Course overview
- Study period
- Summer Semester, 2024 (25/11/2024 - 08/02/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Chemistry & Molec Biosciences
Written proposal in the form of a research grant application based on a research project, recent literature or involving industry partner
Applications for funding in science is usually based on a convincing and realistic research proposal. In this course you willﾠto select an appropriate research topic and develop a realistic research strategy that addresses important gaps in the literature or which pursues new research directions.ﾠ You must communicate your ideas clearly and succinctly, and provide a convincing case forﾠthe research significance. This course will assist you inﾠdeveloping career-orientated skills such asﾠinductive reasoning via critical analysis of a specific research idea, efficient use of library resourcesﾠand design of strategiesﾠfor achieving research goals.ﾠﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
A general knowledge of the disciplines of biotechnology, molecular biology or bioinformaticsﾠis assumed.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
With permission of the program director.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
BIOC7014, BIOT7014
Course contact
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There is no fixed timetable for this course.
This is a 2 unit course. This means you should spend at least 10 hours per week on preparing your research proposal.
Your Program Director's permission is required to enrol in this course. Please complete and submit the SCMB Postgraduate Coursework Supervisor Approval Formﾠ via the submission link provided in the SCMB Postgraduate Coursework Community Blackboard site.
Any questions on the assessment requirements should be directed to ﾠenquiries@scmb.uq.edu.au.
Students should contact their individual supervisors directly for matters relating to theirﾠresearch proposal.
Please note ﾠit is a course requirement ﾠthatﾠyou meetﾠ regularly with your supervisor - see Assessment.
Students must meet with their supervisors and agree upon a topic BEFORE the end of week 2 of semester.
Contact with academic staff will be by mutual agreement.
Aims and outcomes
The purpose of the research proposal is to select an appropriate research topic and develop a realistic research strategy that addresses important gaps in the literature or which pursues new research directions.ﾠ This will assist you to develop career-orientated skills in inductive reasoning via critical analysis of a specific research idea, efficient use of library resources, and design of strategies for achieving research goals.ﾠ Most importantly, you must be able to communicate your ideas to others.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
identify a research problem, and formulate an hypothesis to be tested or knowledge gap to be addressed;
LO2.
state clearly the aims and significance of the proposed line of research, and prepare a convincing case for its support in a clear, concise, readily understandable and objective manner;
LO3.
summarise the relevant literature which justifies the importance of the proposed line of research or musters evidence both for and against a proposed hypothesis. Assess this published work and thus evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and likely value of the proposal;
LO4.
propose an experimental strategy, or direction of research designed to test, establish or disprove any hypothesis and/or address the identified problem. The experiments should be feasible and yield information that will unequivocally achieve the stated aims. Strategies for data analysis should be considered if relevant.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notebook/ Logbook, Participation/ Student contribution |
Meetings with supervisor
|
20% |
24/01/2025 2:00 pm
Meetings held throughout semester |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Written research proposal
|
80% |
24/01/2025 2:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Meetings with supervisor
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Notebook/ Logbook, Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
24/01/2025 2:00 pm
Meetings held throughout semester
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Supervisor meetings during semester
You should arrange to meet with your supervisor at least 5 times during the semester to discuss your chosen topic and paper. You should ensure that a record of your meetings with your supervisor is maintained using the meeting diary template. You will note such things as what was discussed and what you were requested to do before the next meeting using the meeting diary template. Please ensure that your supervisor signs and dates each entry. A copy of the meeting diary should be submitted through the relevant Turnitin submission point in Blackboard by the due date given in the course profile (CP). Scanned copies are acceptable.
Your performance during and in response to these meetings will be taken into account when the supervisor formulates a mark. In silico meetings (e.g. via Zoom or email) are acceptable. If you do not arrange and attend these meetings you will fail the course (see course hurdles).
Supervisor's mark (advice for Supervisor)
If the student does not attend regular meetings or keep in regular email contact they should be marked accordingly. The mark they are awarded should reflect the depth of issues discussed and questions asked, and your perception of their critical analysis skills.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT)
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit a scanned copy of your meeting diary through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard when you submit your Literature Review.
Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here - my.UQ Applying for an extension
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a Word document outlining why you cannot provide the documentation and upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting the assessment item by the requested due date and time.
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty. We strongly recommend you seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Written research proposal
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 80%
- Due date
24/01/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Selection of the Project Proposal topic
1. The student should decide on a scientific area that aligns with their Masters program and that interests them. Before the first week of semester the student should secure a supervisor. There are many avenues to identify a potential supervisor:
- searching the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences website (scmb.uq.edu.au )
- consult the SCMB Research Projects booklet (scmb.uq.edu.au/study/postgraduate-coursework )
- the web pages of the various research institutes at UQ, links to those web pages can be found here https://research.uq.edu.au/
- the UQ Researchers website (https://researchers.uq.edu.au/)
You should contact prospective supervisors and ask whether they have time to supervise your project proposal. Supervision will involve meeting with you at least 5 times during semester to discuss your progress and help you with any difficulties you have encountered. Your supervisor must sign the SCMB Postgraduate Coursework Supervisor Approval Form.
2. Once you have had an introductory meeting with your supervisor and established the area of research for your proposal, you should begin looking for key papers. This will involve searching the various library databases (e.g. PubMed) for relevant papers. If you are not familiar with these databases, you should enrol in one of the short courses offered by the library. Please ask at the Information desk or contact the UQ library online (https://web.library.uq.edu.au/contact-us ) and indicate that you are a postgraduate student. You should then further discuss your proposal with your supervisor to confirm that the research is of current interest to the field.
You are required to write a research proposal which focuses on future directions of a research topic based on the literature or a past/ongoing research project.
Assume you are writing an application to fund a PhD scholarship or research grant to employ you as a full-time researcher for about 3 years. Hence, the proposal should be written to convince other scientists (who will assess the application) that the proposed research will address issues of substance that have a realistic chance of being completed in 3 years.
Assume you are working in a laboratory already set up with the general infrastructure (laboratory setup, equipment and support staff) for the sort of work you envisage.
You are expected to spend the equivalent of 10 hours per week over a semester on the assignment.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit your research proposal through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard.
Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here - my.UQ Applying for an extension
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a Word document outlining why you cannot provide the documentation and upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting the assessment item by the requested due date and time.
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty. We strongly recommend you seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student has made little attempt to address the requirements for this topic. Written submissions and performance are incomplete or unsatisfactory. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 0% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student fails to demonstrate relevant knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts associated with this topic. The student shows little evidence of the skills and understanding expected of a graduate. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 30% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student demonstrates a limited knowledge of the topics being assessed. The student shows little aptitude to continue in this area, but has benefited from the exercise and may be able to apply this knowledge for other purposes. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 45% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student's answer to the topic is unambiguous and addresses the specific question(s) or issue(s) being examined. Performance in the assessment instrument(s) demonstrates basic knowledge and comprehension of the underlying concepts of the topic being examined. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 50% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: In addition to the criteria for a grade of 4, the student demonstrates in his or her assessment a superior understanding of some of the underlying concepts of the topic(s) being examined. The student has shown some competence in addressing the assessment criteria. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 65% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: In addition to the criteria for a grade of 5, the student demonstrates a higher level of understanding of the factual and conceptual information available from the literature or other appropriate sources (e.g. the student's own experimental data). A good attempt has been made to dissect and integrate different aspects of that knowledge, resulting in well-balanced and appropriate conclusions and a commendable attempt to synthesize ideas. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 75% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Reserved for an outstanding performance which demonstrates a level of achievement superior to a grade of 6, and includes a substantial and original synthesis of ideas based on a critical analysis of the subject matter available to the student. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 85% |
Additional course grading information
Assessment Hurdles
In order to pass this course, you must meet ALL of the following requirements (if you do not meet these requirements, the maximum grade you will receive will be a 3):
1. Students must obtain an overall course mark of 50% or more; and
2. Students must complete and submit ALL learning tasks and assessment items.
3. Students must arrange and attend meetings with their supervisor as evidenced in the meeting diary.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
Additional assessment information
Assessment Submission
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the on time, correct and complete submission of all assessment items.
Please ensure you receive and save the submission confirmation for all submitted items, you may be asked to produce this as evidence of your submission.
Turnitin
By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration “I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment”.
All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if one or more of your submissions are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after seven days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.
Assessment/Attendance
Please notify your Course Coordinator as soon as you become aware of any issue that may affect your ability to meet the assessment/attendance requirements of the course. The my.UQ website and the Course Profile (CP) for your course also provide information about your course requirements, the rules associated with your courses and services offered by the University.
A note for repeating students in this course
Any student who enrols in a course must not be given exemption or partial credit from their previous attempt(s) for any individual piece of assessment. Instead, the student must successfully complete all of the learning activities and assessment items within the study period of enrolment (PPL Assessment - Procedures Section: Assessment integrity).
If the same assessment item is set from one year to the next, repeating students are allowed to submit the same work they submitted in previous attempts at the course. Where possible SCMB recommends that you use the feedback you received in your last attempt to improve parts of the item where you lost marks. Resubmission of an altered or unaltered assessment item by a repeating student (where the same assessment has been set) will not be considered as self-plagiarism.
Important Note
Turnitin is to be used for assignments/laboratory reports to check for plagiarism. Penalties can be severe for plagiarism.
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another either intentionally or unintentionally. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.
Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Blackboard
Further information regarding this course can be found in the appropriate section of the course Blackboard site at learn.uq.edu.au.
Additional supplementary material may also be posted here. Please check the site regularly for information updates.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 8 |
Not Timetabled |
Preparation of research proposal Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.