This unit (ASA6003) of study is the first part of the Research Thesis and provides students the opportunity, under guidance from a supervisor, to develop a research question to write a thesis on topics related to community development or digital media. The final topic will be negotiated between the student and supervisor and will be a research area within the field of community development or digital media either in Australian and/or international context. The research will usually be text-based but may include fieldwork to gather data. The student who undertakes fieldwork must demonstrate a high-level knowledge of ethical fieldwork procedures and seek timely Human Ethics approval. A supervisor is allocated to each student. Students are required to submit a completed research thesis of 15,000-20,000 words by the end of Research Thesis (Part 2).

Unit details

Location:
Footscray Nicholson
Footscray Park
Study level:
Postgraduate
Credit points:
24
Unit code:
ASA6003

Prerequisites

AAA5002 - Research Methods

Students must have scored 75% or above in AAA5002 Research Methods in order to undertake ASA6003 Research Thesis (Part 1) and ASA6004 Research Thesis (Part 2).

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Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. Exemplify collaborative and ethical conduct in research and communicating research outcomes;  
  2. Conduct a substantial independent research project under supervision with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability;  
  3. Critically review relevant and current principal scholarly literature/s relating to the thesis topic;  
  4. Interrogate and challenge complex information, and synthesise a range of conceptual and empirical materials to draw defensible conclusions; and  
  5. Authoritatively and effectively elucidate structured, coherent ideas in a written composition (or a negotiated alternative if choosing a creative work option) at a standard acceptable for academic peer review.  

Assessment

Assessment type Description Grade
Other Submission of research proposal. 100%
Hurdle: Students are required to submit a research proposal for approval to the supervisor. Where applicable application for Human Ethics should be made and approved to enable data collection between semesters. A progress report signed by the student and supervisor is submitted to the Unit Convener for approval.

Where to next?

As part of a course

This unit is studied as part of the following courses. Refer to the course page for information on how to apply for the course.

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