of the research process
- Introduction to research degree candidature pathways and supervisor engagement
- Developing a literature review for research projects
- Research Data Management Plans
- eResearch as a research student
- Health and Safety as a research student
- Entrepreneurship: UTS Start-ups
- IP as a research student
- Research Ethics and Integrity
- Research Publishing
- Research Presentations
- Introduction to FEIT research areas
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Develop a research data management plan
| Intent: | All modern research projects should account for the data collected, with consideration given to data curation and organisation. This task is designed to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of how a research data management plan is put together and maintained. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): D.1 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Length: | 500 words equivalent |
Assessment task 2: Critical appraisal of a published paper in a predatory journal
| Intent: | To develop an understanding of the research publishing ecosystem, especially with regard to low quality predatory journals and to develop the critical analysis skills and the subject specific expertise needed to critically review specialist research papers. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1 and C.1 |
| Type: | Essay |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Length: | 500 words – not including reference list. |
Assessment task 3: Literature Review
| Intent: | To establish search skills and the ability to evaluate the appropriateness of the articles chosen. To develop the skills of critical analysis and synthesis, direct and indirect citation, referencing and the writing of a complete report at the level suitable for research students. The intent is that the work produced in this assessment task would form the core of a HDR CA1 review report. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1 and C.1 |
| Type: | Literature review |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Length: | 7000-10000 words – not including reference list. |
Assessment task 4: Oral research presentation
| Intent: | To demonstrate skills in presenting research work at the level of a typical research conference. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the wider significance of their research work, their ability to communicate technical ideas to a general audience and framing their work within a predefined template (as is the case in a typical conference). |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 2 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and E.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Length: | 3 minute presentation |
Minimum requirements
To achieve a pass grade for the subject, students must submit their attempt of all assessment tasks by the due date and pass each assessment.
Students who do not submit all assessment tasks by the due dates may be referred to the Responsible Academic Officer under Student Rule 3.8.2, and a fail result may be recorded for this subject.
Required texts
None.