Course coordinator
Dr Marlize Bekker
Consultation is by appointment. To make an appointment, please email.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 8
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
Design, implementation and presentation of a research project relevant to the course, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate analysis of data and drawing defensible conclusions. Students completing the course in one semester must gain permission to enrol in FOOD7617 from both the Program and Courses Coordinators. Students completing the course in two semesters must enrol in FOOD7618 if commencing in sem 1 or FOOD7619 if commencing in sem 2.
From 2024 students must complete a research project contract in collaboration with a research supervisor.
Students must submit the Research Project Contract by the first Thursday of Teaching Week 1 in February for students commencing in Semester 1, and by the first Thursday of Teaching Week 1 in July for students commencing in Semester 2 to agriculture@enquire.uq.edu.au.
This course is part of the requirements of the program and is designed to introduce the students to research methods. Students will develop skills to undertake the research and report their findings in the form of a research thesis.
Please note these steps to secure a Research Project:
1. The course coordinator/s will provide a list of potential supervisors and their general areas of research.
2. The student must then contact potential academic supervisors working in areas that they are interested in to arrange a topic for their research project.
3. The student then completes a learning contract with the project supervisor, to be forwarded to the course coordinator/s.
4. The project must be agreed, and the contract completed before the end of Teaching Week 1.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students will have adequate background in food processing, food engineering, food chemistry, food microbiology, food nutrition, healthﾠscience and a basic knowledge of statistical procedures including experimental design and statistical analysis.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
FOOD7618 or FOOD7619
Course contact
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There are no timetabled activities (except for the seminarﾠfor presentations). Students are expected to be in regular contact with their supervisor.
Aims and outcomes
To introduce students to the activities involved in carrying out a research project.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Define a research problem, state a research hypothesis, and plan a process for the investigation of the problem.
LO2.
Integrate the practical experience gained in previous years of study to develop a novel process, product, analyse the various aspects of food and nutrition topics; OR undertake fundamental studies, and research data recording.
LO3.
Design and implement a research project/survey; OR undertake a substantial critical literature review.
LO4.
Analyse, process, and interpret research data.
LO5.
Develop skills for presenting experimental results and drawing relevant statistical conclusions.
LO6.
Write a thesis in an approved format.
LO7.
Deliver an oral presentation (seminar) on their research project.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Learning contract with project supervisor | Compulsory |
27/02/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Research Proposal
|
15% |
28/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Presentation
|
15% |
Week 13 Mon - Week 13 Fri
Day and time to be advised. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Research Project Final Report and Performance
|
70% |
30/05/2025 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
Learning contract with project supervisor
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- Compulsory
- Due date
27/02/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01
Task description
Before the end of Week 1, the student needs to have approval from an academic supervisor for a research project. A form will need to be completed by both student and supervisor and emailed to the course coordinator before the end of Week 1.
Submission guidelines
email to agriculture@enquire.uq.edu.au
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Research Proposal
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
28/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Students are required to submit a research proposal and experimental protocol to their primary project adviser to allow assessment and feedback on progress with respect to their level of scientific technical planning, writing skill, knowledge depth and coverage, and comprehension.
The research proposal guidelines are below and can also be found attached, and under Course Files on the Blackboard site.
Structure of a Research Proposal (~2000 words)
1. Introduction to the topic
2. Hypothesis
3. Aims and Objectives
4. Methodology
5. Timeline (GANTT Chart)
6. References (APA 7th)
Introduction (30%)
Aims, research questions and hypotheses.
Short literature review.
Relevant theory is described briefly.
Clear and concise statements explaining the rationale for the research are provided.
The rationale is both understandable and convincing.
The proposal contains clear and concise statements of research aims, objectives and hypotheses.
The research question logically follows from the extant literature and addresses a meaningful gap or debate in the field.
Methods (40%)
The methods and materials are appropriate to answer the research question and the study design and are reliable and valid.
The description of the procedure is thorough, logical, coherent, and in sufficient detail to enable replication.
All stages involved in conducting the research are clearly described, and the approach is feasible.
The analysis strategy (can be statistics or other relevant analysis) is clearly described and optimal in addressing the research question(s).
Limitations of the approach are considered and addressed.
Gantt chart (20%)
Thoughtful and realistic timeline; incorporates all necessary tasks for project completion.
Presentation (10%)
Spelling and grammar are appropriate, visual aids (figures, graphs, tables, etc.) are suitable for the project under consideration, the format has been followed correctly, and the correct reference format using APA 7th.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration:
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Submission of an Extention of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via https://portal.my.uq.edu.au/#/dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
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.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
Presentation
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
Week 13 Mon - Week 13 Fri
Day and time to be advised.
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05, L07
Task description
A presentation consisting of a 10-minute presentation and 5 minutes of questions.
The following format of presentation is recommended.
1. Title page - 1 slide
2. Outline - 1 slide
3. Background - aims, hypothesis and objectives - 1 slide
4. Materials and methods - 2 slides
5. Results - 4 slides
6. Conclusion and recommendation for further research - 1 slide.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via https://portal.my.uq.edu.au/#/dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
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.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted every 24 hours from the time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Research Project Final Report and Performance
- Hurdle
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 70%
- Due date
30/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
See Thesis FORMAT recommendations (Thesis structure) below and on the Blackboard site. An example thesis is also available on the Blackboard site.
The final report should be written and formatted as a thesis consisting of a minimum of 8000 words, not including references. The report should demonstrate the student’s ability to conduct scientific research and communicate their findings clearly and professionally.
A. Thesis Structure
Your report must include the following sections:
- Declaration
- Include a declaration statement certifying the originality of your work and acknowledging adherence to academic integrity policies.
- Abstract
- Provide a concise summary of your research in 2 paragraphs, with a maximum length of 1 page.
- Clearly state the research problem, methodology, key findings, and significance of your study.
- Acknowledgements
- Acknowledge individuals, organisations, or institutions that contributed to the completion of your research.
- Table of Contents
- Include all major sections, subsections, and page numbers in a clear and organised format.
- List of Figures
- Provide a numbered list of all figures included in the report, along with their page numbers and captions.
- List of Tables
- Provide a numbered list of all tables included in the report, along with their page numbers and captions.
- Introduction
- Clearly introduce the research problem and explain its significance.
- Provide a review of relevant literature to establish the background, summarise past work, and identify gaps or opportunities in the field.
- Clearly state your research hypothesis, aims, and objectives.
- Highlight the relevance of your research to industry or broader applications.
- Literature Review
- Conduct an in-depth review of relevant literature, critically analysing key studies.
- Provide a brief summary of your review, highlighting deficiencies or gaps in past work and justifying your research focus.
- Methodology
- Clearly describe the experimental setup, materials used, and procedures followed, ensuring sufficient detail for reproducibility.
- Mention any ethical approvals or permissions obtained, if applicable.
- Specify analytical methods, software, and statistical tools used in your study.
- Results and Discussion
- Present findings in a logical order, supported by tables, figures, and graphs for effective communication.
- Interpret your results in the context of existing literature and highlight their implications.
- Address the limitations of your study, discuss its broader implications, and propose potential future research directions.
- Ensure that the discussion aligns with the research objectives.
- Conclude this section by summarising the main findings.
- General Conclusions and Recommendations
- Provide a concise summary of your main findings and their significance.
- Include practical or research-based recommendations if applicable.
- Avoid introducing new data, interpretations, or concepts in this section.
- References
- Use the APA 7th edition reference style consistently throughout your thesis.
- Refer to the UQ Library’s referencing guide for details: UQ Referencing Style Guide.
- Appendices
- Raw data, figures, equipment details, extended methodology.
- Each main section should start from a new page.
B. Additional Guidelines
- Use a formal, scientific tone throughout your manuscript.
- Write in the third person and past tense for the methods and results.
- Formatting:
- Use Times New Roman, 12 pt as font
- Use double spacing.
- Number the pages and include section headings.
- For those students who have difficulty in deciding what page format to use, the following is a suggestion:
- Margins: Top 3 cm, Bottom 3 cm, Left 3 cm, Right 3 cm.
- Paragraphs: Left justified, Right unjustified, Indent first line by 1.5 cm.
- Figures and tables
- Figures and tables should be appropriately labelled and referenced in the text.
- Include clear, descriptive captions for all figures and tables, positioned either above (tables) or below (figures) the item.
- Proofreading:
- Carefully proofread your report for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors before submission.
- Submit your proof to your supervisor to receive feedback on how to improve your thesis before submission.
Student Performance marking
The advisor's mark is an objective assessment by the student's advisor(s) as to the overall quality of the student in terms of their scholarship, practical competence and potential for independent post-graduate research. This assessment will be guided by adherence to the scientific practice of maintaining a laboratory/field record by means of regular entries into a Laboratory Notebook.
Project activities must be recorded each week in the Lab Notebook, with at least 1 page of the book allocated for each week of activities.
A Laboratory Notebook is available to students at the start of their course. Each student is required to submit their Laboratory Notebook directly to School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability Student Services by the due date, together with the Thesis. The Laboratory Notebook, signed by the project supervisor, must be submitted by the due date, showing the experimental work undertaken during the project. This is a compulsory requirement to pass the course.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Hurdle requirements
For details on the hurdle refer to Additional course grading information - Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles.Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration:
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via https://portal.my.uq.edu.au/#/dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
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.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
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: 0 - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35 - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47 - 49% OR failure to meet course hurdle requirement. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50 - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65 - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75 - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85 - 100% |
Additional course grading information
COURSE GRADING AND ASSESSMENT HURDLES
Students must achieve a minimum of 50% for their Final Report (Thesis) assessment in order to pass the course. ﾠIf a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the Thesisﾠand the student does NOT score a passing grade in the Thesis, they are unable to achieve a passing grade for the course.
All Assessment is Compulsory - all assessment items MUST be completed in order to obtain a passing grade for this course.
Students must address any additional assessment requirements identified in this eCP.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Assignment writing
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments. You are encouraged to:
- read the instructions for assignments carefully and ensure that you address all the requirements,
- refer to references both in the readings and beyond, and cite references in the appropriate manner,
- reflect on your own experience and provide insight and critical thinking,
- write clearly and concisely.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
All submitted written assessments must be your own work, and all oral assessments (including presentations or narration) must use your own voice unless an alternative has been arranged as part of a Student Access Plan (SAP).
Turnitin Assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through Turnitin must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. ﾠIf you submit any version of your assessment item to any other Turnitin link, this is considered cheating, and you will be held liable for this action.
Release of marks
Unless specifically indicated by the course coordinator, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment available within 3 weeks of submission. ﾠFor items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will not be available until grades release day. ﾠResults and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.
Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility.
Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your Course Co-ordinator.
Information for students can be found at : https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
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
The course coordinator will provide a list of potential supervisors and their general areas of research. The student will then contact potential academic supervisors working in areas that they are interested in to arrange a topic for their research project. The student will then arrange a learning contract with the project supervisor that will then be sent to the course coordinator.ﾠ This will need to be completed before the end of the first week of the semester.
The topic may be investigated by designing and implementing a research project/survey or undertaking a significant review of the literature.
The research can focus on either fundamental or practical orientation (R&D type) or surveying research problems. The fundamental research will involve an extensive literature review and experimental work. The practical-oriented research will involve more practical aspects, such as the development of a product or process, in addition to a reasonable literature review. Students are expected to spend more time in the lab in the latter type of project. The supervisor will guide the student on how to undertake the research while choosing the fundamental or practical research option.
Overview of the research methodology, report and thesis writing and other issues related to research will be communicated through Blackboard throughout the semester.
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 |
Practical |
Laboratory safety induction All students need to undertake the Health and Safety Inductions and carry out online training before commencing their projects. Laboratory safety training sessions for research project students are scheduled fortnightly and hosted via Zoom. All students will need to:
To enrol in a Faculty of Science HSW Safety Training Session. To register or email sciohs@uq.edu.au . Learning outcomes: L01 |
Practical |
Experimental work Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Symposium |
Oral Presentation Learning outcomes: L05, L07 |
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.