Course coordinator
Associate Professor Andrew Phillips
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
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This is a restricted entry course and School consent must be obtained prior to enrolment. Studies in governance and public policy focusing on various areas of the discipline. The precise nature of the course will vary according to availability of staff. Students should contact the school by email to polsis@uq.edu.au for further information. Students will be directed to enrol in this course where appropriate by the Independent Study Coordinator. This course is not available as a general elective.
This is a #2 unit research essay undertaken over one semester. The independent study option allows students of exceptional ability (with a GPA of 5.5 or higher) to engage in a minor research project.
The course is particularly useful for postgraduate coursework students who either wish to gain experience conducting research prior to applying for admission to a research higher degree program or to investigate a topic of interest in political science or international studies which is not covered by other postgraduate courses. It is strongly recommended that students take POLS7701 (Research Methods) prior to enrolling in this course.
Students work by themselves, with some guidance by of a member of the academic staff of the School of Political Science and International Studies. POLS7108 requires not only that the student be self-motivated and self-disciplined, but that they also determine and develop their own study project in consultation with their supervisor. At the outset of their independent study, it is vital for students to swiftly identify and focus upon a clear research question.
The semester then involves independent reading and research, regular contact between student and supervisor, and finally the preparation of a 6,000-word essay. The Supervisor’s role is to provide overall guidance and feedback. Supervisors are not required to provide detailed comment upon drafts. The essay to be produced should reflect a synthesis of relevant academic literature on the chosen topic. It must develop a reasoned and coherent central argument. It does not necessarily need to make an original contribution to knowledge or involve empirical research.
Further information, including the application form and application due dates, is available from https://polsis.uq.edu.au/student-support. Students are required to submit the application form and their independent study proposal by the relevant due date by email to polsis@uq.edu.au.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Andrew Phillips
Timetable
Additional timetable information
There are no scheduled classes for this course. Instead, students are expected to schedule and hold regular meetings with their academic supervisor. As POLS7108 is a #2 unit course, it is also expected that students will spend approximately 10 hours per week reading in the library or otherwise conducting individual, in-depth research on their chosen research question.
Students seeking extensions should refer to the Late Submission advise in section 5.3 of the ECP after consulting with their supervisors.
Extensions are usually only given under exceptional circumstances.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to allow postgraduate students of exceptional ability to gain experience conducting independent research in political science or international studies.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate and communicate knowledge of a specialist area of study.
LO2.
Work independently in conducting research, in cooperation with an academic supervisor.
LO3.
Apply the skills of critical judgement and analysis.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Research Plan and Annotated Bibliography | 30% |
3/01/2025 5:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Independent Study (6000 words) | 70% |
3/02/2025 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Research Plan and Annotated Bibliography
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
3/01/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
This first piece of assessment comprises two parts: a research plan (15%) and an annotated bibliography (15%). These items are to be submitted as one document uploaded on Turnitin through the course Blackboard site, and will be assessed by the supervisor.
Research Plan
The research plan should be 1500 words, and give a preliminary outline of the research project. It should include the project’s main aims and arguments, rationale, an outline of the proposed essay, and methodology as well as give a timeline towards the completion of the project.
The research plan provides the opportunity for the student to receive feedback on the overall project plan.
The research plan will be assessed on the criteria of exposition of the research problem, insight into the theoretical and methodological requirements of the project, and writing style and presentation (for further details, consult the grading rubric on the course Blackboard site).
Annotated Bibliography
The annotated bibliography comprises two components:
- Firstly, it should provide a list of at least twenty-five (25) sources used for research on the proposed project, which will have to be presented in accordance with appropriate bibliographic standards (if you are not clear on these, see the POLSIS Essay Guide).
- Secondly, for a selection of 10 of these sources, it should provide a short discursive synopsis (Annotation) with a critical appraisal of the relevance of this source for the proposed research project (totalling no more than 250 words per annotation).
Annotated bibliographies will be assessed according to: the relevance of sources reviewed to the research topic; the strength of the critical appraisals; and the general presentation of the bibliography (for further details, consult the grading rubric on the course Blackboard site).
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Students seeking extensions should refer to the extension request process information available in my.UQ after consulting with their supervisors.
Extensions are usually only given under exceptional circumstances.
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.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Independent Study (6000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 70%
- Due date
3/02/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
The main item of assessment for the Independent Study is a 6,000-word essay on the topic and research question chosen and developed by the student and approved by the supervisor.
The criteria against which the essay will be assessed are outlined on the rubric available via the course Blackboard site. The essay is to be submitted via Turnitin through the course Blackboard site, and will be assessed by the supervisor.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
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.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | <p>0</p> - |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>The student does notﾠaddress the question, shows no evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand.</p> |
| 2 (Fail) | <p>0</p> - |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>The studentﾠaddresses the question poorly and showsﾠvery little evidence of reading.</p> |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | <p>0</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: <p>The student makes an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay andﾠemploys some research which is correlated with the argument. Makes a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flowﾠappears throughout the assignment. The studentﾠaddresses the question and shows evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. However,ﾠfalls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass.</p> |
| 4 (Pass) | <p>0</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>The student makes a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument andﾠemploys an adequate research base to support the argument. Achieves a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow is sustained throughout the essay. The studentﾠanswers the question and shows evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand.</p> |
| 5 (Credit) | <p>0</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>The studentﾠprovides suitable evidence to support an argument andﾠemploys a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic, though it may not completely support the argument. Achieves decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The studentﾠanswers the question in a direct, well supported fashion and shows evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand.</p> |
| 6 (Distinction) | <p>0</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>The studentﾠdemonstrates a very good grasp of the chosen topic andﾠprovides a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The studentﾠemploys a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The studentﾠanswers the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employs wide research and shows a sound understanding of the issues at hand.</p> |
| 7 (High Distinction) | <p>0</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>The studentﾠdemonstrates a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic andﾠsucceeds in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The studentﾠemploys an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument andﾠachieves impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The studentﾠanswers the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employs significant research and shows a deep understanding of the issues at hand.</p> |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1.ﾠFailﾠ 1 - 19%
2. Failﾠ 20 - 44%
3. Failﾠ 45 ﾖ 49%
4. Passﾠ 50 - 64 %
5. Creditﾠ 65 - 74 %
6. Distinctionﾠ 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinctionﾠ 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
Additional assessment information
Word Length Penalty
Unless otherwise indicated, in the case of written submissions with a specified word count, you are given a +10% leeway on the upper word limit. If your written submission is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty. For example, if your essay is 1,500 words, you may write up to 1,650 before attracting a word count penalty. If your essay exceeds the upper word limit, it will attract a 10% word count penalty. Therefore, if your essay is worth 40 marks, you will lose 4 marks from your allotted grade. Unless specified, penalties only apply to exceeding the word length, not for failure to write a sufficient amount.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
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
Ethical Clearance for an Independent Study
It is a University requirement that an Ethical Clearance is obtained for any independent study project involving human subjects. Working with their supervisor, students are expected to seek ethical approval for any interview, survey or other research involving people. If your independent study does not involve people in this way, then you do not need ethical clearance.
Applications should be submitted by using the MyResearch linkﾠhttps://my-research.research.uq.edu.au/
Further information can be found hereﾠhttps://www.uq.edu.au/research/research-support/ethics-integrity-and-compliance/human-ethics/ethics-application
It is not necessary to lodge an application for Ethical Clearance with your initial application. However, this must be done prior to commencing research.
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 |
Not Timetabled |
Project Each student works independently on their own research project, under the direction of their academic supervisor. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
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.