Course coordinator
Mr Christopher Sexton
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2026 (23/02/2026 - 20/06/2026)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- Herston
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Herston
- Coordinating unit
- Dentistry School
This course provides students with a foundation for and experience in preparing a research proposal in their self-selected area of interest, with the support of an appointed supervisor(s), with a focus on evidence-based practice. The competency building activities of this course provide students with experiential learning through the development and preparation of a proposal for their chosen research project and workshops.
Course requirements
Restrictions
Restricted to students within the DDM program only.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Nicole Stormon
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to prepare and develop a research proposal and an ethics application based on a self-selected project.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify and propose solutions to ethical considerations underpinning research in a health project.
LO2.
Justify the construction of research questions, aims and objectives to guide a health-based research project.
LO3.
Propose and justify a scientific study to investigate an area relevant to dental sciences while supported by experienced researchers.
LO4.
Develop and communicate methods to analyse quantitative or qualitative data to solve research questions.
LO5.
Develop and demonstrate the teamwork capabilities required to collaboratively construct a rigorous research proposal.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation, Thesis |
Research Scope & Feasibility Presentation
|
25% |
20/03/2026 2:00 pm
Presentation slides are to be submitted by the due date. Presentations will be rostered to occur in the subsequent two weeks. A roster will be provided. |
| Project, Thesis | Milestone 1: Ethics & Research Justification Brief | 15% |
2/04/2026 2:00 pm |
| Project, Thesis |
Milestone 3: Research Proposal
|
50% Must pass |
15/05/2026 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique, Thesis |
Milestone 4: Proposal Peer Review
|
10% |
29/05/2026 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
Research Scope & Feasibility Presentation
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation, Thesis
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
20/03/2026 2:00 pm
Presentation slides are to be submitted by the due date.
Presentations will be rostered to occur in the subsequent two weeks. A roster will be provided.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L05
Task description
This is group task directly related to your research project.
In this task, you are required to present your research area of interest and provide a progress update of your research proposal. The presentation should be up to 10 minutes, after which there will be an opportunity for questions and feedback to the group.
To complete this task, you should:
- Consider utilising the literature review you completed for DENT7121 (if relevant to your research project) to help inform some of the directions you take for both this proposal and your research project.
- Explicitly cover or complete the elements of the response listed below.
Your response should clearly:
- Provide background information to your research question and highlight the importance of your project.
- State your research aim and question.
- Propose a reasonable timeline to achieve your research goals.
- State the research ethics pathway for the project.
- Use thoughtfully designed presentation slides that enhance your presentation.
This presentation will be recorded and retained as per university policy. The recording will be stored in a secure manner and will only be accessed if required for the purposes of moderation of marking; provision of feedback to the student; and/or re-marking following a successful re-mark application.
Submission guidelines
Your presentation slides must be provided prior to the presentation date via eportfolio.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 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.
Milestone 1: Ethics & Research Justification Brief
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project, Thesis
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
2/04/2026 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Although this task is related to your research project, this is an individual assessment activity. Each student is to submit their own work.
In this task, you are required to prepare a two-page brief that outlines the ethical considerations and research justification for a proposed study in dental or oral health sciences. Your brief should demonstrate your ability to identify ethical challenges, construct meaningful research questions, and justify the relevance and feasibility of your proposed study.
Task Instructions
To complete this task, you should:
- Describe a well-defined research question, along with specific aims and objectives.
- Justify the significance of your proposed study in the context of dental sciences, including its relevance to clinical practice, public health, or professional development.
- Identify Ethical Considerations
- Explain how the ethical dimensions relate to the conduct of research in the research area of Dentistry.
- Address the relevant ethical dimensions of your proposed study by responding to the following prompts, drawn from the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research:
RESPECT:
- How will you ensure voluntary participation and informed consent?
- What strategies will you use to respect participants’ autonomy, privacy, and cultural values?
BENEFICENCE:
- What are the potential risks and benefits of your study?
- How will you minimize harm and maximise benefit to participants and the broader community?
JUSTICE:
- How will you ensure fair recruitment and equitable access to participation?
- Are there any groups who may be unfairly burdened or excluded?
RESEARCH MERIT AND INTEGRITY:
- What evidence supports the need for this study?
- How will you ensure the research is methodologically sound and conducted with integrity?
Submission guidelines
Submit this assessment via eportoflio
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 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.
Milestone 3: Research Proposal
- Hurdle
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project, Thesis
- Weight
- 50% Must pass
- Due date
15/05/2026 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This is group task directly related to your research project.
In this task, you are required to submit a research project proposal on your research area of interest that you will complete in the final stages of your Doctor of Dental Medicine program.
To complete this task, you should:
- Consider utilising feedback from the research proposal presentation to improve upon your proposal design.
- Use the following structure for research project proposal:
- Introduction: Introduce your dental area of interest, identify and propose solutions to ethical considerations underpinning research, and explain why there is a need for further research in this area.
- Aim(s) & Objectives: Clearly outline and justify what you hope to achieve through your research (this should make some mention of your hypothesis), and the actions/steps that you will take in order to achieve the aim(s).
- Methodology: Propose, discuss and justify the systems, processes, evidence gathering techniques, statistical measures, etc. that you will use in order to successfully complete this research task. The use of sub-sections in this section is highly recommended.
- References: Use the Vancouver style for your references and take advantage of referencing software for managing your references. Further details about the Vancouver style are available at: https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/vancouver
Hurdle requirements
Students must achieve a passing grade (50%) for this assessment task.Submission guidelines
Each individual student must submit their group proposal via eportoflio.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 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.
Milestone 4: Proposal Peer Review
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Thesis
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
29/05/2026 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
This is an individual assessment task.
In this task, you will review another group’s draft research proposal and provide a structured, one-page critique. Your feedback should address the clarity and justification of the research question, aims, and objectives; the relevance and feasibility of the proposed study; and the appropriateness of the proposed methods for data collection and analysis.
To complete this task, you must:
- Review the Assigned Proposal
- Read the draft proposal carefully.
- Consider its alignment with ethical research principles and evidence-based practice.
- Provide Structured Feedback
- Comment on the clarity and relevance of the research question, aims, and objectives.
- Assess whether the proposed study is justified and feasible within the context of dental sciences.
- Evaluate the proposed methodology, including data collection and analysis strategies, for coherence and rigour.
- Use a Constructive and Professional Tone
- Frame your feedback to support improvement and refinement.
- Highlight strengths as well as areas for development.
- Reference relevant ethical or methodological standards where appropriate.
- Format and Submission
- Your peer review must be no longer than one (1) A4 page.
- Use clear headings or bullet points to structure your feedback.
Submission guidelines
Submit peer review via ePortfolio.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 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 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of less than 20% |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 20% but less than 45% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 45% but less than 50% OR Attains the overall pass mark BUT has failed the hurdle requirement |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 50% but less than 65% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 65% but less than 75% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 75% but less than 85% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Attains an overall mark of at least 85% AND has passed the hurdle requirements |
Additional course grading information
Percentage marks will be rounded to the nearest whole number - e.g., 84.4% rounds down to 84%, and 84.5% rounds up to 85%. This applies to all grade cutoffs except for a grade of 4. The minimum pass mark is 50%, and a pass cannot be achieved by rounding up from 49.5%.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this 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
Library resources are available 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 Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lecture The lectures form a journey that takes students from the early stages of shaping a research idea through to writing the major components of a thesis. They begin by grounding students in how to articulate aims, objectives and a literature review, then move into the ethical and practical realities of conducting research. Finally, the lectures and tutorials discuss and guide students through the practicalities of accessing data, managing samples, and analysing both quantitative and qualitative findings. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 12 |
Tutorial |
Research Community of Practice The tutorials function as a collaborative research community where students build foundational skills and support one another through each stage of their project. They begin by strengthening core research foundations and learning how to craft effective introductions before turning to the ethical considerations that shape responsible inquiry. As students prepare for and deliver their presentations, the tutorials provide structured guidance and peer feedback to refine their ideas. 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 for Students Policy and Procedure
- AI for Assessment Guide
- Recording of Teaching Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course:
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: