Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 4
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Civil Engineering School
This course provides students with an opportunity to apply all the knowledge and skills developed across the whole course to a research or real-world problem. Students will undertake a research project or a program of independent enquiry under the direction of an academic or research staff member. Enrolment into this course is restricted to students completing the Master of Engineering (Civil) pre 2023, Master of Civil Engineering (Professional), Master of Engineering Science suite (Civil field of study) or (Fire Safety field of study). Students commencing a yearlong project in Semester 1 enrol in CIVL7513 for semester 1 and semester 2; students commencing a yearlong project in Semester 2 enrol in CIVL7514 for Semester 2 and the following Semester 1. Students enrolling in a single semester enrol in CIVL7515.
The course enables students to develop research skills and gain specialised knowledge in a particular subfield of civil engineering.
In this course, students will:
- Choose a research subfield via the thesis database and engage with a supervisor,
- Complete a critical review of the literature of the chosen subfield and design a research proposal in the Progress Report,
- Develop a research plan and conduct scientific investigations (analytical, experimental, or numerical) and accompanying data analyses,
- Deliver the research background, questions, methods, outcome and conclusion through both Oral presentations and Reports
Information regarding Civil Research Projects and Research Thesis offerings can be found at https://civil.uq.edu.au/current-students/coursework-research-projects.
The topics available for this Research course cover several areas of civil engineering and can be found at https://student.eait.uq.edu.au/projects/?semester_id%5B%5D=7460&school_id%5B%5D=civil&q=&sendButton=.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The required academic background is specified in the selected project description. The student may further consult with the potential supervisor regarding specific background requirements for the project.
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
CIVL7505 or ENGG7518
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
CIVL7500, CIVL7501, CIVL7511, CIVL7512, CIVL7513 or CIVL7514
Restrictions
Only students completing MEngSc (Fire Safety Eng) are approved for external enrolment. Please contact the School (studentenquiries@civil.uq.edu.au) for permission.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Aims and outcomes
The course is designed to help students develop research skills and gain specialised knowledge in a particular field of the civil engineering profession.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Formulate an engineering problem from a limited brief
LO2.
Critically evaluate previous research
LO3.
Apply project management techniques to plan and carry out a small engineering research project in the allocated time frame, within the available resources, and in a safe and ethical manner
LO4.
Generate appropriate evidence through a reproducible method that is suitable for drawing sound conclusions
LO5.
Evaluate critically the outcomes of your research
LO6.
Develop evidence-based arguments to support conclusions
LO7.
Explain your ideas effectively to a general audience by using effective audio-visual means
LO8.
Report the rationale and findings in a written document
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Progress Report
|
20% |
10/09/2024 4:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Oral Presentation
|
20% |
16/10/2024 - 17/10/2024 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Final Report
|
60% |
4/11/2024 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Progress Report
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
10/09/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L08
Task description
The individually written Progress Report aims to assess the students' ability to formulate, manage and execute a research plan with advice from their supervisor.
The report document must include:
- Introduction – Describe the background of the research topic, the issues that need to be investigated and the importance of solving these issues
- Literature review – Critically review existing literature regarding this research topic, summarise what has been carried out previously, and identify the key aspects that can be improved in the subsequent studies. Based on the review, identify the key research questions, and list the research objectives of this study aiming to answer the research questions
- Research plan – Describe the detailed plans to carry out the project, use a Gantt chart to tabulate the time plan of the project.
- Work to Date – Use texts, figures and tables to show the work completed since the start of the project
- Health and safety (optional) – If the project is carried out in the field or the lab, list the risk assessment and inductions to be carried out
- References – List the literature cited throughout the report
Use the Final Report template provided in Blackboard Learning resources to prepare the Progress Report.
The expected length of the Progress Report's Main Content, excluding tables of contents, references, and appendices, should be approximately 15 pages (for a four-unit one-semester Research Project course CIVL7515).
The marking rubrics for the Progress Report can be found here .
The Progress Report will be assessed by the students' supervisor.
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.
Submission guidelines
Assessment must be submitted through the course BlackBoard site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
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.
Oral Presentation
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
16/10/2024 - 17/10/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L05, L06, L07
Task description
Oral Presentation sessions will be organised in Week 12.
Preparing presentation:
- A presentation template is provided in the Blackboard Learning resources. You are welcome to use your preferred template.
- A recommended structure of your presentation is:
- Background and literature review (5 minutes)
- Research gaps (2 minutes)
- Methodology (5 minutes)
- Results (5 minutes)
- Conclusion and Recommendation (3 minutes)
- Your presentation must be prepared using layman's language, as the reviewers may not be specialised in your research area.
- The presentation font size (including the fonts in figures and tables) need to be greater than 18 to ensure everyone can see the contents of your slides clearly.
- Avoid pasting large blocks of text in the presentation slides. Show Figures and tables in the slides and explain them orally.
- Practice makes perfect. Rehearsing increases your confidence, ensures you are familiar with your material and allows you to polish your presentation skills.
Presentation Sessions:
- A schedule with the time and session arranged for your presentation will be released a month before the presentation date.
- For anyone internally enrolled, the presentation will be delivered in person. It is strongly encouraged student attend the full presentation session rather than just show up at the time of your presentation.
- For anyone enrolled externally, please join the provided Zoom session and mute yourself, until you are called by the session chair for presentation. You need to share your screen and switch on your camera during your presentation.
- 20 minutes is given for your presentation, followed by 10 minutes Q&A.
- The presentation will be recorded, and assessed by 3-5 academics either inside or outside the presented research field.
- The session chair will give you a notice when 3 minutes are left for your presentation.
- Keep eye contact with your audience during the presentation instead of reading out scripts on your screen.
- The Oral Presentation Rubruic can be found here .
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.
Submission guidelines
Submitting PowerPoint:
- The PowerPoint slides will be submitted via Turnitin 2 days before the presentation date.
- name your presentation file name as Session#_presentation#_surname_studentnumber.pptx. ( For example, Session1_presentation1_Smith_12345678.pptx). Refer to your session# and presentation# from the presentation schedule.
- The submitted PowerPoint will be used during your presentation and can be assessed by the reviewers.
- Prepare a USB stick with the presentation copied, in case of an IT issue.
- The presentation score and feedback from reviewers will be released a week after the presentation day.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Any extension requests must be approved one day before the oral presentation date. A separate presentation session will be organised for these students within the subsequent two weeks.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Final Report
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
4/11/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
An individual written Final Report describing the research in detail. The report document must include:
- Abstract – Summarise the research background, gaps, methods, findings, conclusions, and implications using about 500 words. The abstract needs to be informative and concise so that readers can well understand your research without reading the whole report ).
- Introduction – Describe the background of the research area (e.g., industry sector/natural environments, use numbers to emphasise the significance of the industry/environment, how it is operated/functioning), then narrow down the identified issues of the research area and the importance of solving the issue.
- Literature review – Use your own words (rather than copy their abstract) to review and comment on how the previous studies were carried out to address the identified issues, list the key research gaps of the past studies, and the hypothesis and the objectives of the study that can fill these gaps.
- Research methods – Introduce the research tools used in the study (e.g., fieldwork, lab experiment, mathematical modelling or database). Use your own words to describe the procedures of the study (e.g., experimental steps, pre and post-process data). List the solutions used to fix any issues found during the studies (e.g., water leaking, missing data).
- Results and discussion – Use tables and figures to detail the findings of your study, and use text to highlight the key information in the tables and figures. The discussion summarises all the findings presented by the tables and figures and compares the overall findings with previous studies.
- Conclusion – Summaries the background, gaps, method and findings. Note that the conclusion is not a repetition of the abstract as it emphasises more on the significance of the research background, the implications of your study, the limitations of this study, and the recommendation on how future studies should be conducted.
- References – list all of the references cited in the main content.
- Appendix (Optional) – Place computer codes, large tables or figures generated by your research. Most of the reviewers would not read your appendix unless your argument in the main contents is not clear.
While there are overlaps between the Progress Report and the Final Report, such as the Introduction and Literature Review, the Final Report is expected to address these sections in greater depth than the Progress Report.
A template of the Final Report and past example reports are provided in the Blackboard learning resources. The suggested length of the Final Report's Main Content, excluding tables of contents, references, and appendices is around 30 pages for this four-unit course (CIVL7515).
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.
Submission guidelines
Assessment must be submitted through the course BlackBoard site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
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.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (Fail) The research work is incomplete or inadequate. Some assessment items are missing (averaged results are considered). |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (Fail) The research work is very unsatisfactory or inadequate. Some assessment items are incomplete or missing (averaged results are considered). |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: (Fail) The research work is unsatisfactory, with either incomplete or missing assessment items (averaged results are considered). |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (Pass) All items of assessment submitted. The student demonstrates a sound knowledge of the relevant technical information and at least a partial understanding of research methods. Has some correct and some incorrect information (averaged results are considered). |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (Pass with credit) All items of assessment submitted. The student demonstrates a good knowledge of the relevant technical information and a good understanding of research methods. There are only minor factual inaccuracies (averaged results are considered). |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (Pass with distinction) All items of assessment submitted. Research skills are evidenced in the student's work and mastery of technical information. There is a demonstrated ability to identify and solve previously unseen problems using critical thinking and established research processes. There are only minor factual inaccuracies and no irrelevant information (averaged results are considered). |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (Pass with high distinction) All items of assessment submitted. Mastery of technical information and research methods is evident, along with high-level critical analysis and an ability to synthesize information from different sources. There are no factual inaccuracies and no irrelevant information (averaged results are considered). |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, or a non-graded ‘N’, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment.
Supplementary assessment may not be available for all courses, or for some of the assessment items for a course. The highest grade you can receive following the supplementary assessment is a 4 or P.
Supplementary assessment can take any form, for example, an oral presentation or a revision of the Final Report with the response to the reviewers' comments, depending on the student's performance on each assessment item. Students who are eligible and approved for a supplementary assessment are expected to be available for an Oral Presentation or to prepare a revised Final Report during the University’s Deferred and Supplementary examination period. Once approved, supplementary assessment cannot be rescinded by the student.
Students who are granted a supplementary assessment must obtain a minimum of 50% in the supplementary assessment to pass the course.
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
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
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 Revision week |
Not Timetabled |
Scientific investigation The one-semester Civil Research Project/Thesis course is organised in the following steps:
Discuss with your supervisor about how to carry out the research. List all necessary resources and work health and safety requirements, which may include:
With the relevant tools/site access/resources available, you will execute the investigation as per the discussion with your supervisor:
You will need to work on the four-unit one-semester Research Project course (CIVL7515) for about 20 hours per week.
See the assessment section for details Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
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.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: